Expert: Roger Lederer - 5/15/2008

Question
QUESTION: We found a nest of 4 cardinal eggs on Saturday, Sunday 3 eggs hatched and were doing well. Monday the 3 babies were found all on the ground. Tuesday 2 babies seemed to be doing well, 1 egg & 1 not so well baby still in nest. Wednesday only two babies remained in nest and after a night of heavy rain, only one baby in nest who doesn't seem to be alive. My question: what might have happened to the babies and will mom/dad come back this season to have more?

We discovered the nest (mom & dad are still here and visiting nest) after we had a hedge bush trimmed back. It didn't expose the nest, we only discovered it after we hear noises in the bush. We did visit the nest once I had to put the babies back in the nest. I am so worried that we might have killed the babies by exposing them.

ANSWER: I'm not sure I can answer this because I don't know what you mean by "babies". If they were mostly fully feathered, they  jumped out of the nest and were supposed to be on the ground being fed by the parents. If they were not fully feathered then they were knocked to the ground. I don't for sure know what happened to the babies since I don't know their state of development but it appears that the hedge trimming was the cause. If the babies are mostly feathered and out of the nest, do not put them back in the nest.This early in the year the parents might have another brood.Thanks for your concern.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: When I found the 1 day old hatchlings (babies) on the ground they were still all pink and no feathers and eyes were still shut, it seemed they had been knocked out that is why I put them back in the nest. The mother did feed continue to visit them (we have no direct view of the nest).
What would a preditor to the nest be? The nest is approximately 4.5 feet off the ground.
Is it normal for the little birds to dissappear (possibly eaten or stolen)? At what age should they be out of the nest (I seen somewhere around 9-10 days)?

Answer
OK they were very young then. They may have been knocked out of the nest by the trimming or a cat or jay or squirrel or dog or fox or who knows might have done it. Mortality of eggs and young for songbirds is VERY high so it is not uncommon young or eggs to disappear. You are correct - they leave the nest at aobut 10 days and remain on the ground with their parents for another 10 days or so.