Just like last year, we have a birds nest full of eggs on our front porch, situated in a repurposed sugar bowl that’s part of our wind chimes.
Last year’s eggs belonged to a House Finch and were light blue with brown spots:
I’ve been thinking that this year the birds were a different species because the eggs looked so different. Right now these dainty white eggs with brown spots sit in the nest:
(Yes, the egg count is now up to five!)
I’ve finally gotten a glimpse of the parents and the verdict is in… we have House Finches living on our porch AGAIN this year! So much for my theory that the eggs belonged to a different species. I find it fascinating that two birds of the same species can have such radically different egg colors.
I find it even more remarkable that the mother and father birds are both able to fit inside the sugar bowl at the same time, sitting on top of the eggs. The sugar bowl can’t be more than three inches across at most. What little birds! I’m trying my darnedest to get a picture of that for you. (I need to set up a bird blind. There’s no fooling this mama bird!) Stay tuned!
Carrie, that is fantastic!! Other factors such as clutch size (5) and egg size may vary per species. I think I’ve read that shell color may be affected by diet…though I can’t imagine what they’d eat to make the shells blue!! (berries?!) Please keep us posted on nest progress! I believe one can continue to check on nest even after birth (when mama is off) but stopping before they are old enough that it could cause chicks to fledge (jump out) in fear too early! Also, if a chick ever falls out, def put it back in — noone, even rehabbers, can take care of a baby fledgling as well as its parents!
what kind of birds are the ones with the brown spots on the bottom of the egg