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Nestling or Fledgeling out of nest

Kirpi
25/05/2010 21:47

I was on the allotment last night and was disturbed to find a nestling or fledgeling Blackbird (it was a bit in between) standing on twigs near the shed out in the open. The parents were going mad trying to drive me away and seemed to be collecting food in their beaks.

I could hear other young in the hedge but couldn't see a nest to return the young bird.

I put the young in the hedgerow near the parents and hoped that it would be fledgeling enough to fly soon if they kept feeding it. There are so many cats and foxes around though that I doubt it survived the night.

When I returned to the allotment in the morning the parents were still collecting food but they didn't flay around me as they had done previously so I guess the littel bird was picked off by predators and the parents have other young in a nest somewhere.

Is there anything else I could have done for future reference? It must be a dangerous time for young birds when they leave the nest when they don't seem ready to just yet.

 

 

 

 

  • 0 25/05/2010 21:58

    Hi Sprout,

    with all juvenile / fledgling birds the best advice is to leave them alone!

    I know your intentions were in the best interest of the juvenile, but Mother Nature can be cruel.

    The parents will do everything they can to fend off any predators, fledglings are also very adapt at hiding and keeping quiet.

    I know it is very difficult not to intervene, but again I can't put it any other way but to leave any fledgling alone.

    Regards Buzzard

    Nature Is Amazing - Let Us Keep It That Way

  • 0 25/05/2010 22:07 in reply to Buzzard

    Hi - thanks for the rapid reply.  It was my first instinct to leave alone, however the fledgling was perched on twigs which were just above and one foot away from our allotment pond. If the young bird was still unsteady I was farly certain it would have drowned.

    For future reference though it was good to check on here that I should leave things alone as you advise.

      

  • 0 26/05/2010 05:04
    Hello Sprout! It sounds like you did the right thing. The parents will keep feeding chicks as long as they're in the same area and they can hear them calling. Just because the parents didn't go mad at you doesn't mean the chick was eaten, it may have just moved to another bush further away. Many young birds leave the nest before they can fly. A good rule of thumb for garden birds is that if they've still got a lot of fluffy down then they may have fallen from the nest and should be returned if possible. If they're mainly feathered they're ok to be out and about and should be left alone unless they're in danger. If there's a predator about, one option is to place an upturned laundry basket over the chick (the plastic kind with the big holes). The parents will hear their baby calling and feed it through the holes. You can watch from a window to confirm that the parents are still feeding it, but be aware that sometimes hours can pass between feeds. Then when the predator has moved on you can remove the basket and leave the family to it. Hope that helps anyone with baby bird troubles! L.