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My 2nd nesting this year had 5 eggs. One day last week, there were only 3. They hatched this weekend. What could have happened to those eggs? I can only think of two things: 1) mama or daddy disrupted a House Wren attack, or 2) mamma simply removed them because she knew they weren’t viable. I’ve had situations where all eggs of a clutch did not hatch, but they remained in the nest. I’ve never had eggs ‘disappear’ from a nest. Any ideas? TIA. CG
There’s no way to really know and you listed all the possible scenarios, except also a House Sparrow attack. I’m like you and usually the eggs are still in the nest until I remove them. Usually if it’s a House Wren or a House Sparrow, eventually all the eggs will end up missing. Do you know about Sparrow Spookers? They really do help with House Sparrow competition. But they don’t help with House Wren attacks. There’s also Wren Guards for that. Do you need some links explaining those things?
Tammy
My first season, and first nest was five eggs, two hatched, the remaining three eggs remained in the nest and were there after the young fledged and the adults had moved out. I’ve read that females are known to remove nonviable eggs, too, but can’t say.
From reading the forum in the short time I’ve been here, I know from others that @tamsea is right. If it is wrens or sparrows, they will be back. I would also think about what predators are in your area, what you have seen before, and what the signs of predations would be in those possible instances. This page will probably be helpful. See missing eggs.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
True story. I literally saw a Female two years ago carry an egg out of the box in her beak! I was totally taken aback. Unfortunately I didn’t have my phone or I would have taken a pic. She flew off and obviously discarded it. She had laid 5 and 4 hatched. It was about 10 days after the 4 had hatched. Crazy!
Rich, funny that you caught that. They definitely will remove eggs.
Claire, do you have a predator guard on your pole? That’s important. If the nest wasn’t messed up I doubt your eggs are missing because of a raccoon. Snakes also climb up poles and eat eggs. You’ll see no sign that snakes predated the nest…except missing eggs.
Tammy
I have a predator guard/baffle, sparrow spooker, and wren guard. All three remaining babies just fledged today!
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