Expert: Roger Lederer - 4/19/2011

Question
I just learned on the All Experts web site that many animals will eat dove eggs whole leaving no trace I encounter this today sadly the mother dove abandoned the eggs yesterday she either new they were not viable or a cat got her I found lots of feathers behind my air conditioning compressor. Her eggs were there this morning undisturbed she was nowhere to be seen when I returned home for lunch the eggs were gone no site of them on the ground. Can you tell me specifically what animal could climb a will climbing ivy-bush and get  the eggs a squirrel maybe or a scrub jay? A cat wouldn't eat the eggs would it? I live in a gated community in San Ramon CA dense housing small courtyards and small back yards no snakes around so I doubt it was a snake however I did see a posting on this website about a certain snake that eats dove eggs but my courtyard is very small I know for sure I have no snakes living in it. San Ramon CA is about 30 miles east of San Francisco near Mount Diablo if that helps. If you can give me a list of know dove egg eaters that would help so I can be on the lookout for that critter as we almost always have two sets of nesting pairs in our yard starting about March and going all the way through the summer.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Brad

Answer
Well, not knowing exactly what might be in your neighborhood, possibilities are rat, opossum, skunk, scrub jay, crow, squirrel, mockingbird, and cat. It is unlikely that a snake took the eggs.
If I had to bet, my money would be on a cat or rat and since you found feathers and the adult missing, I strongly suspect a cat.