Baby Robin

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh53]

The is the youngest sibling of four, and the least adept at flying. He's been out of the nest for only a few minutes and has no idea what he's doing. I shooed him into the flower beds because he keeps trying to run into my car.

 

[kme3388]

I have baby robins too. They left the nest, and are jumping around in my fenced in backyard that’s meant for my dogs. I’m not sure how I’m going to handle that yet. I really enjoy my baby birds every year. I’m always in this predicament with my dogs

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh53]

We have a mouser cat and he's literally padlocked in a chicken run because these guys are hopping all over the place.

 

[Jcas48]

‘‘Tis the season (for baby birds! ). Our dogs won’t bother birds but the barn cats are another story

 

[nkrbkr]

I always seem to have baby magpies in my yard in the spring. They learn to fledge from the ground, so the parents are always nearby. Last year, I had to keep helping one out of a window well with a shovel. Silly thing kept falling in. A couple of months ago, I had a magpie really looking and chattering at me from a tree by my front door. Made me wonder if it was my window well friend.

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh53]

Last night I brought up the cat who is spending his nights in the garage. Within the short space of the time that it took me to retrieve the exiled feline and relocate him to his nocturnal domicile, baby robin #4 decided that it was a good idea to hide in the garage. I closed the garage door. A few minutes later I heard a great scuffle and very unhappy noises. I ran to the garage and realized what I had done. I was able to rescue baby robin #4 in the nick of time. I picked him up and brought him inside to examine him but didn't see any scratches or injuries. He was more interested in food than struggling, as he opened his beak and apparently expected me to put something tasty in there. When I set him down outside he hopped normally, and when he tried to fly (he really is not very good at flying) he showed no injuries in his wings.
I hope he makes it.
I hope his parents brought him a big dinner.

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh53]

Baby robin #4 made it through the night. I know this because he spent ten minutes this morning sitting on top of a swingset, yelling for mom and dad. I hope they told him being hawk bait is a bad idea.

 

[kme3388]

I had 3 baby’s. 2 of them survived, and have fledged. The 3rd one unfortunately didn’t make it. On Friday evening I went and looked at the nest the chicks were in, and I noticed that the one was naked (I originally thought there was only 2 chicks). He had a few flight feather sheaths growing in and that was it. He was 1/2 the size of his siblings. The one sibling already left the nest Friday morning. The one sibling was still in the nest so I thought they’d keep each other warm, and with the one healthy chick I figured the parents would come back to feed them. On Saturday evening when I went to water my lawn I noticed the little baby robin in my rocks deceased. There was no way he could fly. My guess is that he died upon impact of hitting the ground. I felt terrible because I know how to care for baby birds, and I knew something was wrong with the baby that was 1/2 the size of his siblings. I just could not risk it because I have 3 parrots, and I don’t want to transfer diseases.

 

[Jcas48]

So sorry that little one didn’t make it but sometimes we just have to let nature take its course. Otherwise there would be too many animals , eventually, and without enough resources to go around. That’s why most birds lay and hatch more than one egg at a time, because not every one will make it . I had a fledgling pigeon in our barn who wasn’t quite old enough to leave the nest but kept falling out. Every morning I would put him back but today he had passed. Usually, if they don’t act or grow right, there is something wrong that would preclude them making it to adulthood even with help, so please don’t feel too bad

 

[kme3388]

The siblings are thriving in my plants

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh53]

I love how they have no tails. I suppose it's so they are harder to catch because of predators.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Tails seem to be the last feathers to grow in completely. My baby budgies got wing feathers long before tails. Maybe because flying is so important for getting away from predators, they don't need tails to fly, and like you said it would just be something to grab! Plus, tails just get in the way in crowded nests.
Birds that breed in open cup style nests leave the nest so much earlier and less developed than cavity nesters like woodpeckers, chickadees and parrots. Cavity nesters don't leave until they're fully feathered and can fly pretty well.
Cup nester leave as soon as their wing feathers are only partially grown in. I read this is because they're much more vulnerable while still in open nests than bouncing around in nearby shrubbery. Cavities are much safer places so the babies stay until they're ready to fly off.

 

[kme3388]

Tail feathers are coming in. They grow fast. I can’t believe how good they are flying already (elevation is still a struggle).

 

[DonnaBudgie]

He's so cute! I hope this little guy makes it through this dangerous time!

 

[kme3388]

Hopefully your fledglings are still living. My 2 are still together, and thriving. I’m now professionally fertilizing (I’ve tried other methods to get my weeds under control). I don’t think I’ll get baby robins anymore due to the fact that there won’t be as many grubs/bugs. I’m going to be bummed out

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh53]

Maybe start a compost pile? I always see the robins in the compost pile and garden. I haven't seen our fledglings for a little while but I see and hear the parents still doing their thing. They must have gotten used to us because now they let me get really close. I also just found out the neighbors have a bluebird nest.

 

[SailBoat]

View attachment 84850
The siblings are thriving in my plants

Wow, Potted Robins!!

 

[kme3388]

The 2 babies are still living. They disappeared for a few days, and reappeared today. I don’t see them daily anymore. Pretty soon I won’t be able to distinguish them from the adults

 

[kme3388]

The baby is about the size of dad/mom now I really enjoy watching them. It isn’t fun when they permanently leave.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

It's amazing any of them survive. I wish people didn't let cats roam neighborhoods.