Note that birds will abandon a nest that has a human's scent on it, much less one that's been obviously altered, and in a way where they can't customize it to fit their needs, no less.
Note that birds will abandon a nest that has a human's scent on it, much less one that's been obviously altered, and in a way where they can't customize it to fit their needs, no less.
I once stumbled on a bird's nest in a tree thicket, a nest of newborn sparrows. Once I happened on the nest, the mother flew away. A few days later, the chicks were still there, clearly dead.
As it happens, actually, birds don't have all that great a sense of smell. The idea that birds will abandon chicks or a nest with human scent is a myth because they don't even pick up on it. But they can and will abandon nests that have been tampered with, so either way it's best to leave them be.
