Expert: Bluebird Bob Walshaw - 6/22/2009

Question
Hi, Today there were three live baby birds just starting to feather under our maple tree on the ground. I thought they were black birds and I killed them. After they were dead I looked at them closer and I saw a little bit of blue in the feathers on the wing and the breast was a lighter color also. I am wondering now if I killed baby bluebirds.We don't know where they came from. Do bluebirds build nests in a tree? I doubt they would have survived any way. I did see an adult bluebird come and sit on the box after I came in the house. When I was out I didn't see any around. We wanted to know if they were bluebirds what would have happened that they were on the ground and would they have survived? Thanks             Ferne

Answer
Yes they do nest in tree cavities too. It sounds as if you did kill baby Bluebirds. Something, a snake or other predator attack probably caused them to leave the nest early. In a case like that the parents keep feeding them and if they are able to get off the ground a bit into a bush they sometimes survive.  

Be very careful about killing any birds. Even blackbirds are federally protected. The only birds that you can legally kill are the alien starlings and house sparrows.

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