Birds Nest?

Question

Would a mother robin always stay at here nest with her eggs? If so I found a nest that does not have a mother would it be abanndoned or would the mother just be looking for food?

Answer 1

Yes they do leave the nest regularly to feed, but generally not for very long.

Does it have eggs in it? If not, it could be an old nest. Or sometimes birds will build several nests and only use one.

Answer 2

My mother has a robin's nest in her backyard right now. I was observing it over the long weekend. The mother robin doesn't stay at the nest all the time. She is constantly looking for food, but she is always close by. I went near the nest to take photos and I saw the mother not too far away watching. They are always aware of whats near their nest.

Answer 3

She may not even be done laying eggs yet: "Female songbirds typically lay one egg each morning for four to five days until the clutch is complete. Then they begin incubating the eggs. This way the eggs all develop at the same time and hatch synchronously. For more information on nesting birds, get a copy of A Guide to Bird Homes. "
http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/backyard_birds/faqs/behavior.aspx#Three
They are talking about Carolina Wrens here, but the same holds true for many birds.

Answer 4

They leave the nests to get food. Once their young fledge (fly away), they abandon the nest. Younger, less experienced females may then try to reuse the nest for their own mating efforts.

Answer 5

Birds don't always sit constantly on their eggs. She could be looking for food. Once the eggs are hatched, both the male and female feed the babies.

Answer 6

First, if she hasn't finished laying all the eggs, she may not have started sitting on them yet. Second, she will get up to eat now and then, once she is sitting.