Northern Cardinal nest destroyed? (1 Viewer)

[HomesickTexan]

Is this the hallmark of a Cowbird? Or did the Cardinal do this?

A female Northern Cardinal built a nest in a tree in my backyard a couple of weeks ago. About a week later, a single egg was found broken on the patio below it. Today, I found the nest ripped apart, one egg on the patio, broken with a fetus inside. I looked up where the nest was and the remnants were there, with another egg dangling strangely from a thread. I got a ladder and got the egg to find that it too was cracked with a hole and a fetus inside, even though it never hit the ground. ??? We have had strong winds lately but not nearly as strong as they were a few weeks ago and the nest weathered it well. That also does not explain the broken eggs.

I wonder if the first egg that was found was a rejected Cowbird egg, and then the Cowbird returned and destroyed the Cardinal eggs? Do rival male Cardinals destroy unhached eggs? I've heard of Cardinals abandoning nests, but not destroying the eggs.

 

[fugl]

I wonder if the first egg that was found was a rejected Cowbird egg, and then the Cowbird returned and destroyed the Cardinal eggs? Do rival male Cardinals destroy unhached eggs? I've heard of Cardinals abandoning nests, but not destroying the eggs.

Could be--cowbirds are known to retaliate in this way against potential victims who have rejected their eggs. Alternatively, the cardinals themselves may have destroyed the nest in reaction to it having been parasitized.

I take it you couldn't tell what the egg on the ground was--cardinal or cowbird?

 

[HomesickTexan]

Could be--cowbirds are known to retaliate in this way against potential victims who have rejected their eggs. Alternatively, the cardinals themselves may have destroyed the nest in reaction to it having been parasitized.

I take it you couldn't tell what the egg on the ground was--cardinal or cowbird?

I couldn't tell, they are so similar looking. At the time I naturally assumed it was a Cardinal egg. As far as the Cardinal destroying the nest due to parasites; would the Cardinal also destroy the eggs? Each egg was punctured almost intentionally.

Thanks for the reply, btw!

 

[KC Foggin]

Cardinals do seem to be a host of choice with the Cowbirds around here. I find it sad to watch a Cardinal feeding a fledged Cowbird and it's something I see quite often in the spring.

 

[Scrogdog]

I couldn't tell, they are so similar looking. At the time I naturally assumed it was a Cardinal egg. As far as the Cardinal destroying the nest due to parasites; would the Cardinal also destroy the eggs? Each egg was punctured almost intentionally.

Thanks for the reply, btw!

I think fugl is referring to the eggs themselves being the parasites if they were indeed Cowbird eggs rather than the eggs laid by the Cardinals.

 

[HawkMom]

Don't forget raccoons, they are a scourge in neighborhoods. If you approach a nest tree, leave from a different direction. The raccoons will follow your scent to the nest. Raptor banders know this well and leave all nests they have banded from a totally different direction, circle/touch non-nest trees to keep the raccoons away from the nest tree.

 

[HomesickTexan]

I think fugl is referring to the eggs themselves being the parasites if they were indeed Cowbird eggs rather than the eggs laid by the Cardinals.

You know what? I didn't think of that. They could've all been Cowbird eggs. They all looked identical. Hmm. I think it's safe to say somebody destroyed the nest which makes me feel better than knowing wind blew it down because I trimmed some branches earlier this spring. Thanks everyone!

 

[fugl]

I couldn't tell, they are so similar looking. At the time I naturally assumed it was a Cardinal egg. As far as the Cardinal destroying the nest due to parasites; would the Cardinal also destroy the eggs? Each egg was punctured almost intentionally.

Thanks for the reply, btw!

Yes, I think once the cardinals "decided" to abandon the nest, they might well destroy everything in a frenzy, even their own eggs. After all, the latter aren't going to hatch anyway, so nothing is lost.

 

[Sybil]

Is this the hallmark of a Cowbird? Or did the Cardinal do this?

A female Northern Cardinal built a nest in a tree in my backyard a couple of weeks ago. About a week later, a single egg was found broken on the patio below it. Today, I found the nest ripped apart, one egg on the patio, broken with a fetus inside. I looked up where the nest was and the remnants were there, with another egg dangling strangely from a thread. I got a ladder and got the egg to find that it too was cracked with a hole and a fetus inside, even though it never hit the ground. ??? We have had strong winds lately but not nearly as strong as they were a few weeks ago and the nest weathered it well. That also does not explain the broken eggs.

I wonder if the first egg that was found was a rejected Cowbird egg, and then the Cowbird returned and destroyed the Cardinal eggs? Do rival male Cardinals destroy unhached eggs? I've heard of Cardinals abandoning nests, but not destroying the eggs.

Re cardinal nesting habits: we had a cardinal nest in an arbovitae bush next to the house; noticed it last week, and all seemed well. Yesterday, however, the female AND the eggs disappeared. There's no sign of damage, no broken eggs, no broken or disturbed branches. Nothing. She, the male who had been keeping watch, and eggs just disappeared. Has anyone experienced something similar? I'm very new to all this, and would appreciate your thoughts. Sybil

 

[fugl]

Re cardinal nesting habits: we had a cardinal nest in an arbovitae bush next to the house; noticed it last week, and all seemed well. Yesterday, however, the female AND the eggs disappeared. There's no sign of damage, no broken eggs, no broken or disturbed branches. Nothing. She, the male who had been keeping watch, and eggs just disappeared. Has anyone experienced something similar? I'm very new to all this, and would appreciate your thoughts. Sybil

One possibility is predation by a jay (or even a snake) that would carry off or swallow the eggs without disturbing the nest or leaving other traces. In a case like this, the victims might just abandon the neighborhood completely in favor of someplace "safer". But, who knows?