So, a robin built several nests in my carport, but only laid eggs in one of them, the middle one in the photo. They hatched about nine days ago. As you can see, the mother is not roosting in the middle nest, but that’s still where her hatchlings are. You can’t see them in the photo, but I saw them moving around in there. Is this normal? Does the mother just need her space or is she confused somehow, perhaps by the repeating joists? Is that why she built multiple nests to begin with?

If there’s another community where you think people might know better, please suggest it.

Update: all is well, apparently.

  • bird@beehaw.org
    1·
    1 year ago

    I wonder if this is in any way a defense mechanism against parasitic brooding species such as the Brown-headed Cowbird which lay eggs in other birds’ nests to have those species raise their young for them.