Birding/sparrows

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Expert: - 6/1/2009


Question
we have many bird houses on our property. we see the birds (sparrows) nesting and hear the babies. however we keep finding the babies with some feathers in different parts of our yard with pecked inheads. Are they being taken fromt he nests?

Answer
Without seeing the babies, I can't answer for sure. Baby sparrows will jump from the nest before they can fly and they will be fed on the ground by their parents for a week or so until they can fly. Of course, once they leave the nest, they are fair game for predators. Jays, crows, sometimes starlings can be responsible for pecking in the heads of young. But it could also be mice, rats, squirrels, cats, or some other predator. Without seeing the young, I can't tell. It's unlikely a predator would take the birds from their nests and just peck their heads in.

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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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