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Abandon babies?

14 years ago

I have 2 grosbeak babies hanging around, they are fine, good flyers, they can eat and bathe themselves. I have not seen an adult in over a week. One of them got stuck in the top of the tube feeder and all it's squawking did not bring a parent. ( I got her out unharmed) I cant imagine something happening to both of them. Would they leave them ? Will these guys know to migrate and where to go? We had quite a few pair come through in the spring, hopefully they will come through on the southward trip also so these guys can hitch a ride. Does anybody know if the parents take off before the babies?

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Comments (6)

cjc45
14 years ago
I've read that migrating is pretty much hard-wired. If the young can eat, bathe and fly then I'd say the parents deserve a vacation.
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Elly_NJ
14 years ago
Lisa, I am not sure the parents at this point would be tending them. This is boot camp, and they have you (luckily) as their provider :)

They should be OK, but if not, it is not for your lack of trying
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Here's "the rest of the story." Last evening, just before dark I decided to put a few meal worms in the feeder tray, and I also dropped two into the box. I thought at least the one in the box, and the one that appeared to be lost and hanging around, could have something to eat. We left the outside lights on but never did see if there was any activity. Very early this morning The male parent appeared at the box with food for the bird. He looked in but didn't enter, then flew off still with the food. Later he came back and looked again. I put worms in the feeder tray and he gathered them all and flew off with them, came back for more 3 times bringing the female the 3rd time. Neither of them looked in the box again. I carefully opened the box and found it empty, except for one of the meal worms I had put in last night ... AND, to my surprise a few small black beetles, some alive and some dead. I've never found beetles in the box after the birds have fledged. Did these develop from uneaten meal worms? Another question ... the nest made of pine needles is in really bad shape, falling apart. Should I clean it out so the birds can construct a new nest for their next brood? I've heard pros and cons about this, but it is crumbling badly.
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Bluesbirds won't abandon the nest unless there is a reason like bees, ants, the babies have died or something has happened to the adults. If you have HOSP in the area and don't use a sparrow spooker they can go in and kill the nestlings. In this case the adults would leave if the nestlings had died. As far as leaving eggs...maybe something happened to the adult that year. The male cannot incubate the eggs so if something happened to the female he would leave. Hard to say for sure what happened but they wouldn't just abandon a nest without a reason. Donna
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Elly_NJ
14 years ago
Lisa, I am not sure the parents at this point would be tending them. This is boot camp, and they have you (luckily) as their provider :)

They should be OK, but if not, it is not for your lack of trying
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bluebirdbabe
14 years ago
Lisa, I have baby Grosbeaks at my feeders 2. I have not seen any adult GB's. I think they will b ok :) I wish the dang Orioles would leave. I have gone through 8 jars of G. jelly in 2 weeks!! All of my Monarch caterpillars r in their chrysalis' (well 4 in "J's") off to Mexico soon :)

Don't worry about the GB...I know u will take them in ur house and keep them warm if they stay, but they won't :)

Karen
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lisa11310
Original Author
14 years ago
LOL Karen you know me to well....yup Im just afraid these little ones will get stuck in a horrid Michigan winter. And yes I would have to bring them in, buy a ticket to wherever they are suposed to be in the winter and send them there. I think my Orioles left today. Had one baby come to my kitchen window last night and peep at me.....I think he was saying good by (sniff)I still have oranges and another jar of jelly for any stragglers. Now lets talk about fish...I have too many are you ready for some of my babies?
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bluebirdbabe
14 years ago
My DH did not have time 2 make the pond deeper. I am still upset at losing my fish. I will take them, but if this winter is as bad as last year...I don't know. I would love 2 have some fish, but I don't want them 2 die :(

Karen
P.S. I still have orioles lots of them and males showed up 2.
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