Twin robin nests (1 Viewer)

[ggriesel]

hello,

A few months ago, a robin built a nest on my backyard patio. It hatched two babies, but then abandoned the nest and built an identical one a few feet away. Now it is sitting on eggs in the second nest.

Why would a bird do this? Will the bird abandon the babies in the second nest and build a third?

Thanks.

Gordon
http://www3.igalaxy.net/~gordon/robin_nest

 

[Bluetail]

What a strange place for a nest. Do American Robins often choose such places? What's wrong with the local bushes I wonder.

My first thought was that maybe the bird abandoned the nest because the chicks had died, but you write as if they were still alive at the time. Birds' parental instincts are very strong - after all, there's not much else for them to live for - so they will only abandon their offspring if they feel mortally threatened for some reason. What that reason may have been I don't know, but the nest looks very exposed and maybe there was just too much disturbance of one sort or another (the light maybe?) for the parents to feel safe. But then why choose such a similar place for a second attempt?

 

[ggriesel]

The chicks were alive when I looked in the first nest. I'm often in the backyard watering or weeding, but the bird rarely was disturbed enough to fly away. And, I never turn those lights on.

If more strange things happen, I'll let you know. Thanks for the reply, Bluetail.

 

[shelley810]

This is too strange! The nest site for the American Robin is fairly common...but the behavior is not. I agree with Bluetail, if those were the same pair of Robins then I cannot see why they abandoned the nest while the chicks were still alive. Unless it wasn't the same pair originally, and something happened (territorial dispute?) them, and this is the winning couple? What has now happened to the chicks of the first nesting? Wonder if they are still alive (doubtful) they could have been snuck in with another nest?
Would love to hear how this story ends.
Shelley

 

[ggriesel]

hi Shelley,

Could be a different pair of birds in the second nest. They are raising at least one chick that should fly soon. It looks pretty big when it sticks its head up. When I go into the backyard, the parents are very protective and fly around a lot.

I will look in the first nest soon and let you know what I find.

Will birds actually pick up and move chicks from one nest to another?

Gordon

 

[shelley810]

There, you got me.
With robins (or any bird) I don't know.
On a hostile front, birds will remove eggs or other baby birds for territorial or nesting rites, but they are pushed out, not moved over to a new location.
Has anyone else observed birds moving babies to a better local, much like a cat would with her kittens?
Shelley