The White-backed mousers have an egg!

[srtiels]

I saw a tail sticking out of the hanging basket in the WB cage this morning. It was a surprise because a few days ago they trashed the nest and tossed the bedding. When I went out a little bit ago the mouser was out of the nest, so I took a (lousey) pix thru the top of the basket nest...and there was an egg partially covered with moss.

I have a SVAT baby monitor, and a couple of cameras that can read from it, so I'll have to set it back up so that I can watch them. It came in handy when the WB first bred for me. I kept the monitor in the house next to the computer, and I got to see if there were any problems going on. Once, I noticed an egg got separated from the clutch and moved it back, and another time a baby wandered to the nest edge, and it was too little to survive long if it got chilled. And in using the monitor I can see when the parents are off the nest and how many eggs, when they hatch etc., without pestering the parents

It is an awful rainey day in South FL, so seeing the egg brightened my day

 

[J*M*L]

Congratulations! Very exciting!

 

[srtiels]

Julie...thanks

 

[Kristy]

Yes, yes, yes!!!

How many eggies do they usually lay at a time??

 

[srtiels]

They will lay 2-3 eggs. On occasions I have had 4 eggs, and 4 live hatches.

 

[Kristy]

That is great 4 live births!!

Has this mama had babies before?

 

[birdlover82]

Yay! How exciting!

 

[srtiels]

Has this mama had babies before?
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Yes... Here are some of her babies from last year.

 

[Kristy]

Awww just look at her brood there.

Good mama I suspect then

Does papa help sit on the eggs?

 

[srtiels]

Mousers are excellent parents. Both parents sit and feed the babies. AND...they have helpers...such as other singles and younger weaned babies that will help with sitting and feeding. When a baby fledges ALL the mousers in the colony will watch over it and show it where the food is.

 

[Kristy]

No way, they even get helpers!

What a sweet deal to raise a family like that!

What a sweet community, thanks for the information I appreciate it a lot.

 

[srtiels]

Yes...it is very interesting to watch them, especially the social interaction. And I don't have to worry about a parent raised fledgling starving when it leaves the nest because all it has to do is beg and the nearest adult will come over to feed it.

 

[waterfaller1]

That is awesome Susanne! You are one heck of a good Parront!

 

[Missi]

CONGRATS! Future mouser infants all around!

 

[srtiels]

Thanks

Yes...and in the blue-naped nest, Pinks snatched her egg and moved it to the side, AND also stole the feather for it.

I just made a couple fake eggs to put under the Widower to see if he'll sit on them. This way I have a Plan B if there are too many eggs.

The white-back hen is in her nest tonight. So all is well in Mousebird World...LOL

 

[Babybreau]

Mousers are excellent parents. Both parents sit and feed the babies. AND...they have helpers...such as other singles and younger weaned babies that will help with sitting and feeding. When a baby fledges ALL the mousers in the colony will watch over it and show it where the food is.

That's awesome!! What great little birds!!

 

[srtiels]

And..I am experimenting and being innovative...to see if I can get single birds to act as foster sitters and parents.

I made some fake eggs (came out crappy) and my 2 single red-faced males at least looked at them, and the Widower hopped on them. Fingers-crossed that he will think their real and stay on them. This way I can slip him a good egg, if needed, to see if he will hatch and raise a baby.

It works for my cockatiels, but it is not documented with mousebirds.

 

[waterfaller1]

 

[TITANIS]

OMG, congrats, Susanne!!

 

[Billie Faye]

This is wonderful to see the pictures and read what you are posting! Can't wait for tomorrow to see what is going on!