Either one of these scenarios is plausible. No matter the cause, if the egg has sat too long out from under the mother, it is probably not viable. You could try to place it back in the nest when she takes a break, but you need to do this quickly and get away before the parents return. If you cannot safely replace the egg, we would strongly suggest that you just leave it alone and let the mother tend to the remaining eggs. The Regal Swan
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