Expert: Roger Lederer - 6/8/2009

Question
Dear Roger,
We have been watching a robins nest for several weeks now.  We watched as the female built it then watched as the babies hatched (just by seeing their little heads popping up from the nest).  It was so fun watching as the mother and father would fly back and forth feeding them.  One day we saw one of the babies stand on the back of the nest and stretch his wings and practice his flying.  A couple of days later we left for the weekend and when we got back, the nest was empty and there was no sign of our little family.  I am pretty sure there was no predator because there are no cats around and the nest was on one of the gutters under the roof.  Could the babies have learned to fly and the family finished with the nest in the couple of days we were gone??  Also, will they reuse that nest or should we take it down so they can start over??

Thank you,
Pam

Answer
Baby Robins leave the nest before they can fly. They hop around on the ground for a week or so, being fed by their parents until they can fly. So they just left the nest for other areas. The parents might, however, use the nest for a second brood, so don't take it down for a month or two to see if they use it again.