Birding/Cardinals

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Expert: - 5/18/2009


Question
Cardinals nested in a Ficus tree near my front door and on Mother's Day two babies hatched. The folloewing Saturday I noticed the Mother was not feeding them anymore and on Sunday they were gone. Is this too soon for they to fly  away or did a big bird possibly get them? I of course hope the former. Thank you

Answer
It takes about 10 days for young Cardinals to fledge (leave the nest), but it could vary by a day or two. Depends on how much food is available, how much the mother fed them, the temperature, etc. If you are sure they were only a week old when they disappeared, then I'm afraid something ate them. By the way, they typically leave the nest at 10 days, but they don't fly until 10 more days after that - the mother feeds them on the ground. Thanks for your concern.

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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

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