Holcombee: What kind of wren? I'm guessing maybe Carolina? I doubt she would fix it, but I have no real reason to say that. It just seems to me from observation that birds are more fixated on feeding the babies than anything. I don't know how she'd be able to fix the next from the top with the babies in it. I also wonder if she would notice that the bottom of the nest was in need of repair and/or have the sense to do anything about it. Having said all of that it is merely speculation. If the babies do fall out, the parents will still attempt to care for them if they are healthy, but they are likely to become the prey of another bird or cat or night predator. I guess if you do decide to shore up the nest somehow, you should make a solid plan and have a helper ready to hand things to you or run for something you may need. The parents are likely to be somewhat upset, and you want to be able to work as quickly as possible. I have used a deep bucket in which to carefully place the babies (I pick up the whole nest and babies by scooping it up with two hands). I cover the bucket with a towel so that the babies do not become prey or get overheated by the sun. Then I have fashioned nests out of similar materials making sure to try to work the materials into a cup by putting my thumbs into the middle. I just try to get it as close to the old nest in shape and materials as possible. Once I have the new nest in place, I then replace the babies carefully. In the cases that I have done this, they have always been in a nest box, so it is easier to be sure the babies will stay put afterward. The real danger here is if the babies are of an age that they could jump ship and you cause them to fledge prematurely out of fear. Can you tell about how close they are to fledging? Are the eyes open, do they permanent feathers yet? If they are close to fledging, I'd leave nature to her work. This is not an ideal solution, and I'd only use it if absolutely necessary. I think if you are able to add anything under the nest, that would be the best thing. This is one of the reasons that there is such mortality rates in songbirds under one year. Good luck and keep us posted.

Hey Donna, I recall someone else saying the same thing this year that while the mom was building the dad was taking stuff out. I have/had Blues nestbuilding for the last week, started a week ago Sunday. I thought the nest looked done by about Thursday but saw her taking stuff in yet on Saturday but not anymore after that. I did see the Dad go in there on Sunday and take a blade of grass out and then sit on the top of the nestbox pecking at it. I think he is getting impatient for eggs or something. LOL! I saw him do this twice now where he went in and then came out with just a tiny bit from the nest in his beak. I was thinking maybe I had an egg today as they are staying pretty close in the yard for once but not yet. Of course I am gone tomorrow and that will probably be the day, I want to get that sparrow spooker up asap as I keep seeing a female HOSP in the yard however I haven't been able to get any shots at her with the bb gun. I did however get Dad to find the dish of mealworms today, it is just on the grass under a tree. He has come and eaten a few several times but so far hasn't shown or shared with mom. Oh and I have TRES babies today!! I looked so quickly I am not sure how many hatched but there were six eggs and now there are only one or two and a pile of hatchlings. The Dees should be hatching any day now too. Donna

Awwwww...how sad. It's so good of you to try. Thank you for that. Let us know how it goes.~~Angie

I'm still trying to get an answer as to why "non-native" birds are "trash", while humans get a free pass. Would anyone like to answer? As far as feeders go, the most signifant reason people have feeders in their yards, birders or non-birders, is for their own entertainment. I could care less how many different types of birds people "get to see" in their yards! Animals do not exist on this earth for the purpose of human entertainment. They are here for their own reasons. As far as rehabbing indivisual birds goes, I have rehabbed several birds who flew into my window and were knocked unconcsious. I do it to help out an animal that needs medical care, which I would do for any aniaml or person I saw injured, not because I want to preserve the existance of some taxonomical abstraction. Sorry but your words sound very callous and cold-hearted. You may not be specifically saying you want Starlings torutured, but your attitude towards them is what has spurned the latest craze I see in the conservation movement, which is this focus on the blaming and killing of other animals in the name of saving "native species" rather than habitiat preservation and drastically reduced consumption of resources. I don't believe it's the place of humans, the most non-native and destructive of them all, to determine which animals live and which ones die, while we do everything to ensure the life of every human is as long and pain-free as possible. It's just plain hypocritical and unethical.