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Birding/different birds in 1 nest

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Expert: - 5/11/2010


Question

Multi-Family Nest
i am sending you a pic of the nest in my fern basket.  i see what looks like a house wren and a tree swallow flying in and out.  will one bird eventually take over the nest?  what will happen to all the eggs?  thanks for any info.

Answer
House wrens and Tree Swallows nest in cavities, so this is not their nest. I don't know whose nest it is but the speckled eggs belong to the Brown-headed Cowbird, a nest parasite that lays its eggs in other birds' nests. The cowbirds will probably take over the nest and deprive the other young of food.

Roger Lederer

Expertise

Any and all about WILD birds - the science of ornithology. Information about birdwatching, ecology, conservation, migration, behavior, banding, rehabilitation, feeding, songs, binoculars, identification, and careers in ornithology. No questions about pet or caged birds, please.

Experience

Have a PhD and over forty years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, three bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and two recent books entitled "Amazing Birds" and "Birds of New England". Have traveled to over 90 countries watching birds.

Education/Credentials
PhD in Zoology/Ornithology; Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences; former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico

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