AboutRoger 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 thirty five years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, two bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and a recent book entitled "Amazing Birds".Have traveled all over the world watching birds.
Expert: Roger Lederer Date: 7/4/2008 Subject: baby birds in a nest on our door
Question We have a nest in our door bucket on our front door. There were 5 eggs in it,
and last week, 3 of the eggs hatched. The mother bird has been feeding them
and sitting on the nest pretty regularly. We can peek our our peep hole and
see the nest, and when the mother is gone, sometimes we'll open up the door
and steal a look at the babies. We have stopped using the front door for
about 2 weeks now, and go in and out through the garage, since we've been
trying to keep the mama and her babies as safe and comfortable as possible.
Everytime anyone walks up to the porch or the garage door opens, though,
she'll fly away. But she always comes back in a few minutes. All day yesterday
and so far this morning, we haven't seen the mama bird. Everytime I look out
the peep hole, I just see the babies straining with their beaks open, and
breathing really hard. They could be really hot because our front door gets
blaring sun in the morning. (We live in the Dallas area and it's been really
hot.) Anyway, we're worried that the mother won't come back. I fear they have
been without food for too long, but I couldn't stand to just let them die on
my front door! They are teeny - maybe 2 inches long at most, and have just
barely some fuzzy "feathers" on their bodies. I don't think their eyes are all
the way open yet.
What do we do? I want to help them survive, but I also don't want to take
them away from their mother if she's going to come back.
Thanks,
Sara
Answer If the mother is truly gone, the babies will die in a day or two. If she is still around, then leave things be. If the mother is gone for sure, call your local wildlife rehab center for advice and help and go to www.ornithology.com/rehab.html for more advice
