Foo - Fallen baby birds

Yesterday was very windy with lots of rain, and when I got home I found a bird's nest in the front yard. Upon further inspection, I also discovered two little nestlings nearby, seemingly uninjured but helpless and near the street. I figured there was nothing I could do and left them alone. This morning they were still there, and when I came home this evening, they were still there chirping away, though one had wandered into the yard a little. I came inside for a few minutes and noticed a mother bird was feeding one of them. I read on Snopes that it is, in fact, okay to handle most birds (to an extent) and that the best thing to do with nestlings is to put them back in their nest and let the mother bird do her thing.

So I went back outside, but them both in the nest, and moved the nest a little further into the yard away from street. This worked great, and from inside I could see the mother feeding both of them. I knew that my dad was planning to come over tomorrow evening before I get home and work on some unfinished trim, so I called him to warn him not to park in the front yard because of the birds. Then he (and my mother) started talking about all the neighborhood cats and how the little birds would surely be eaten if we didn't get them off the ground. So they convinced me to let my dad come over with an old birdhouse, nail it to the tree they fell out of, and put the birds in it (nest and all). We did this and left the top off so the mother should be able to hear and see the birds. The way it's positioned, a cat would have to work pretty hard to get to them.

The problem is, the mother bird doesn't seem to be able to find the babies now. :( She was right under them a minute ago, but didn't know to look up in the tree. Now I'm wondering if I should take the nest back out and return it to the ground, despite the risk of the neighborhood cats. :(

Yesterday was very windy with lots of rain, and when I got home I found a bird's nest in the front yard. Upon further inspection, I also discovered two little nestlings nearby, seemingly uninjured but helpless and near the street. I figured there was nothing I could do and left them alone. This morning they were still there, and when I came home this evening, they were still there chirping away, though one had wandered into the yard a little. I came inside for a few minutes and noticed a mother bird was feeding one of them. I read on Snopes that it is, in fact, okay to handle most birds (to an extent) and that the best thing to do with nestlings is to put them back in their nest and let the mother bird do her thing.

So I went back outside, but them both in the nest, and moved the nest a little further into the yard away from street. This worked great, and from inside I could see the mother feeding both of them. I knew that my dad was planning to come over tomorrow evening before I get home and work on some unfinished trim, so I called him to warn him not to park in the front yard because of the birds. Then he (and my mother) started talking about all the neighborhood cats and how the little birds would surely be eaten if we didn't get them off the ground. So they convinced me to let my dad come over with an old birdhouse, nail it to the tree they fell out of, and put the birds in it (nest and all). We did this and left the top off so the mother should be able to hear and see the birds. The way it's positioned, a cat would have to work pretty hard to get to them.

The problem is, the mother bird doesn't seem to be able to find the babies now. :( She was right under them a minute ago, but didn't know to look up in the tree. Now I'm wondering if I should take the nest back out and return it to the ground, despite the risk of the neighborhood cats. :(

call your local humane society and get the number of a wildlife rescue group near you,.... time is short for baby birds.................

you did a great thing, Lamplight.

call your local humane society and get the number of a wildlife rescue group near you,.... time is short for baby birds.................

you did a great thing, Lamplight.

I'm not sure there is a wildlife rescue group around here. I tried to find one a couple of years ago when we found some baby skunks at work, and had no luck. All I could find were wildlife extermination services. :rolleyes: The mother bird is out there now looking around, but she simply can't figure out where the babies are, even though they're right over her. :(

Just put the nest and babies in the fork of a tree, or a ledge, or where it fell from. ;)

Just put the nest and babies in the fork of a tree, or a ledge, or where it fell from. ;)

I put the bird house on the trunk of the tree it fell from, but not exactly where it fell from. I couldn't reach that spot, and I'm not sure how the nest even stayed there in the first place.

Whew! Okay, momma just now stumbled upon her babies. :) What a relief!

I put the bird house on the trunk of the tree it fell from, but not exactly where it fell from. I couldn't reach that spot, and I'm not sure how the nest even stayed there in the first place.

Understood, but if Mama wont come into the birdhouse, you must take the chance and take them out,... they have so little time between feedings. Some hope is better than none. Double check with humane society for number,....

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Whew! Okay, momma just now stumbled upon her babies. :) What a relief!

three cheers for Lamplight! :) Good show

Whew! Okay, momma just now stumbled upon her babies. :) What a relief!

Yeah, she won't unfortunately find her babies in a birdhouse or human provided appliance right now. At least she's still feeding them. It's being on the ground. :( No humane society something around? I know around here if there are problems with local wild animals like squirrels and local birds, there are some foster "parent" who will take the little things in until they are able to cope.

Keep trying there Lamplight - and thanks from all of us animal lovers!

I'm glad she located her children. I was worried a cat would do something awful!



For god's sake people. keep your goddamn cat INDOORS. Domestic cats RAVAGE wild song birds.

Understood, but if Mama wont come into the birdhouse, you must take the chance and take them out,... they have so little time between feedings. Some hope is better than none. Double check with humane society for number,....

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three cheers for Lamplight! :) Good show

Hoora! Hoora! Hoora! :thumb: Great job! Those birds better come back some day and put you back in your nest!.......if you ever fall out due to a storm that is! ;)

I
For god's sake people. keep your goddamn cat INDOORS. Domestic cats RAVAGE wild song birds.


Ha ha ha...keep the cats indoors where they can ravage all the domestic bird meat (and furniture).:roflmao2:




That was funny. Indoor cats. What a silly idea.:lol:

Get a scratching post? I love cats and I enjoy making friends with them, but if it means no more depletion of indigenous song birds, I can deal with not being able to hang with the neighbour's cats. I can't have my own cat, mother and bf are allergic and my dog (the jerk) terrorizes cats.

I'm a total bird nut.

We have a few neighborhood cats, one in particular, that I see roaming around occasionally. The one I usually see might not bother with the birds, but of course I didn't know for sure. I know a cat hunting other animals is perfectly natural, but I'd hate to see birds killed by a fat house cat that has no need to hunt. :lol: Well the birds seem to be okay this morning. It's still dark out so I can't see them, but I can hear them chirping.

Why don't people just let nature take its course...?

Why don't people just let nature take its course...?

Because humans version of "letting nature take its course" isnt natures version......

The Mom will find the babies, and contrary to popular beleif, you can touch them and
the Mom will not reject them.
Great stuff, Lamplight ! Thank you for taking the time to do this !! :thumb:

P.S., Wut Luddite sed....Keep yer cats indoor, dammit !!! :mad:


I got a Grasshopper Sparrow at my feeder this morning, he walked right through
the gauntlet of bully birds to get his share. Very cool ! :D

Because humans version of "letting nature take its course" isnt natures version.....
Huh?

If the nest were in some man-made object and that contributed to the fall, or if some kids were messing with it, then sure, I agree to help it.

But if the nest fell out of a tree that could have been there for 150 years and it was blown out by weather that humans can't control, then I can't agree.

My cat isn't a hunter. His previous owner had him declawed (SO CRUEL). I'd never do that but I am benefitting now I suppose though he doesn't scratch often. And when he does, he goes to his cat tree and ghost scratches. He's never brought me critters from outside. He's an indoor cat who gets to go out and play, usually only on weekend mornings and when I get home from work. He's rarely out more than an hour. He just came in actually. Living in Hollywood, he can't be outdoors.

Now, our downstairs neighbor has a cat, Jake. Jake is a little hunter. She leaves the window open and he gets to come and go as he pleases. The neighbor has knocked on our door a few times to have my husband "help" her get rid of the treats Jake drags in. So far: pigeon, mouse, half a snake. What's really odd is we are in the city and she's also had a raccoon and other cats wander on their own in there.

I was messing around in my koi pond the other day when my dog heard something and went over to some bushes and came out with two baby bunnies. He ate them very fast. Made me feel bad for them even though he was doing what his genes tell him to do.

I was messing around in my koi pond the other day when my dog heard something and went over to some bushes and came out with two baby bunnies. He ate them very fast. Made me feel bad for them even though he was doing what his genes tell him to do.

My nose cringed when I read this. What kind of dog?

I just ate chicken wings. Yum!

Couch

I was messing around in my koi pond the other day when my dog heard something and went over to some bushes and came out with two baby bunnies. He ate them very fast. Made me feel bad for them even though he was doing what his genes tell him to do.

I only cringe when they don't share.

Whew! Okay, momma just now stumbled upon her babies. :) What a relief!

Good.:thumb:

Coon cat and "domestic" cat wife had kits...the calico female just had their grandchildren. Sly, the hunting dog, who usually catches possums caught one of the grandkitties last week. The week proir, they caught a bird...good hunters (they will grow up to be excellent ratters....well, why do you have cats?). He has a soft mouth, so no harm was done. He was told to put it back so he released it. Who wants to eat a kitten with bitemarks in it anyway? Yuck.

My nose cringed when I read this. What kind of dog?

A mongrel. A cute one.

A mongrel. A cute one.



Not me, the dog silly.

You helped the progeny of a bird with weak nest building skills to survive. Shame on you.

Why don't people just let nature take its course...?

I'm beginning to think that's what I should have done. I came home today and peeked in the nest, and one of the babies was sitting on top of the other, and the bottom one wasn't moving. Then I noticed ants crawling on the bottom bird. :( I came inside and watched, and the mother seemed to be able to tell something was wrong with one chick, but of course she couldn't do anything about it. I removed the dead chick and placed it on the ground beside the tree. I think the other chick (which is a little larger) suffocated and/or crushed it by sitting on top of it. Now the mother seems confused again, probably wondering where her other baby is. I should have stopped when I had them in the nest on the ground, I suppose. :(

I'm beginning to think that's what I should have done. I came home today and peeked in the nest, and one of the babies was sitting on top of the other, and the bottom one wasn't moving. Then I noticed ants crawling on the bottom bird. :( I came inside and watched, and the mother seemed to be able to tell something was wrong with one chick, but of course she couldn't do anything about it. I removed the dead chick and placed it on the ground beside the tree. I think the other chick (which is a little larger) suffocated and/or crushed it by sitting on top of it. Now the mother seems confused again, probably wondering where her other baby is. I should have stopped when I had them in the nest on the ground, I suppose. :(


No, you did well and you're trying. That second baby bird has a chance because of you.

No, you did well and you're trying. That second baby bird has a chance because of you.

I hope so. If it weren't for cars I wouldn't have moved them away from the street, and if it weren't for cats I wouldn't have put them in the birdhouse. I guess what happened could have occurred naturally in a normal nest as well, but at least the mother probably could have gotten the dead bird out of the nest. In the birdhouse she couldn't do anything about it. I just noticed a male cardinal feeding the remaining chick, as well as the mother returning as well. Hopefully this one will be fine. I guess on average, mankind isn't all that good at helping nature. :o I guess it helps to remember that nature itself is quite cruel, and that baby birds die all the time in completely natural ways. Humans just naturally want to help, even though sometimes we do more harm than good. :(