Birding/Cardinals

Advertisement

Expert: - 6/22/2008


Question

Baby Cardinals
Today we just notice a nest with 4 baby birds with pin feathers on the wings only. The parents are extremely active (back and forth feeding them) I read on this forum that they fall to the ground and then are fed another 10 days from there. We live in a cat friendly neighborhood. How can we protect these birds when they do fall out of their nest?

Answer
That's always a question that stumps me. There really is no way to protect them from cats although the young do try to hide in dense brush and the parents do harass the cats as needed. There is some cat repellent in your local hardware store that will keep cats away from your yard; you might try that,

Roger Lederer

Expertise

Any and all about WILD birds - the science of ornithology. Information about birdwatching, ecology, conservation, migration, behavior, banding, rehabilitation, feeding, songs, binoculars, identification, and careers in ornithology. No questions about pet or caged birds, please.

Experience

Have a PhD and over forty years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, three bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and two recent books entitled "Amazing Birds" and "Birds of New England". Have traveled to over 90 countries watching birds.

Education/Credentials
PhD in Zoology/Ornithology; Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences; former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.