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Re: Bluebird chicks and an interloper



It is a Cowbird!

> From: "Jenny Richards" <JennyRichards@nc.rr.com>
> Date: Tue, 6 May 2003 18:30:36 -0400
> To: <carolinabirds@duke.edu>
> Subject: Bluebird chicks and an interloper
> 
> Hi folks,
> 
> I'm new to posting to this list, but have been lurking for awhile. Thought
> you all might be interested in the following:
> We have a bluebird house in our suburban backyard.  Last year a pair of
> bluebirds had two broods(?) in the Spring.  This year I was so happy they
> returned.  The instructions that came with the house said to check the nest
> every couple of days to count the eggs and make sure the chicks are healthy
> with no blowflies, etc.  Looking at the nest and disturbing the chicks when
> the adults are gone is apparently an okay thing to do.  Anyway, a few weeks
> ago I noticed the adult bluebirds were back (same pair?) and taking nesting
> material into the box.  A few days later I looked in and saw two perfect
> baby blue eggs.  The next day there were three.  And a couple of days later
> there were five eggs; four blue and one white with brown speckles, all about
> the same size.  Hmmm.  The blue birds were still around, so I knew they
> hadn't abandoned the nest.  I was tempted to take out the white and brown
> egg, (clearly "one of these things is not like the others") but my partner
> said I shouldn't be practicing "bluebird eugenics."  So I left it.
> 
> We went on vacation and returning last weekend I checked the nest.  Four
> little, ugly, breathing chicks.  I tried to see if there was an egg still in
> the nest, but didn't want to disturb the chicks too much.  Anyway, 3 of the
> chicks look like bluebird chicks - wide yellow beaks, downy gray/blue
> feathers.  The fourth is decidedly not, however.  It is uglier, in my
> opinion, with more bare skin and a trace of white on the wings.  It's also
> the most active of the chicks in the nest.  It's the only one with its mouth
> open for food when I look in.  The adult bluebirds are still around.
> 
> So, any ideas what species this young interloper might be?  What songbird
> would lay an egg for another bird to raise?
> 
> I'll take some digital photos of the nest and post them on the web.
> 
> Thanks,
> Jenny Richards
> Hillsborough, NC
> jennyrichards@nc.rr.com
>