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White Bluebird EggsIn addition to Messages that have appeared in the Bluebird Mailing Lists on this topic, the following are on the Audubon Society of Omaha website: Predators and Problems On The Bluebird Trail 6:56:35 -0600 I first submitted these questions to the NABS and they suggested this site. How common or uncommon are white bluebird eggs? Also, is the entire clutch white or just some of the eggs? Thanks to all for any input. D. Taylor Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 08:10:22 -0500 David, White eggs are not that uncommon. I've read that 3-5% of bluebird eggs are white. White eggs also occur in all three species of bluebirds. The female is genetically programmed to lay white eggs, therefore, her entire clutch will be white. If you find a clutch of both blue and white eggs, there's more than one female laying in that nest! Brenda ... Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 08:27:26 -0500 ... According to the Stokes: White eggs are called albanistic eggs. It is not known why they occur. In general a female will lay all white or all blue eggs in a clutch not some of one and some of the other. However, sometimes clutches are found with just one white egg and the rest normal blue. This is probably the result of egg dumping. (The Bluebird Book...Stokes) Dixie se MA
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 06:03:41 PST For two nesting seasons, we had a nest box which had nothing in it but white eggs....one season we had 3 nestings; the second we had 2. Because of the genetics which Brenda mentions, I knew that we had the same mating combination using this box over the two seasons. I found that interesting. Dean Sheldon, Huron County, OH... Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 09:18:16 -0500 ... Hi there David: In response to your query re: white Bluebird eggs -- according to Connie Toops - "Bluebirds Forever"- only about 5% of BB eggs are white. She explains on page 33 the full process of egg development and egg laying. To answer your question I quote: "...during the final few hours in the female's uterus, pigment is added to the shell...." White eggs do not usually produce albino Bluebirds. I have had white BB eggs on my trail that produced normal color birds...(see p. 103 - Bluebirds Forever). ... Betty Nichols, Middletown, MD -- sunny, 64* - Beautiful day. Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 09:18:47 -0600 Hi everyone, Brenda and Dixie have it exactly right regarding white eggs. As part of the Birdhouse Network data, we ask participants to record the color of their bluebird eggs. In 1997, 4.3% of all the bluebird clutches reported were white. In 1998, 4.5% were white, with 1.7% having both blue and white eggs (suggesting egg dumping). We are in the process of compiling the results from 1999 data. Tina Phillips Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 09:50:41 -0500 All nests that I've had since 1985 date of my record kepting that had white eggs were ALL WHITE . Estimate the 9 or ten years I've had white eggs all hatched sucessful and with 130 boxes two years had double white egg nesting in the same box last year no white eggs while 4 other years each had one white nesting each. B ob Rager N/W Ohio Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 15:49:05 -0500 Hi Bob and Others, In my five years of monitoring bluebird boxes, we've had two nests of pure white eggs. Like Bob shared, all eggs hatched and fledged ok. I've always wondered why books, videos, etc. seldom, if ever, mention that bluebird eggs can be white. I recently visited a website in AL (I think) and found a description and photo of the bluebird egg which was blue--no reference to the fact that it can be white. Even Cornell's data forms ask if the eggs are blue or white or a combination. Anyone know why it's not routinely reported that bluebird eggs can be white? Just curious. Patty in WV... Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 15:52:30 -0500 Hi Again, I hadn't seen the postings on white eggs prior to sending off my comments and question. I'm still curious as to why people aren't told that the eggs could be white. Maybe Tina or someone at Cornell knows. Thank, Patty in WV ... Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 17:02:20 -0500 Hi David, I am Chickie Smith from Fonda, NY. I have had nothing but white bluebird eggs in all the nestings I have had. In fact, at first I wondered what kind of eggs they were. I looked in my book of nests, and they said that Bluebird eggs can be white-so then I knew. All the eggs in the nest were white.The first nesting in the spring had white eggs and the last one in the summer still had white eggs-never had blue ones.I really don't know how common they are, but I have them. Happy bluebirding. Chickie... Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 22:12:03 -0500 To the Constituency, The Bluebird books by Scriven, Toops, and Stokes, all three, include pictures and discussions of white (albanistic) Bluebird eggs. All agree, I believe, that about 5% of Bluebird eggs lack pigment. I haven't seen any in 9 years of bluebirding, but the law of averages suggests that I will soon. Bruce Burdett, Sunapee, NH Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 21:00:20 -0800 In 1999 had two repeat broods in two boxes out of 81. Fledged a total of 22 Eastern Bluebirds - all normal, no albinos. Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 16:36:21 -0600 Ok, so a female BB must be "genetically programmed to lay white eggs." So my question is--will she always lay white eggs regardless of the genetic make-up of the male? Or, must the male also have a specific genetic make-up in order for her to lay white eggs? Dan Sparks Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 18:50:15 -0500 Dan, I don't believe the male has anything to do with egg color. To quote from "The Birder's Handbook" on page 305, "Their colors, like all egg colors, are from pigments produced by glands in the female's oviduct. As the egg moves down that tube, the colors are squeezed out onto the shell." Brenda Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2000 19:44:22 -0500 Bill Darnell, Savannah, TN Recently, there was a discussion about egg color. Out of 80 or so eggs, I have 4 clutches of 5 each white eggs. FYI, Bill Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2000 07:20:27 -0500 I believe most of us do NOT use a large enough data base when we (this includes famous authors) calculate what percent of the time bluebirds lay white eggs. Last year MY birds laid 250 eggs and none were white. I believe that the white egg producing hen inherited that characteristic from the same birds that are still using the nearby boxes. In other words, YOUR birds that use YOUR trail have a much higher percentage of females that lay white eggs. Some years ago I had several clutches of white eggs and they were in boxes that were on the same road. Merlin Wright at Brownville Nebraska ... Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2000 00:17:28 EDT Hi everybody.. I went on a trail check today and I have about 40 boxes to check. I didn't count up the nests even though I kept records. There is lots of activity on the trail... lots of bluebird nests without eggs and a few with.. Two of them with white ones! (4 eggs in both) The chickadees are nesting.. Last year they had a terrible time at our state park and just failed or wrens got them.. I really enjoy the chickadees.. I like the way they fly off and scold us on a nearby branch.. They don't seem to fly away like the other birds do.. The tree swallows are back flying around the lake, and on a couple of checks they were inside the box when I opened it but nothing else was there.. guess it won't be long now. No really formed nests as of yet.. I'm hoping too that something will nest in the hanging boxes.. but only one attempted nesting.. some grasses.. which looks like the ones I see the tree swallows starting.. so maybe that's what it is.. One bluebird placed a cellophane blue ribbon in her nest.. must be her favorite color??? Just kidding. These two nest with white eggs really took me off guard. first time in our park that I know of.. and the other is at a nursing home about 8 miles away where I check those boxes. One egg is slightly tinged with blue..and other three eggs are pure white. The other nesting were pure white. Well I had fun today.. Kathy Clark Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 20:49:38 -0400 Karen, et al, According to Dorene Scriven (BLUEBIRD TRAILS), about one out of twenty Bluebird nests have white eggs. Usually all the eggs in a white clutch are white, but not always. Bruce Burdett Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2000 22:04:15 -0500 I have a bluebird box in my backyard. Ther are 3 eggs in the nest at the Several people have observed white eggs laid by bluebirds, from which
perfectly normal bluebirds hatch. The blue pigment is added as the egg is Kate Oschwald Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2001 11:22:28 -0500 Hello List, How rare is it to have white eggs? What causes this? I have pictures if anyone wants to see them. Thank you, Jenny Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2001 13:28:51 -0400 Randy Jones THE BOOKS SAY ABOUT 5% OF EGGS ARE WHITE. IT HAS TO DO WITH A GENETIC FLAW IN HER REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM. KEITH KEIDEL EXPLAINED THIS ONE TIME, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE POST. Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2002 08:58:59 -0700 (PDT) Hi all, For the first couple of years I thought all Eastern Bluebird (EABL) eggs where white. I'm a little sad as it gets to be more and more apparent that the female EABL that lays the white eggs is no where to be found. I have had her build her nest and lay 4 or 5 white eggs in the nestbox in my yard for the past 3 years. I could tell it was her each year not only for the white eggs she laid but because of her crooked beak and the crazy feather that stuck straight up between her eyes. I seen her all winter and at the first of the season as usual with her mate in the mulberry tree while I fed them mealworms. I have three pair of EABL with 5 babies in each nest and all of their eggs where blue. Her nestbox is still available and did have house sparrows (HOSP) trying to claim it at the first of the season however I nip that real fast. With all the nests I watch for the white eggs but none yet. I do have a pair of EABL that seem to show up when I go for my walk in the evenings, sitting on the fence line until I get to them then they fly off to the next section of fence as if to walk with me. I can't see her close enough to tell if it is her but I'm sure this pair has a nest in a natural cavity somewhere along the road I walk and they are very friendly. I'm still holding out for her to make a showing this year with those little white eggs. Kerry in NE corner of Okla. Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 19:14:11 -0500 Hi all... I have a friend who is as avid as I am about bluebirds, and he called just a few minutes ago to tell me the following: At one of his boxes, a pair of bluebirds successfully fledged three young- a little over a week ago. He immediately cleaned out the old nest, and soon the female was building nest #2. She yesterday laid her first egg... all white, and today there was a second white egg in the nest! (We ARE assuming this is the same pair, but can't be totally sure) And they are not TRES eggs, which are smaller and more pointed at one end. So there is little doubt they are bluebird eggs. He asked me a question which I am not sure about, and I thought perhaps some of you out there know the answer.... If a female lays a normal blue clutch of eggs for her first brood, is it possible that her second brood could have white eggs? And, if a female bb lays white eggs once, what are the chances that she will produce more broods with white eggs? I've been bluebirding for quite a few years, but have never had any white eggs laid on my trails. I do not recall this subject being talked about recently on this list, so...maybe someone can help me give an informed answer to my friend. Thanks.... Bob T. in Muskego, Wi. From: "eveningprimrose" primrose"at"lcii.net Hi Bob, From: "k smith" k_smith10"at"hotmail.com Bob, I can tell you that their first nest of eggs they actually had to lay twice. And they were both all white. It's a long story but the short version is that believe it or not their eggs were removed from their first nest by TRES! The EABLs built their second nest in the paired box. Very unusal and unbelievable TRES behavior. Kellie From: johnbrocks"at"juno.com Understand that about 5% of EABL eggs are white. Last year a pair of EABL using the same house fledged 3 broods all from pure white eggs. So far this year 2 broods are from blue eggs. Must be different pair of EABL. The other 23 houses always had only blue eggs. John Brocks From: "Lawrence Herbert" lherbert"at"4state.com One box in north-central Missouri in 1987 had three clutches of 5 white eggs each. All 15 fledged successfully. Has anyone had more than that from one nest in one season? Date: Tue, 02 Jul 2002 19:59:17 -0400 From: "eveningprimrose" primrose"at"lcii.net From: "emcooper" emcooper"at"bayou.com Does the female that lays these eggs always lay white eggs? I know that the coloring takes place when the egg is being laid, but cannot find any information about whether this female always lays white eggs because is it a permanent defect in the 5% that lay them. Evelyn Cooper Delhi, La. From: "Keith & Sandy Kridler" kridler"at"1starnet.com Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas Eggs can remain viable for weeks IF the temperature of the eggs stay below about 70*F Once the egg temperature reaches about 80*F then blood vessels and formation of the chick begins. When the egg reaches 99*F it is forming in an unincubated nest just as fast as if the female were incubating. The problem here is that as the nestbox temperature falls to 70*F at night the formation quits and this starting and stopping will kill the life in the egg in just a couple of days. If you took a chicken egg and placed it on a sunny window sill in your house and left it there for a month and then tried to crack it after going through heating during the day and chilling at night you would find the egg filled with gases from the rotting protein mass. You might also find that the egg was getting pretty dried out if the humidity was low. The liquid in the egg will move out through the shell faster when humidity is lowered. Hydrogen Sulfide gasses form in the rotten egg and these will "bleach" the color of the egg shell as they also will come through the egg shell. When held to a light the egg mass liquid will be darker and the air in the egg will be lighter. There are small pen lights that are sold with an attachment (a soft black plastic tube that fits the egg tightly) that you can place up against an egg that allows you to "candle" the egg or basically the light will shine through the egg white and yolk but even blood vessels will show up as dark lines. Candling only works to show that something is forming and a dried egg yolk will not look much different from a live or dead chick that was about to hatch. Candling eggs is really designed to prevent blood spots from ending up in the eggs sold for human consumption. KK From: DottyRogers"at"netscape.net Hi Evelyn: We had a female that laid white eggs; three broods last yr; same box (first two, vandalized; third; sterile), then two broods this yr, neighboring box -- so our tiny experience is yes, she does consistently lay white eggs. Only 4 of her young have successfully fledged and I'm not sure the monitor noted the sex of the youngsters -- plus we abandoned that site a month ago. We'll be placing boxes nearby and will be watching for white eggs next yr. (We've been wondering if some female offspring would carry the trait forward.) Dot; eastern MA Date: Sun, 11 May 2003 12:33:17 -0700 (PDT) Hi...Just a couple inquiries about white EABL eggs...This year my Bluebird box had 4 white eggs & everything is fine with the hatchlings. I was wondering how many people have a box of white eggs every year. (I know there's no diference in the baby birds..just a lack of color pigment in the mother.) Also, did anyone having a 1st cycle batch of white eggs also have a 2nd cycle (or 3rd) batch of white eggs? Thanks for your answers? Horace in N. C. From: "Lawrence Herbert" lherbert"at"4state.com Horace and all, back in 1988 we had three clutches of five white Eastern Bluebird eggs. All fifteen fledged successfully from that same nest box. That was when we lived in Grundy County, extreme north central Missouri. Good birding, Larry H. Joplin MO. Lawrence Herbert lherbert"at"4state.com Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 10:28:54 -0700 (PDT) Hello....A few weeks ago I indicated that I had 4 EABL white eggs laid in a 1st cycle nest & inquired about other people's white eggs. One person told me that they thought the female will lay white colored eggs all her life. Well, I just want to confirm that for general interesting info. Today, my female laid her 1st egg, 2nd cycle... in the same box as her 1st cycle nest over 6 weeks ago. And sure enough it is white. Also, someone indicated to me that their female was quite aggressive. I've also noticed this aggressive behavior in my female, too. But even though I'm pretty sure that all her 4 nestlings had fledged ok, I've only seen 1 fledgling come back for suet that I put out every day. This is telling me that the other 3 have either been killed or have flown elsewhere. For the prior couple of years, I have always seen the fledglings come back for food or seen & heard them in nearby trees a couple weeks after fledging. Any similar experiences or comments....Horace in NC. Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 14:22:49 -0400 Horace: For two consecutive nesting seasons (5 cycles in all) we had a pair of EABL in the same box at the same location produce nothing but white eggs. At the time, I thought that that was quite unusual....I guess that I still do. What it really indicates to me is that there was, apparently, a mated (monogamous) pair of birds nesting at that location. I'm not up on genetics, but that's the way I'd call it. Dean Sheldon, Ripley Township, Huron County, OH. From:Leah Eggs - pics I understand Evelyn is looking for some white bluebird egg pictures. Here are a few of mine, eggs only and with the babies hatching. Please feel free to use them if you can. http://img13.photobucket.com/albums/v37/hraea/Bluebirds/5eggs_3rdclutchJune1 6.jpg http://img13.photobucket.com/albums/v37/hraea/Bluebirds/5thEggMar15.jpg http://img13.photobucket.com/albums/v37/hraea/Bluebirds/Hatchage3Jun28.jpg http://img13.photobucket.com/albums/v37/hraea/Bluebirds/P6300045.jpg Leah NE Florida From: Elizabeth.D.Seward2"at"usdoj.gov [ mailto:Elizabeth.D.Seward2"at"usdoj.gov ] Phil and all-- A second nesting attempt in one of the nestboxes I monitor (suburban neighborhood) was begun a week after the first four nestlings fledged. The second nest has five eggs, an increase of one over the previous clutch. And even more interesting, all five eggs are white this time, whereas the first nest had blue eggs. I'm assuming it's the same pair, because they began the second nest right on schedule, and our neighborhood has only four or five bluebird pairs, all accounted for. But perhaps the female is new. Diane Seward (a digest subscriber) Potomac, Maryland From: Nature1951"at"aol.com [mailto:Nature1951"at"aol.com] Subject: Re: Egg Laying - Days Christy, Subject: RE: Egg Laying - Days About 5% of all bluebird eggs are white. It is a genetic defect. When the
egg comes down the ova duct, that is when it is colored. Some females lack
this ability. Their babies will lay blue eggs. If you see a blue egg in the
clutch with the white eggs, it is because of egg dumping. They only lay Evelyn Cooper Subject: white EABL eggs To expand on what Evelyn said, laying white eggs can be an inherited trait. Steve, our community wildlife coordinator who was responsible for pretty much all of our golf course BB trails, banded both adults & nestlings. Since young females are likely to return to their natal area & successful females are likely to return to the same area, he could track data for generations of EABL. There was at least one instance of a female who came from a white clutch laying white eggs herself. I don't know if there were other ones who laid blue eggs -- I don't think Steve did any rigorous comparative studies. Mostly he used the data to write reports for the golf courses. I personally have had a few white or near-white clutches. I've never had a mixed white & blue clutch, tho. Maybe this year. :-) Torrey Moss, Kalamazoo Nature Center, Kalamazoo, MI Subject: RE: white EABL eggs While that is true, it does not mean every bird in the white clutch will Evelyn From: Bet Zimmerman [mailto:ezdz"at"charter.net] I’m doing a little “research” on white bluebird eggs. See http://www.sialis.org/whiteeggs.htm for what I’ve gathered so far. Any geneticists out there that can look at my assumptions? Any other info welcome! Thanks! Bet From: Marilyn [mailto:musher"at"justfurfun.org] How timely - My monitor walk today revealed a beautiful white egg in a Bluebird nest in one of my boxes. I have never seen this before on my trails. From: Mary Beth Roen [mailto:mbroen"at"hotmail.com] Sent: Sunday, May 07, 2006 10:05 PM Subject: White EABL eggs! Hi everyone, I have a nest of 4 white EABL eggs! This is only the second time in 18 years Mary Roen, River Falls, WI From: Mary Beth Roen [mailto:mbroen"at"hotmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2006 10:39 PM Subject: White EABL eggs Hi Bluebird friends, The female EABL that laid a nest of white eggs earlier this season, fledged 4, and now has a new nest of 5 white eggs! It is only the second time in 18 years I have had white eggs. I took some pictures of them. It will be fun to see if any her daughters lay white eggs next year. Mary Roen, River Falls, WI From: agriffee [mailto:agriffee"at"adelphia.net] I've had several Black Cap Chickadee and Tree Swallow clutches fledge from boxes next to BB's. I now have second group of BB eggs or babies in first box. I understand that those birds only nest once per year. Do I now remove, plug up, or leave second boxes up? From: mbroen"at"hotmail.com] Bet and all, The eggs are pure white, no tinge of color that I can see. I wish I knew a Mary Roen, River Falls, WI From: EHDerry"at"aol.com [mailto:EHDerry"at"aol.com] Arnold: Leave the boxes up, unplugged, but cleaned out. There could be a late nesting TRES looking for a place to nest. TRES and BCCH usually nest only once per season, but reports are coming in of TRES occasionally doing second nestings. Because of your email address, I am assuming that you are somewhere in the northeast. The next time you write, it would be helpful to those who respond to you to know where you are located, as location does make a difference. From: Robert Barron [mailto:rebarron"at"gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 2:30 PM Subject: Re: Fw: Duplicate boxes I would clean them out but leave them up for latecomers or fall roosting. Rob Barron From: Bruce Burdett [mailto:blueburd"at"verizon.net] Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 2:41 PM Subject: Re: Duplicate boxes Arnold, From: Evelyn Cooper [mailto:emcooper"at"bayou.com] Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 2:58 PM Subject: Re: Duplicate boxes Keeping records is a very valuable tool. So is a good monitoring schedule. I found that you learn more to monitor every 4 or 5 days if you can. From: mrtony8 [mailto:philip.berry"at"mchsi.com] Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 6:11 PM Subject: Re: Duplicate boxes IMHO, leave the boxes up. White eggs are not too uncommon, although I have never had any. From: Bob Walshaw [mailto:walshaw1 "at"cox.net]
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 8:42 PM Subject: A happy trail report .... Also a new bluebird nest with 5 white eggs. That female has been with me for the third year - same box and the same 5 white eggs. Always a thrill. Bluebird Bob. From: markmele "at"att.net [mailto:markmele "at"att.net]
Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2007 4:34 PM Subject: Three white eggs...so far. Hi,
I have a nest box on my deck that now has three white eggs from a female blue bird. I can't remember having more than one white egg in a clutch. The female has not started to incubate yet, so more to come....maybe. How rare is a clutch of all white eggs?
Thanks.
Mark - Hillsborough, NJ From: Evelyn Cooper [mailto:emcooper "at"bayou.com] 5% of all Bluebirds lay white eggs. All of the eggs in a white egg clutch are white. If you see a blue one in it, it is the result of egg dumping by another female. When you say you never remember having more than one white egg in a clutch, was that just one egg in the nest or one white egg among blue ones? I have never had a clutch of white eggs. Kenny Kleinpeter had some last year on his trail that were abandoned and he saved them for me for “show and tell” at presentations. They were an interesting item at the Earth Day Festival in Baton Rouge in April. Evelyn From: Maynard Sumner [mailto:m-r-sumner "at"juno.com] Most of the time it is all white eggs or all blue eggs. If you have white and blue eggs it is not the same female. One female can not lay white and blue eggs. Maynard Sumner From: Bet Zimmerman [mailto:ezdz "at"charter.net] Here is a webpage with info on white eggs. Bet from CT |
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