Further to the posting on the Common Flameback (Dinopium javanense) removing an egg from its nest cavity LINK, Allen Low posted his two encounters of egg dumping in Taiwan.
“I encountered a Taiwan Barbet (Psilopogon nuchalis) twice in Taiwan, missing a shot on the first occasion (above).
“When these barbets started building a nest, the Wild Bird Society of Taipei (WBST) would start monitoring them. When the birds started to rotate shift, the WBST would stick a scope into the nest to count the eggs. The whole incubation from egg to chick took about one month. It was during this time that the birds would dispose of their still eggs or still-born chicks. I am guessing it is to prevent nest contamination.
“Still-eggs, also called wind-eggs are infertile eggs that will not hatch.”
Allen Low
Singapore
20th August 2018
This post is a cooperative effort between Birds, Insects N Creatures Of Asia and BESG to bring the study of birds and their behaviour through photography and videography to a wider audience.
