Can blackbird eggs hatch if one parent's dead?

[Carol Marshall]

Hello!

We've got a blackbird nest with 3 eggs in a bush on our balcony.
For days now we've watched the nest, but have only seen one bird, so we presume the other, probably the female, is dead.
The eggs haven't hatched, but the male regularly visits the nest with food in his beak so he's dutifully fulfilling his male role.
What should we do as we feel very sorry for the remaining bird???
Would be grateful for all (hopefully not too disparate!) suggestions!
Thank you in advance!
Carol

[valleyforge]

Hi Carol,

The female blackbird is the one who would brood the complete clutch of eggs, so without her presence I'm afraid the eggs have no chance.

The male would be visiting to feed his mate until the eggs hatch, at which point both parents would share the feeding of the nestlings.

In time, the male will recognize that his mate is lost and maybe pair up with another female, but it's possibly already too late for that this year.

For the moment, probably best to leave the nest & eggs as they are, as it is illegal to interfere with them whilst there's still a possibilty that the nest site is active.

[Fieldfare95]

Welcome to WAB
Are you sure there is not a female sat on the nest?
It's just that you said he is still taking food there, anyhow I would leave well alone.

[Carol Marshall]

Hi,
Sorry to be late in answering and thanking you both for your comments.
Yesterday, from below, I thought that two birds visited the nest, but since then there's been relatively little activity and I can't say that I've been able to corroborate that.

Another point: the eggs have been in the nest for at least five weeks. Is this normal?? (I'm afraid that, although I love seeing and hearing birds, I know little about their habits ..., which is really quite obvious ...)

Thank you again.
Kind regards
Carol

[Carol Marshall]

PS Sorry, I forgot to say that it appears that one bird is visiting the nest with food, but that no other bird is in the nest. I've just interpreted this as the male bird faithfully fulfilling his role.
Anyway we gently watered our poor bush at last yesterday evening and if we get any sun I'll consider re-opening the balcony for quiet human use!

[Picidae]

Just a word of warning and echoing what Valleyforge has stated quite clearly: Blackbirds often start a new brood while the partner is feeding fledglings elsewhere, so it's not unusual for one parent to be feeding/visiting nest if there are chicks there. Either way, I'd try and keep a distance - you will still disturb the Blackbird at it's nest if you intrude on it's space, even if there are infertile eggs in this clutch.