Last bluebird fledgling won't leave nest

13 years ago

A pair of bluebirds raised a second brood in my birdhouse and I was glad to see them leave what I am sure was an unbearably hot nest (105 degrees here in MD today). One bird of the four has not made an attempt to fly away and the mother is nowhere to be seen. I am afraid that it has been abandoned. Could it be not developed enough to fly and will starve without care from the mother. I assume there is nothing I can do and will just have to let nature take its course.

Comments (8)

lisa11310
13 years ago
Mom has not abandon it if it is a healthy bird. It is not unusual for a baby to need and extra day. You can read up on Blues at www.sialis.org Have you peeked in the box to be sure it's not stuck in something? Call a rehabber first thing and get instructions on what to do if a parent does not return tomorrow. I have one that fledged today, 3 are still in the box. Mom has not been back this evening but I know she will be in the AM. I am one that will do everything I can even if it's stretching the law a bit when it comes to saving babies. I have been know to bring them in (in the nest) and feed them when I knew they were starving (done with a rehabbers instructions). I am not suggesting you do this , just letting you know there are things you can do other than just let it die. HOWEVER I bet Mom is there bright and early! Let us know!
johns08
Original Author
13 years ago
Mother is back! Mom is checking on the reluctant fledgling, but does not appear o be feeding it. Maybe that is to encourage it to leave the nest. I hope will have good news soon.
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Hi Pam and anyone else interested, After my last posting, we had a very high wind come up for about an hour. It blew some branches and clumps of leaves down all around our area, but no rain. It also blew down a large piece of wood that may have frightened the baby, but for whatever reason, the little bird went back under the fence to outside of our yard, and the parents seemed to keep him there this time. In fact, he quite moved on from being squenched up next to the fence, and I could not see him any more with a quick check, but I did hear him answering his mother, and the parents kept coming back and were in different trees to watch after him. They were actually in the trees they perched in to watch their original bluebird home, about 10 feet closer to the front of the house than they had been through this ordeal in our fenced back yard. This morning when I got up, the bluebird parents were not there nor was he. The parents did come back a couple of times when I was outside and did not seem distressed. They did not seem to be calling to him at all. I didn't hear them sing or call any at all. The trees they were sitting in as I mentioned before were closer to the front of my yard and I cannot see the birds from my back deck with binoculars like I could when they were looking after him in the shed. I didn't want to stay too close to see and frighten him into running again, so I missed seeing if they were going down and feeding him, if they had encouraged him to fly and if he did, or anything at all. All I know is that by about 10:00 a.m. when I went around to sit on my little concrete bench which is about 15 feet from the bluebird house, the mom and dad sat in the tree there where they always looked after their home like they were communing with me. Lol. I did hear what I know was some kind of baby bird high in the trees in my neighbor's yard right next to this area. Since I have not heard a baby bird calling from that area throughout this weekend, I'm just going to believe that it was him and that he was able to fly and get up there with his parents calling him at some time that I didn't see. He could almost fly the day before, so I'm hoping that they get him moved down the block to the little field where they moved and where his siblings are. I hope they bring all their babies back to see me some day the way another bluebird family did a couple of years ago. I'll try to let you know if I see all 5 of the babies some time, but there are lots of bluebirds around here, so it may be hard to tell. Last week, there was a whole family of about 7 bluebirds on my roof for about 30 minutes. Karen
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lisa11310
13 years ago
YEA! Hope it takes the big hop soon! She will eventually break down and feed it then let it rest and try again. Do you have meal worms that she can use to entice it with? Is the baby peeking with it's toes out or still on the bottom of the box?
johns08
Original Author
13 years ago
I do not have any meal worms, but there are alot of insects in the backyard. No peeking out the hole yet. I can see it moving around in the box. Today is the third day since the other birds left and another 100 plus degree day. I can only imagine how hot it is in the birdhouse.
lisa11310
13 years ago
Is the box in direct sun most of the day? 3rd day is a bit concerning, especially with no peeking. I thought it was just a day! It's time to contact a rehabber And get shade for the box. You can put an ice pack ON TOP of the box (NOT IN the box)Set a large umbrella over the box (like a patio umbrella), just make sure the female accepts it. http://www.mdbirds.org/conservation/rehab/rehab.html
http://www.mary.cc/rehabbers1.html
try calling several, they dont always return calls promptly.
Dinner time or shortly after is good. It does not have to be a rehabber in your immediate area, but that would be best. Let us know how it goes.
johns08
Original Author
13 years ago
"Buy Buy Birdie" When I checked the birdhouse this morning it was empty. Today would be the fourth day that the fledgling would have been alone in the nest. Yesterday I heard it chirping in the birdhouse and the mother was closeby. I am hoping that the young one was able to fly and is okay. The birdhouse is on the side of tree and in the shade. Thanks for your interest!
lisa11310
13 years ago
YEA! I forgot that once in a while an egg wont hatch until a day or so after the others. Maybe thats what happened. If the nest was intact and there were no feathers on the ground It was strong enough to get out of the box so thats a very good sign! Please go to www.sialis.org to see how to mount a box to keep the birds as safe as you can, on a tree is not a good place (but most folks don't know that)that baby could have been taken by a racoon or a snake. Come join us in the Blue Bird forum if you ever have questions. Good Luck on your future nestings!
HU-33511519
last year
I had three baby birds. They were laid one each day. Then when they hatched it was not all at once. Yesterday they started flying. From last night into this morning it looked like there was still one alone in the nest. Mama came by this morning with a worm but left. I think she heard me. I am hoping she will continue to feed the last one and it will fly away soon.

Last bluebird fledgling won't leave nest

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Last bluebird fledgling won't leave nest

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