Hi all,
Alan Gillanders asked if anyone else had records of birds building
their nest well in advance of laying eggs. The only example that
springs to my mind is the Superb Lyrebird, who will sometimes build
the "cradle" or stick platform (the foundation upon which the nest
chamber is placed) a year or more in advance. This structure is like
a large, sturdy bowl of interlaced sticks, thickly lined with moss
and I have often come across these, without any further progress
made, on rock ledges or other similar situations. Occasionally one
will be completed and used in a subsequent year with the addition of
the domed nest chamber.
This phenomenon is also mentioned in L.H. Smith's book "The Life of
the Lyrebird" (1988), page 47.
Whether these incomplete structures are built primarily as advance
preparation, or for practice, or simply due to the bird changing her
mind about the nest's location, I don't know. Here in the Blue
Mountains I generally find many more of of these "cradles" than
complete nests.
Cheers
Carol
Carol Probets
Katoomba
Blue Mountains, NSW
At 11:37 AM +1000 28/12/05, Alan Gillanders wrote:
Today my wife and I observe a Wompoo sitting on a nest with an egg,
above the sign half way round the walk at the Curtain Figtree,
Yungaburra. This nest was constructed in the days before Christmas
2004. Yes just over 12 months ago. A second pair was observed
repairing a nest at the same time last year. This nest had been
constructed in December 2003 and laid in in June 2004. It has since
fallen down completely. I asked at the time, mid last year if others
had records of such forward preparation by birds and do so again.
What do you know of such behaviour?
Regards,
Alan Gillanders
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