[mou] Why 2 Wood Duck hens in box?
Holly Peirson
hpbirdscouter@msn.com
Tue, 10 Apr 2007 15:19:58 -0500
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George:
I was curious about your questions, so I looked up egg-laying and egg
production in several of the sources I have around here.* There are species
that can hold back the laying of eggs until the time is right (i.e, cowbirds
and other nest parasitism species), or suspend activity until the weather
gets better (tree swallows and other birds who begin nesting in relatively
cold weather). But once the egg is on its way, it will need to be laid in
about 21-24 hrs. Only one egg can be in the oviduct at any one time.
It seems to me that laying one or two eggs in another's nest could "need" to
be done, but that a whole clutch laid in someone else's nest over many days
might be something else going on besides "needing" to lay. It might be that
each female has decided the nest is hers.
People find eggs on the ground (of species that don't usually lay eggs on
the ground). The opinion is that there was some reason why the bird could
not lay in her own nest; perhaps there was a predator nearby at the time,
etc.
The thought that a bird would go into someone else's nest day after day to
lay her own eggs didn't seem right, but what if they *were* both trying to
possess the same nesting site? That would hold true with some of the newer
findings about birds and what we used to think were monogamous
relationships. Many species are anything but, according to researchers like
Bridget Stutchbury, who did a study on thrushes in eastern Canada, etc.
However, I also read that Wood Ducks *are* monogamous from pair bonding in
fall/winter up to the point of incubation, hatching, and then rearing the
young, which the female does on her own. The main nest parasite for Woodies
is female Hoodies! Nest parasitism happens only when the host is doing the
egg laying, so only species that have a similar or slightly shorter
incubation period would work. A large % of the females who had visitors
killed or maimed the visitor.
Putting out another nest box may, or may not, put the egg-dumping to a halt.
I read that more next boxes in the area may increase the problem. Wood Ducks
do not defend their nest site like passerines do. I'd be curious to know
what happens in your woodies' case.
Then there are the large creches of ducklings to consider, and just who are
those babysitters who watch them while the mothers are off feeding. But
that's another research project!
Holly Peirson
Columbus, Anoka Co.
* Cornell's 'Handbook of Bird Biology'
'Encyclopedia of North American Birds by John K. Terres
'Manual of Ornithology' by Proctor and Lynch
'Birds of North America' Online
On Apr 8, 2007, at 8:15 AM, George B Skinner wrote:
Last week I saw a drake and hen standing on the box. The times I checked TV
camera in the box it never showed any ducks or eggs.
Now, at 7:30 this morning, I saw a drake at the base of the support pole.
When I turned the camera on I saw there were two hens in the box. One was
sitting on top of about a third of the other one. They seen to be resting.
What is this behavior? Are they trying to wait each other out to claim the
box? Will they both lay? Do drakes have multiple hens?
I have a second box that I could put up. Is there any minimum distance they
should be apart?
Thank you,
George Skinner
Minnetonka, Hennepin Co., Minnesota
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<div class=3DSection1>
<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>George:<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>I was curious about your questions, so I looked up
egg-laying and egg production in several of the sources I have around =
here.*
There are species that can hold back the laying of eggs until the time =
is right
(i.e, cowbirds and other nest parasitism species), or suspend activity =
until
the weather gets better (tree swallows and other birds who begin nesting =
in
relatively cold weather). But once the egg is on its way, it will need =
to be
laid in about 21-24 hrs. Only one egg can be in the oviduct at any one =
time. <o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>It seems to me that laying one or two eggs in
another’s nest could “need” to be done, but that a =
whole
clutch laid in someone else’s nest over many days might be =
something else
going on besides “needing” to lay. It might be that each =
female has
decided the nest is hers… <o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>People find eggs on the ground (of species that =
don’t
usually lay eggs on the ground). The opinion is that there was some =
reason why
the bird could not lay in her own nest; perhaps there was a predator =
nearby at
the time, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The thought that a bird would go into someone =
else’s
nest day after day to lay her own eggs didn’t seem right, but what =
if
they *<b><span style=3D'font-weight:bold'>were</span></b>* both trying =
to possess
the same nesting site? That would hold true with some of the newer =
findings
about birds and what we used to think were monogamous =
relationships… Many
species are anything but, according to researchers like Bridget =
Stutchbury, who
did a study on thrushes in eastern <st1:country-region =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:place
w:st=3D"on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>, etc. However, I =
also read
that Wood Ducks *<b><span style=3D'font-weight:bold'>are</span></b>* =
monogamous
from pair bonding in fall/winter up to the point of incubation, =
hatching, and
then rearing the young, which the female does on her own. The main nest
parasite for Woodies is female Hoodies! Nest parasitism happens only =
when the
host is doing the egg laying, so only species that have a similar or =
slightly
shorter incubation period would work. A large % of the females who had =
visitors
killed or maimed the visitor.<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Putting out another nest box may, or may not, put the
egg-dumping to a halt. I read that more next boxes in the area may =
increase the
problem. Wood Ducks do not defend their nest site like passerines do. =
I’d
be curious to know what happens in your woodies’ case. =
<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Then there are the large creches of ducklings to =
consider,
and just who are those babysitters who watch them while the mothers are =
off
feeding… But that’s another research =
project!<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Holly Peirson<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Columbus, Anoka =
Co.<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-left:.25in'><font size=3D2 =
color=3Dnavy
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>* =
Cornell’s
‘Handbook of Bird Biology’ <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-left:.25in'><font size=3D2 =
color=3Dnavy
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>‘Encycloped=
ia
of North American Birds by John K. Terres<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-left:.25in'><font size=3D2 =
color=3Dnavy
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>‘Manual
of Ornithology’ by Proctor and Lynch<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-left:.25in'><font size=3D2 =
color=3Dnavy
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>‘Birds
of <st1:place w:st=3D"on">North America</st1:place>’ =
Online<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><br>
<br>
</span></font><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'></span><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>On Apr 8, 2007, at 8:15 AM, George B Skinner =
wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3Dapple-style-span><span =
style=3D'border-spacing: 0px 0px;
text-align:auto;-khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: =
none;-apple-text-size-adjust: auto;
orphans: 2;widows: 2;word-spacing:0px'><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Last week I saw =
a drake
and hen standing on the box. The times I checked TV camera in the box it =
never
showed any ducks or eggs.</span></span></font><font color=3Dblack><span
style=3D'color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 =
color=3Dblack
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Now, at
7:30 this morning, I saw a drake at the base of the support pole. When I =
turned
the camera on I saw there were two hens in the box. One was sitting on =
top of
about a third of the other one. They seen to be =
resting.<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 =
color=3Dblack
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>What is
this behavior? Are they trying to wait each other out to claim the box? =
Will
they both lay? Do drakes have multiple =
hens?<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 =
color=3Dblack
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>I have
a second box that I could put up. Is there any minimum distance they =
should be
apart?<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 =
color=3Dblack
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Thank
you,<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 =
color=3Dblack
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>George
Skinner<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 =
color=3Dblack
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Minnetonka,
Hennepin Co., <st1:State w:st=3D"on"><st1:place =
w:st=3D"on">Minnesota</st1:place></st1:State><o:p></o:p></span></font></s=
pan></p>
</div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 =
color=3Dblack
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><br>
<br>
</span></font></span><span class=3Dapple-style-span><font size=3D2 =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></s=
pan></p>
</div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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