Birding/Robin's nest

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Expert: - 5/10/2007


Question
The last week of April a robin built a nest outside our bedroom window, which looks out onto a busy porch entrance.  It was amazing to see her /him build it from start to finish-maybe 2 days.  In that time and in the several days following, she never seemed bothered by our presence and we even used the back entrance so as not to disturb her.  The mother bird was there every day and then disappeared for a couple of days at which time I looked in the nest.  4 eggs.  She has not returned. Almost seven days now.  Any chance she will?  Any ideas why she left?  Thanks.

Answer
After laying 4 eggs she disappeared? I doubt that she will return. Either she abandoned the nest for some reason (it happens) or she got eaten by a predator. If she abandoned the nest it was probably the disturbance in the area, I would guess. 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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