Barbara Writes...
-----Original Message-----
To:
From: Barbara
Subject: Bird nest
This afternoon I became aware of a cheeping sound and followed it to an
orange tree in the back yard. This is an old tree and has sparse foliage.
The nest is tiny, about 3 inches in diameter and appears to be made of
all the same material, a gray twig; it is in on a bare branch in the open
sun. We seldom see anything but the usual herons, parrots, pelicans,
seagulls, and the like. We are located on a canal a block from the Gulf of
Mexico on the island of Anna Maria; Egmont Key is just north off the tip of
the island. I am very interested in knowing what kind of bird this is
because I could possibly do something specific to enhance its well-being and
keep it in the yard by the addition of a feeder, plants, etc. Any ideas out
there?
Thanks!
Our Reply...
Barbara,
Based on the size, location and nest materials, my guess is that you have a Northern Mockingbird
nest. They usually have 2, but sometimes 3 or 4 broods in a year. You may be experiencing the
tail end of the last brood.
If you have a Mockingbird nest, you may be able to find some egg remnants. The eggs are about 1
inch long, Blue-green and usually heavily marked with Brown.
There is not much you can offer in the way of food, but you can attempt to reduce the chances
for predation by monitoring the house cat visits to your yard.
Another thing to consider is limiting the pesticides that you put on the lawn and shrubs.
Northern Mockingbirds eat insects, small vertibrates and fruit. Too often homeowners create a
beautiful desert by over spraying to control insects and other pests. I know in Florida you must
do some insect control, but there are ways to minimize the impact on the wildlife.
Mockingbird nests are sometimes taken over by the Brown-headed Cowbird, but this is rare and I
doubt this is the case.
To see our Northern Mockingbird web page visit:
http://www.cfbw.com/statebird.shtml
I hope I have been of some help. Thank you for visiting our website.
Regards...
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