We have had two new arrivals in our garden today (very exciting). We have identified one of them (a baby Dunnock) shown on the left of the first picture below. However, we are not sure what the other bird is. We think it might be a baby Robin but are not sure. Can anyone help?
Thanks,
Jan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/all_things_nautical/
I have noticed this adult frazzled looking Robin around too today. Am wondering if it is the mum to the baby and she has just left the nest? Incidentally, do adult robins feed their young or are the youngsters left to fend for themselves?
Christine S said: Incidentally, do adult robins feed their young or are the youngsters left to fend for themselves?
Incidentally, do adult robins feed their young or are the youngsters left to fend for themselves?
Hi Birdwoman,
Yes, like a lot of small birds, the fledglings take a little while to be fully independent. They follow the adults around, begging for food, but the adults gradually push them away.
Years ago, Mrs Jackdaw reported seeing a robin "being chased by a sparrow". A while later, we saw a robin with its spotty brown chick, feeding it, and I was able to explain what she'd seen before.
:-)
Seriously thinking about trying harder!
Christine S said: I have noticed this adult frazzled looking Robin around too today. Am wondering if it is the mum to the baby and she has just left the nest? Incidentally, do adult robins feed their young or are the youngsters left to fend for themselves?
Could well be mum (or dad) to the baby you've seen today. Looks a little bedraggled!
Once the nestlings have a covering of body feathers (by about a week old), they no longer need to be constantly brooded (kept warm) by a parent. Instead both parents go back and forth all day bringing food and taking away the droppings. The chicks will stay in the nest for another week - the female may still brood them at night if it's cold. After the chicks fledge (leave the nest) they hang around in the parents' territory, and the parents continue to feed them for another two or three weeks. All this time they are learning how to find food for themselves, and the parents gradually feed them less and less. Often the female will begin laying her next clutch while her mate is still providing some care to the first set of chicks.
My blog: http://mazzaswildside.blogspot.co.uk/
My Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/124028194@N04/
Thank you very much aiki for this valuable information. I've noticed all you have said in other little birds but in the case of the Robin shown it appears to be left very much to its own devices. In fact, the parents don't seem interested in it at all from what I have observed so far.
Beautiful capture Alan. Really shows its lovely red breast developing.
Thanks for your kind comments Birdie Wild.
Christine S said: Thank you very much aiki for this valuable information. I've noticed all you have said in other little birds but in the case of the Robin shown it appears to be left very much to its own devices. In fact, the parents don't seem interested in it at all from what I have observed so far.
That is odd. Not typical by any means. I was watching a pair of Robins feeding their fledged chicks at the local reserve just the other day. Maybe this fledgling has actually been out of the nest for a while (it could have moved to your garden from nearby, explaining why you hadn't seen it before) and is close to independence.
Here are another couple of pictures of the fledgling Robin taken today. The light is a bit better and its markings are a lot clearer than the pics I took yesterday. I've also noticed a second fledgling around today.
Thanks for your prompt reply aiki. I will watch closely for any further fledgling arrivals (am sure there will be more) to see what happens. As yet we have been unable to establish where the Robins are nesting but we think one pair might be nesting in one of our garden sheds. We are reluctant to investigate more closely as if they are we don't want to disturb them.
yes it is, I have had 4 baby robins in our garden very cute.