News flash from my back yard: The ugly cowbirds that were hanging out back there a few weeks ago successfully murdered the eggs of our lovely cardinals and replaced them with their own eggs (I read up on it – that’s what they do). Today we’ve been seeing our beautiful cardinals feeding weird-looking juvenile cowbirds. An interesting nature lesson, but it’s extremely distressing. A tragedy of monumental proportions.
Middle Sister is trying to put a better spin on it. She suggests that perhaps the cardinals are wise to the deception, but are of a kind and generous nature and have chosen to raise these orphans rather than putting them out on the streets.
I’m afraid I can’t quite believe this explanation.
I’m trying really hard not to think of a human analogy for this evil bird behavior, but I have a feeling something will come to me in the middle of the night…
Mom Goes On 
I was reading up on Robin eggs. Something apparently got into the nest and the four eggs disappeared. I wish I could remember which bird around here likes to switch out their eggs, but I can’t recall it at the moment. How nice and accommodating the Cardinal family is.
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Oh, how sad to lose robins. When I was reading up on the evil cowbird I discovered there’s a whole bunch of birds who do that steal the nest thing, but I can’t remember the names of any of them…
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That is really bizarre ….
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I know! Apparently there’s a whole bunch of birds that do that same thing with other birds’ nests. Those cowbirds really have no conscience.
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How was camping????
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Thanks for asking – just posted about the experience!
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Crazy!! 😦
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No kidding! I would have loved to see baby cardinals.
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