Murder of the baby Robins (3 Viewers)

[Christopherobin]

This morning, I am crushed. The clutch of 3 baby robins is done. One chick is missing, the remaining 2 are dead. Mother and father are flying around the area, hopelessly displaced. Clearly, a murder has taken place.

What steps can I take, if any, to encourage the pair to try again? I carefully removed the two dead chicks and two unhatchable eggs, put the nest back up. (It was made in an abandoned, dirt-filled plant hanger under some steps of a deck, so I never physically touched the nest itself.)

Is there any chance they will return to lay a new clutch? What can I do to encourage them?

Thank you.

C.

 

[KC Foggin]

So sorry to hear that. Hard to say just what happened. Are the two remaining dead chicks showing any signs of wounds? Chances are the parents left the nest due to a disturbance when the one chick was taken and didn't return to the nest letting the others to starve/die of exposure.

I know it is very hard, but sometimes you just cannot interfere with the goings on of nature.

 

[Christopherobin]

There are no wounds of any kind. It looks exactly like what you describe. The 2 remaining chicks appear to have been left to die. I notice that on the step right next to the nest is some feces from some critter, I cannot say.

I know nature must go its own way. Yesterday I had put out a very small mound of seed about 10 feet away from the nest, thinking of supplying the parents with more food options and I may have inadvertently attracted a predator, like a squirrel or something. They love bird food and ar natural enemies to Robins.

ANyway, I continue to see the parents flying around the immediate area and I wonder what, if anything, I can do to help them have another go at it.

Thank you.

C.

 

[TerryK]

I'd say either a rat or squirrel got the chick and tramatized the parents into abandoning the nest. I doubt you can get them to try again but next season they could be back.

 

[Christopherobin]

Thanks for your replies. It is not quite a week following the atrocity and mom has begun building anew in my "under construction" gazebo. Afte what she has been through, I am very reluctant to tear down the nest even though I must continue the work. I feel removing the new nest would be nothing short of cruel. I don't think I can move it without her abadoning it again, yet I need to work there. How about that for a dilemma?

Her original nest is still intact about 25 feet away in its original position and I very, very carefully cleaned it out the day the babies were killed.

ANy thoughts? Thank you!!

 

[KC Foggin]

Well, would it help if you were told that tearing down the nest at this time would be breaking a Federal Law?

 

[Christopherobin]

You must be joking.

 

[mamo]

Robins are very fickle birds. If you have been keeping too close an eye on this nest, they may have decided to desert as they may see you as a threat!! Would be surprised if they used their old nest again, even more surprised to learn its an offense to remove an old nest in USA, wonder if it is over here in England??

 

[Christopherobin]

Mamo....

I would have to say that I have been sincerely surprised by how closely the RObin had built her first nest to te house. She built it beneath the landing of a stairway to our deck. This is used often, many times a day to let the dog out or for others to travers e to other points on the deck.

Every time I opened the door, I noted a bird would fly away. Then I noticed it was the same bird every time. I went down underneath to look for the nest but found none, yet is had become clear that this bird was there most of the time.
One day I finally discovered that the nest had been well-concealed in an abandoned plant-hanger underneath the steps of the deck. The rim of the nest was barely visible. No wonder I'd missed it first time round.

Like you, I would have naturally assumed that the birsd would not be attracted to a place where there was so much activity, yet , there she was, eggs and all.

If anything, we have diminished our activity in this general area , mostly out of some sense of guilt that somehow we were responsible for the first clutch getting attacked. From what I have been taught by the very good folkson this website is that the lat clutch was close to leaving the nest when the attack occured. It just feels like she should be given every opportunity to see a set of chicks go full-term ad to leave the nest nturally.


As for the idea that there is some ligislation in place which makes it a felonious act to remove a nest under construction, well, that sounds like a bit of a stretch to me--- certainly in this scenario.


Awfully cool in UK today... high of 10 -12 degrees? It is about 27 near the Great Lakes today. Must go pull my fans from the attic. Thanks for writing. I appreaciate it.

C.

 

[KC Foggin]

You cannot interfere in anyway with the nest of any active, native breeding birds here in the USA. Check the Federal Migratory Birding Act or call your local DNR for clarification.

 

[Christopherobin]

Day ten following the catastrophe and new eggs are in the new nest. And so goes the never-ending cycle. I am going to defend this nest with all that is holy. God help any predator who gets near this nest.

Even though I am bummed about having to stall the work I am doing on my deck, it's only for a couple of weeks. I'll get over it. I expect that once the chicks are able to fly off, the nest will be abandoned.

The one thing I can't figure out, thoug, is that abou20 feet from the nest I have a blch of suet with berries in it hanging from a tree branch and no critters, or robins, will touch it. I can't figger out why.



Nyway, that's it for now. Thanks for all the input.


C.

 

[Christopherobin]

Hope springs...........

With 4 eggs sitting beneath her, I stand no chance of getting near this nest for any length of time. Even when I cannot see the mother anywhere because she has flown away for a few precious moments of downtime, the instant I get within 5 feet of this nest she comes in like a surface-to-surface missile barking at me all the way.... and if I do not move away fast enough she hovers in mid-air, flapping furiously and screaming wildly, until I have acquired a minimum safe distance of at least 20 feet.
One time, the father also joined in the defense and I almost felt I was in the lost episode of a Hitchcock movie.

How I wish I could explain to her I am her staunchest allie (sp?). If I saw anything going after the nest, I'd be out there at the front of the line defending the homefront. I have tried talking to her, but she just sits there looking at me like I'm some sort of ... non-bird.

ANywy....if all goes well, there should be chicks in a few days time. I'll send announcements. Stay tuned.


C.

 

[mamo]

Good luck with that, hope all stays well

 

[mamo]

You cannot interfere in anyway with the nest of any active, native breeding birds here in the USA. Check the Federal Migratory Birding Act or call your local DNR for clarification.

I notice you used the word "Active", surely a nest full of dead chicks is no longer "active" and would be able to be moved?? not gonna argue about federal law with you KC, being English it doesn't really concern me, was more interested if this kinda thing is allowed over here.

 

[Christopherobin]

Latest: Looks like 3 of the 4 eggs "made it". Three very strong, and now large chicks are quickly running out of living space. Here is a question, though. Very often it appears when the parents are feeding a chick, the parent removes some white object ,like a sack ,from the chick. It is failry large, like an oversized grub. Any idea what this thing might be? I've not read about it on any of the informaton ites I have visited.

TIV

 

[Mike Feely]

Christopherobin

The white object the parent removes is a faecal sac - poo to you & me! While the chicks are still young and nest bound, the parent will remove it and either dispose of it away from the next or eat it (i know - sounds disgusting!), anyway, its just a way of keeping the nest area as clean as possible - most passerines (at least) do this.

mamo - i think KC was referring to the new nest, not the abandoned one.

Mike

 

[KC Foggin]

Hi again

They are probably fecal sacs from the juvies. The parents carry them away so as not to attract any predators to the nest trying to keep the nest as clean as possible.

 

[humminbird]

I notice you used the word "Active", surely a nest full of dead chicks is no longer "active" and would be able to be moved?? not gonna argue about federal law with you KC, being English it doesn't really concern me, was more interested if this kinda thing is allowed over here.

Mamo:
I believe your interpretation would be correct, however even if Christopher were to remove it the same law states that it can not be possessed, and so all that could be done would be dispose of it - unless they can find someone with a permit who can use it for educational purposes. Must have the permits though and room on them for an American Robin nest.

 

[Christopherobin]

Serial Killer is on the loose. 3 weeks to the day, it has happened again, The nest is empty, the gazebo is filled with baby feathrs and blood. I don;t understand how I was not alerted to the attack. The nest is directly outside the bedroom window and not a sound was ever heard. Mom and dad are flying around looking displaced.I am so disgusted I am sick. Despite the great pleasure they have given me, I cannot bear this happening twice. I just cannot do it. I am going to have to leave this business of watching/helping nesting birds. I know it is nature's way, I get it. But I just cant keep going through this. Everyone, that you so much for all of your help. You are good people.

C.