Do Birds Reject Eggs
Touched by Humans?

Or Do They Even Notice?

By Richard Worden

You might have come across an abandoned bird's nest, and wondered whether to touch it or not because of the fear that the mother might reject the eggs. Let's get things straight: that's a myth. So to clarify further do birds reject eggs touched by humans...

Birds don't reject eggs simply because they have been touched by humans. Birds have a poor sense of smell - so it's safe to say that they won't be able to detect when a human has touched their eggs. They generally identify their offspring the same  way people do - through appearance and sound.

In this article, we'll find out why birds cast aside their eggs and what to do when you find an abandoned nest. Read on to know more.

Why Do Birds Abandon Their Eggs?

Birds abandon their eggs if they get scared off or killed by predators, the nest gets infested, or if the eggs are unhealthy. The birds may also have gone out to forage for food, leaving the eggs behind.

Let’s take a deeper look at the reasons why birds abandon their eggs.

The Parent Birds Left To Feed

Of course, Mama Bird and Papa Bird have to feed themselves to survive. Depending on the species, bird eggs hatch 10-30 days after they are laid. Usually, the mother spends her time sitting on the nest to incubate the eggs in the first few days, while the father provides her with food.

Eggs can survive up to two weeks after being laid, so you should wait for about a month before concluding that the nest is abandoned.

The Adult Birds Were Scared Off by Humans or Predators

This is precisely why some birds abandon their eggs after humans touch them. It's not because of the "scent" you leave. The bird might have seen you too close to the nest and perceived you as a threat.

They won't usually give up just after one encounter. Still, if the birds see you around too often, they may become overly disturbed and feel harassed. Well, it seems like privacy isn't only an issue for humans but birds too!

If it's not you, it could be a predator that has scared off the adult birds. Of course, other animals might want to get a hold of the eggs or raid the nest. This unfortunate encounter causes too much stress on adult birds and may force them to flee their nests.

The Nest Has an Infestation

Flies, ants, mites, or sometimes fungus, can infest a nest. When this happens, it may be unsafe for the mother to continue laying on the eggs to incubate them. If the infestation has been around for days, the adult birds can judge when the eggs are no longer viable and then decide to leave the nest for good.

The Eggs Aren’t Healthy

Bird eggs can go unhealthy for various reasons, such as infertility, weather conditions, or a crack in the shell. Yes, just like human reproduction, it also takes a lot of work to engender healthy chicks!

Egg problems may occur when a mother bird is malnourished or in poor health. Some bigger species of birds also take longer to mature and successfully lay eggs, which is why their offspring often become infertile.

Weather conditions also affect the eggs. Temperatures that are too hot or too cold can cause the eggs injury or even death. Therefore, they are unlikely to hatch.

Cracks on eggshells can cause bacteria to enter the egg or allow fluids to leak out, causing the death of the embryo.

When eggs are deemed unhealthy, adult birds will no longer waste their time and effort to care for them as they have very low chances of survival. Adult birds know when their eggs are infertile and may "kick them out" to make room for the others.

The Adult Birds Were Killed

Cats, windows, pesticides, and diseases are among the most common bird killers. Unfortunately, when birds cannot return to their nest and tend to their eggs, death could be the reason.

When one bird dies, its partner usually takes up the responsibility of caring for the offspring. However, for some bird species, male partners are not capable of incubating the eggs.

In certain species, female birds depend highly on their male counterparts to provide food. When their partner dies, they can't handle the workload of incubation and feeding hence they opt to abandon the eggs.

What Should You Do When You Find an Abandoned Nest With Eggs?

In case you run into an abandoned nest, here are several things you can do.

Leave It Alone

Don’t assume that the nest has been abandoned because you don't see any adult birds around. They might just have gone to feed. If you try to relocate the nest, the adult birds might not be able to find it, or they may perceive your disturbance as a threat, causing them not to come back for their eggs.

Don’t move the "abandoned" eggs to another nest. Some birds may reject a foreign egg. Birds also only lay a certain number of eggs they can take care of. Having too many mouths to feed may cause the adult birds to "kick out" the weaker eggs or compromise the health of all.

Don’t Hatch the Eggs

In many places, removing a bird egg from its nest is illegal, much more so to hatch it. You should wait at least four weeks to ensure it is indeed abandoned. If, by that time, no birds have visited the eggs and they haven't hatched on their own, you can safely assume that the eggs haven’t been successfully fertilized and are dead.

Keep Pets Indoors

It’s advisable to keep pets indoors as cats, most especially, have been tagged as one of the top predators of birds. Parent birds might not have come around due to the threat of pets surrounding the nest or being close to it.

Also, pets may accidentally trample on the eggs if the nest has fallen to the ground.

Don’t Take Care of the Eggs by Yourself

A healthy egg can hatch on its own without your intervention. Eggs are fragile and should only be handled by the right people. It’s best to call your local wildlife center so they can send appropriate help and even check if the future chick might be an endangered species.

Do Birds Reject Eggs Touched By Humans? ...Final Thoughts

Just like humans, birds also look after their young. Also, they are almost unlikely to abandon their nests for no logical reason.

Touching bird eggs won't cause birds to leave their brood. However, there are reasonable explanations for why such an incident happens. This article has enumerated some of those reasons and offered tips on what to do if you find an abandoned bird's nest.

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Hi! I'm Richard Worden, the author and founder of We Know Birds.

Over 20 years ago I developed a keen interest in birds and birdwatching, and it has been my passion ever since. I am committed to spreading useful knowledge about birds to others so we might all enjoy them to the fullest.

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