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Birding/Nest with eggs laid in hanging basket

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Expert: - 5/28/2007


Question
I have a hanging basket on my front porch where I found a nest. I watered the basket this morning and now there is an egg. The birds have returned. I believe they are finches, brown little fluttery birds. I need to keep the basket alive to provide foliage for the birds. Will this disrupt their nesting? Also, the house is being painted in a week or so. Can I slightly move the basket to accommodate the painter? Could the basket be moved to a new location? Thanks!

Answer
I'm not sure how the basket is arranged but if you can keep the eggs from getting wet, that would be best. Disturb them as little as possible in the process. You can probably move the basket a couple of feet, but any more that that might cause the parents to abandon the nest. The less disturbance the better. Thanks for your concern. Roger Lederer at Ornithology.com

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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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