A bird built a nest in the wreath on my front door that is visable through the glass?

I don't use the door, so it's really no big suprise that a bird would build there.





This weekened I noticed one small, pale blue egg. Today I noticed one larger tan and brown speckled egg had been added. Why are the eggs so different?





I haven't seen either parent since this weekend. Why aren't they incubating?

A bird built a nest in the wreath on my front door that is visable through the glass?
Your are witnessing nest parasitism and the response.





The first blue egg belonged to the nesting birds. The speckled egg was from a cowbird. The cowbirds are nest parasites. They do not build their own nest, but rather lay their eggs in the nests of other species, and then let the host species raise their young.





As a response it has been found the host species will sometimes push out the cowbird egg or abandon the nest and start over. These responses are found with more experienced birds. Those nesting for the first time or those who have not raised a cowbird before are more susceptible.
Reply:The bigger egg was probably laid by a bird of another species. Some species, such as Brown-headed Cowbirds and Cuckoos, do not make their own nests. They lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, who then hatch these eggs with their own and raise the baby as their own. Often, since the intruder's egg will hatch first, and the baby is bigger, it will get all the food and the other babies will starve, or it will push the other babies out of the nest.
Reply:Sounds like two different types of birds laid their eggs there. Perhaps the second bird chased the first smaller bird from the nest and took it over. I have seen that happen. Also when birds lay and sit on more than one egg they don't start sitting (nesting) until the last egg is layed. With small birds like you are talking about they will usually sit on two or three eggs. Larger birds like chickens and geese will sit on eight or more eggs.


Just keep an eye on the eggs but do not touch or disturb them. If the birds do not return in a week then you better dispose of the eggs before they become rotten .
Reply:There are some birds that lay their eggs in other bird's nests and leave them for the others to raise. I can't be sure that this is one of those instances but it seems more likely than that mama bird was fooling around.





I hope the parents come back soon.
Reply:this is weird, and i don't know if this is normal or not but i have seen this happen before the other bird comes out looking th esame as the other baby bird so i don't why this is but it is.
Reply:Some birds do not build nest but lay eggs in other birds nest in order to get "free babysitting"