Suddenly Empty California Towhee Nest (1 Viewer)

Help me understand my newest nesters! I discovered a nesting Calif. Towhee pair about 2 weeks ago. The babies were already hatched and parents were busy feeding them. They were right outside my breakfast window so I could hear them, but they were difficult to see, so I do not know how well developed they were. A few nights ago, the parents were making a lot of noise and I suspected something was disturbing the nest, so I went out with a flashlight to try a scare off any cat or other intruder...I saw nothing. The next day, the nest was empty. I figured something had gotten the babies, but there was no sign of feathers or anything to suggest carnage. I checked the internet for nesting habits, thinking that maybe the pair would start a new nest if the last one had failed and discovered that the nesting period is only 6-11 days. Is that accurate? Is it possible that the babies fledged and the distress calls were simply the parents mourning their "empty nest?"!!! AND, just because I want to know so much about these birds, is it likely that they will use the nest again next year? If not, I will take it to school to show my students as I teach science and have several different nests in my classroom.

California Towhee chicks normally fledge after 6-11 days, long before they can fly efficiently or feed themselves. The distress calls you heard the other night could have been the parents reacting to some threat to the fledged but still dependant young roosting in the trees & underbrush in the vicinity of the nest.

According to BNA-online again, California Towhees have been known to reuse the same nest both from one year to the next & for successive broods in the same season. Normally, however, the implication is that a new nest is built for each new breeding attempt.

Fugl- Thank you for your input. Now I feel like they must have made it! I'll leave the nest in place as it is a good one and maybe have a new family next spring!