Hi, we've had a Great Tit nest in our garden for the first time this year. Approx 3-4 chicks were seen fledging. We've now removed the bird box they used to clean out & found x5 very dead crispy chicks plus x1 unfertilised egg. Is this normal to have so many fatalities? Is it normal that the dead chicks were not removed from the nest? Thanks for any feedback :-)
Hi Sonia, usually would expect parent to take dead babies away to keep the nest hygienic but maybe it was a lone parent trying to raise the brood ... in times of insect & caterpillar shortages likely to do with cold/wet weather conditions only the best fed survive, we have heard of many nest failures so far this year! Wouldn't do for every nest to be a success, balance of nature would be truly upset!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Thank you Wendy. It was two parents that we watched tending to the nest. It was wonderful watching them they both seemed very busy. It must've just been poor conditions like you say.