What is the white small ball inside my baby robin's bird nest?

Question

i have a robin nest in my yard and every now and then i check up on them to see the cute little birdies. the birds are about 11 days old and today i noticed a small white bird inside their nest. what could it be?

Answer 1

I can't tell if you meant a small Ball or bird... A small white ball would be their fecal sac. That is what the babies use to eliminate (like a mix of p**p/pee).

If there was another type of baby bird, then there are some species that lay their eggs in the nests of other birds. Cuckoos and cowbirds are notorious for this behavior. (hence the term cuckold, meaning tricking someone else into raising your young.)

If the new bird is an adult, watch very carefully because there are also several species that will make their nest on top of the nest of another bird...burying the babies in the process and taking over the nest site.

So, if it's fecal matter, it is no big deal, but if it's another bird it warrants watching.

Answer 2

Is this the first time you've noticed it?

In quite a few bird species, the babies eliminate(pee&p**p) and it is all contained in a little ball like that, it's called a fecal sack. Makes it easier for their parents to carry it off and keep the nest clean.

Maybe they don't check on them quite as often now that they're a bit older and that's why it's still there, but believe me, they're around.

Check this out:

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/spring/...