Thanks Debra - but I am afraid the chick did not make it through the
night...But at least I now know what to do right from the get go if it
happens again - which is very likely given the bird population I have
here!
I did not even get the rehaber's name - I think he said Jonathan...and
apart from the strange bit about rejecting Casey's hypothesis, he
certainly knew exactly what I should do - but he also told me the
chances were very, very slim.  One last question - isn't it a bit late
in the season for eggs to be hatching?  I would have thought from all
the cavorting that was going on in May and June that the eggs would all
be hatched by now.  Unless it is a second batch?  Just shows you what a
newbie I am to this....
Cheers, AMH



>>> "Debra Bowles" <[log in to unmask]> 8/21/2005 10:22 PM >>>
Anne, why the rehaber you're working with fails to acknowledge
parental
birds' abilities to identify parisitic-species' eggs is a mystery to
me. It
is a documented fact that some birds recognize and remove intruders'
eggs.
Some don't pay any attention to them or at least don't seem to
recognize
them at all and some, as Casey suggested, will build nests right over
the
top of them.

I wonder... if it also varies from bird to bird like, as in humans: "We
all
have our own ways?"

House Wrens will sometimes puncture and/or remove eggs from other
birds'
nests.

Anyway, good luck, and if this tiniest of creatures pulls through
thanks to
your care and concern, consider joining our ranks!

Debra Bowles
Rehabilitating native birds via
Second Chance Wildlife: 513 875 3433












-----Original Message-----
From: MU Ornithology Listserv (ZOO 408)
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Anne HOOKE
Sent: Sunday, August 21, 2005 9:40 PM
To: [log in to unmask] 
Subject: Re: help...


Casey, the bird is still alive (mirabile dictu!) and the guy at Second
Chance has given me feeding instructions if it survives until
tomorrow...  It is in a home-made incubator right now.  BTW, the guy
at
Second Chance disputes the hypothesis that the nest "owner" recognized
the alien as an intruder...  But there is absolutely no nest nearby
that
I can spot to account for a fall...  Does anyone want to weigh in on
this?
Cheers, AMH


>>> "TUCKER, Casey" <[log in to unmask]> 8/21/2005 11:52:04 AM >>>
Anne,

Contact a local rehabilitator as quickly as possible.  You can find a
list of local rehabilitators at the following web-site.

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Resources/orphans/rehabilitators_04.htm



In the meantime keep the bird in a warm protected spot (a bowl lined
with guaze, like that pictured, would work well).

There is a chance this is a cowbird egg/chick (based on the photo)
that
has been evicted by a host species that is capable of differentiating
between a cowbird and its own eggs.  Some species are capable of
recognizing when a cowbird has laid an egg in their nest, and will
take
steps to counter the cowbird.  They may achieve this by removing the
egg
entirely and drop it elsewhere.  Other species may just build nest
material over the parasite's egg and smother it.

Good luck!

Casey

	-----Original Message-----
	From: MU Ornithology Listserv (ZOO 408) on behalf of Anne HOOKE

	Sent: Sun 8/21/2005 11:42 AM
	To: [log in to unmask] 
	Cc:
	Subject: help...




	Here is a photo of the bird trying to get out of the egg...I
doubt that
	knowing what kind of bird it is will help with the advice on
what to
	do...but I thought it was worth a shot...
	Cheers, AMH

	Anne Morris Hooke, PhD

	Professor and Chair
	Department of Microbiology
	Miami University
	Oxford, OH  45056

	[log in to unmask] 
	 513-529-5422
	 513-529-2431 (fax)

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