# Removing cowbird eggs from nest



## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

Took a look in a robin's nest today and saw that there were 3 robin eggs and a cowbird egg so I tossed the cowbird egg out. Just something that I've always done....I guess my parents let me know when I was a kid that cowbirds are nest parasites and that they will often lay their eggs in the nest of another bird. Baby robins can probably compete against a baby cowbird, but smaller birds might starve as the larger cowbird would hog the food. Anyone else on cowbird patroll this spring ?

L & O


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

I do the same thing. There's enough parasites in this world, we don't need any more, animal or otherwise.


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## severus (Feb 8, 2000)

Liver and Onions said:


> Took a look in a robin's nest today and saw that there were 3 robin eggs and a cowbird egg so I tossed the cowbird egg out. Just something that I've always done....I guess my parents let me know when I was a kid that cowbirds are nest parasites and that they will often lay their eggs in the nest of another bird. Baby robins can probably compete against a baby cowbird, but smaller birds might starve as the larger cowbird would hog the food. Anyone else on cowbird patroll this spring ?
> 
> L & O


I know robin's eggs are light blue - what color are cowbird eggs?


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

severus said:


> I know robin's eggs are light blue - what color are cowbird eggs?


White/gray with lots of brown spots. About the same size as a robin's egg.

L & O


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## Brown duck (Dec 16, 2005)

ih772 said:


> I do the same thing. There's enough parasites in this world, we don't need any more, animal or otherwise.


A little overly simplistic, but ok. 

Anyone here know any other nest parasites? Cowbirds are the most famous in North America because they parasitize nests exclusively, but other, more accepted birds have been known to take advantage of other parents, too. Wood ducks, redheads, and pheasants come to mind.


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## tbrent (Aug 6, 2009)

I Just Read that if you remove to cowbirds eggs it will destroy the host birds eggs.


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

tbrent said:


> I Just Read that if you remove to cowbirds eggs it will destroy the host birds eggs.


That seems very unlikely to me. A cowbird is going to police all of the different nests it laid eggs in and is going to get revenge on any bird that kicks out the foreign egg ? Can you you remember where you read this and supply a link ? Perhaps this was just a person wondering IF this might happen....not a bird person saying this can happen. 

L & O


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## tbrent (Aug 6, 2009)

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowbird
Also I miss read it says it my destroy tge host eggs.


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

Thanks, good find and interesting reading. The 4th sentence in the footnote tells me that I'm doing the right thing by making scrambled eggs for the earthworms with any cowbird eggs that I come across.

L & O


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## fathom this (Feb 10, 2008)

I use lead it does them in quickly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:evil:


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