Expert: Roger Lederer - 5/17/2006

Question
Hi Roger,
There is a birdnest just out side my window. This morning I saw that a couple of bird seemed to be incubating egg there(the birds look like passerine). The female bird stayed in the nest while her partner went back and forth fetching food (I did not see the egg since the female bird covered the whole nest).

Then I heard flapping sound and saw a steller's jay attacking the female bird. I shhed the steller's jay away. THe female bird flew away too. The nest was empty. This afternoon the female bird was in the nest again and I saw an egg. I guess the steller's jay took away the first egg and now the passerine just laid another egg (unless the female passerine was able to take the egg with her when she ran away).

I want to prevent the steller's jay from attacking again. I wonder if I should put bird food on the ground near the tree so any steller's jay who come would eat the food and leave the poor egg(s) alone. Should I do that? Is there any other ways? Please advise.

Greatly appreciate your help.

Answer
Putting more food out will attact more birds and I'm not sure that is what you want. My suggestion, although you may not like it, is to let nature take its course. The passerines (the Jay is a passerine, too) might get their eggs eaten, but they will nest again somewhere else. If you disturb the Jay you will disturb the nesting birds as well. Best to leave the situation alone. Birds can nest two or three times in one season, so all will be fine. Roger Lederer at Ornithology.com