New hatchling in with older ones. How does this happen?

[Jim Gramke]

During a Martin Watch nest check yesterday I found 4 young that were 9 days old and near the entrance was another baby, just hatched. Next to it was an unhatched egg. I transferred the new hatchling and egg to another nest with 5 young of the same age. Does anyone know how this occurs? Would those new ones be from different parents?

[DebA]

The un and newly hatched egg wasn't left overs of that nest? SY males will throw out eggs and young trying to get the mama to renest with it. Maybe it threw it out into another compartment entry.

One year I had a nest of four. I found a baby on the porch three days in a row. I kept placing it back in the nest bowl. It was clearly a runt and not thriving. I think it's own parents were rejecting it. I moved it to a same sized nest of 3 and after a week I couldn't tell which it was. It fledged.

That's my story of little wingy.

Deb

[Jim Gramke]

Thanks Deb. The week before there were 4 young 2 days old and 1 egg. I may have miscounted the number of eggs but that doesn't explain the 9 day age difference.