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So as far as the incubation goes: parents won't start incubating until all eggs are laid. This ensures they all hatch at the same time. Do not be alarmed they are not yet sitting on the nest
I assumed the same thing. Thats why when I saw the nest with no parent birds around I assumed they had abandoned them. There was also a small garter snake under the deck the other day too so I am still a little worried that maybe it scared them away but the snake was less than two feet long and seemed pretty docile. It just sat there while my whole family gawked at it 😂
thats awesome! The average clutch size is 4-8 eggs for a phoebe, so we can expect to see incubation starting soon. Also, phoebe is an insect-eater and is a welcome visitor as they will control flying insects in your yard. Just remember to remove any objects from under the nest as the birds will leave poo behind.
I’m trying to figure out if there’s a way I can rig a camera up without having to disturb them too much but I don’t think I can. It’s on the “rafter” of the deck for lack of a better word, so there’s nowhere to really mount it to be able to see in, and my deck boards are too close together to peek down from above
I had success with a small camera [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BRXP2FRW/](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BRXP2FRW/) and https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QPHKNN6. You can hot glue (removable after the fact) to a rafter and use a long USB Cable to keep it powered and away from interfering with the birds. This camera can be setup to stream. If you do consider streaming I would love to watch them. I had a phoebe's nest get attacked by ravens and would love to see what a successful nest would be.
Welcome to r/Ornithology, a place to discuss wild birds in a scientific context — their biology, ecology, evolution, behavior, and more. Please make sure that your post does not violate the rules in our sidebar. If you're posting for a bird identification, next time try r/whatsthisbird. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Ornithology) if you have any questions or concerns.*
So as far as the incubation goes: parents won't start incubating until all eggs are laid. This ensures they all hatch at the same time. Do not be alarmed they are not yet sitting on the nest
I never knew that was how eggs worked. I assumed if they weren't kept warm the embryos inside would die. Glad to learn something new!
I assumed the same thing. Thats why when I saw the nest with no parent birds around I assumed they had abandoned them. There was also a small garter snake under the deck the other day too so I am still a little worried that maybe it scared them away but the snake was less than two feet long and seemed pretty docile. It just sat there while my whole family gawked at it 😂
Update: checked again today and now there is a fifth egg! So she did come back and lay another one!
thats awesome! The average clutch size is 4-8 eggs for a phoebe, so we can expect to see incubation starting soon. Also, phoebe is an insect-eater and is a welcome visitor as they will control flying insects in your yard. Just remember to remove any objects from under the nest as the birds will leave poo behind.
You called it correctly. Good job.
Google reverse image search with the assist lol
That’s the prettiest, most comfy looking nest I’ve ever seen!
Same
It is!
Right! Looks so cozy!
The Phoebes need to be mentoring the mourning doves.
I had a phoebe nest on my balcony last summer. It was so fun watching them grow. Super cool birds!
I’m trying to figure out if there’s a way I can rig a camera up without having to disturb them too much but I don’t think I can. It’s on the “rafter” of the deck for lack of a better word, so there’s nowhere to really mount it to be able to see in, and my deck boards are too close together to peek down from above
I had success with a small camera [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BRXP2FRW/](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BRXP2FRW/) and https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QPHKNN6. You can hot glue (removable after the fact) to a rafter and use a long USB Cable to keep it powered and away from interfering with the birds. This camera can be setup to stream. If you do consider streaming I would love to watch them. I had a phoebe's nest get attacked by ravens and would love to see what a successful nest would be.