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Mature looking baby blackbird not flying

blackbird2019
24/04/2019 12:53

Hi can anyone advise.

Cat brought a  blackbird to the doorstep yesterday.  I. thought it was a thrush at first.  The bird seemed to be in perfect condition.  Was on its back though and chirping like a chick.  It seems like a very mature chick with long tail feathers.  I picked it up and put it down on the grass and it didn't seem to be stable, falling forwards.  I left it under a hedge and kept cats in.  It was shortly hopping around in the leaves and flower beds under the vegetation and seemed very strong.  The parent birds have been visiting it regularly over yesterday and today and It still looks very strong.  

My thoughts are that it seems so fully feathered and getting on for adult size that it should be flying.  The adult birds only feed them I guess if they are fledglings so maybe its just a large chick that should start flying soon?  As I said above, when I picked the bird up after cats brought it to me, it looked in perfect condition.  The wings didn't  look at all damaged. 

I'm guessing adult birds can continue to feed fledgling for a couple of weeks so this bird should be getting somewhere close to flying soon hopefully.  If I need any advice please reply.

Thanks

  • 0 24/04/2019 18:16
    Yes it's being fed by both parents but I was surprised that for a chick that looked so advanced it isn't flying. Its mainly hiding in the hedges but was seen this morning out on the lawn with both parents who are out there most of the day. I didn't see the chick before it was caught by cat so don't know if it was flying prior to that. Am keeping cats in for a few days.
  • 0 14/07/2022 18:58
    I realise this question is a few years old but I have a not dissimilar question.
    I watched a male blackbird feeding a fledgling on our lawn for a while, then it left leaving the fledgling. I saw it the next day and wondered if the fledgling had hidden in my garden overnight. Upon approaching the fledgling it scarpered into a bush below fence height so I realised it couldn’t fly yet and decided it was in good hands with the male parent still feeding it.
    After three days the male never appeared again and the fledgling was feeding itself, bouncing around the lawn in our garden to pick them up (insects, seed dripping from the feeders, and water from our water features at ground level). It’s been about 10 days now and no return of the parent and no flight. I’ve managed to chase off two cats sitting on our fence due to the fledgling warning me by making noises similar to the adult alarm call. I’m worried now that our garden is this fledgling world for as long as it can escape the local cats. Should I inform the local RSPCB/A?