Posted by Leigh Donner on April 18, 2006

Q: While at work I found a robin egg on the ground. Im not the kind of person who will just let something sit and die so there's no way I would leave it there. Im also the kind of person who thinks if its meant to happen it will happen. Is there any advice you can give toward incubating this robin egg?

State: Ohio

Habitat: suburban/yard

A: Finding an abandoned egg is both exciting and discouraging. At first it seems as though you have a chance to raise a baby bird but then you realize that you donít have enough information to get the egg to hatch, let alone raise the baby. A great deal of research has gone into the best way to hatch chicken eggs but knowledge about hatching other kinds of bird eggs is very spotty or lacking entirely. Zoos do a pretty good job of raising birds but try hard to let the parents do the ìworkî rather than an incubator.

If youíve found a bird egg lying on the ground, for instance, take a good look, enjoy it for what it is, and then leave it alone. There is always the chance that you found an egg from a ground-nesting bird that shouldnít be disturbed, but if it canít be returned to the exact nest it came from, that egg just isnít going to make it with you in charge. Itís sad, but itís also likely that the bird that laid that egg will probably lay another to replace it.

One good way to help birds in your area is to provide as natural an area around your home as you can (trees, shrubs, and other plantings) and this will encourage local birds to nest and raise their young nearby. Many people also feed birds and this too can help bird populations. It may seem cruel, but the best thing you can do with an ìabandonedî egg is just leave it alone.

John Wiessinger ( April 19, 2006)