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Birding/Rescueing newborn baby birds

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Expert: Bluebird Bob Walshaw - 6/6/2010


Question
two days ago I saw a mother bird caught by a cat. The cat killed the mother bird before I was able to rescue it.  The mother bird had five eggs in a floral reef that is outside of my door.  Today the five birds hatched.  I believe that the papa bird is still around.  What can be done to save the newborns?  

Will the other bird take care of the newborns?

please advise.

Answer
I'm sorry, but you probably can't do anything. When first hatched the young have to be brooded by the female for a few days until they begin to produce their own heat, and the male does not have a brood patch (a breast area that does not have feathers). A male can feed and raise young when they are half grown or so, and often does. The babies will die quickly. Then clean out the nest and the male may get another mate.

The only other option and it has to be done quickly is if there is another Bluebirder near you that has several nests of hatching young they could be farmed out.

Send your mailing address to me at walshaw1@cox.net and I will send you my free 20 page Bluebird book.

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Bluebird Bob Walshaw

Expertise

I can answer almost any question on Eastern Bluebirds and small cavity nesters such as Chickadees, Titmice, Wrens, etc. Also general questions on other songbirds. No pet bird questions please.

Experience

I have had a 100+ nestbox trail for more than 20 years, I do a lot of writing, public speaking and educational work in this field. My hands-on Bluebird talks include more than 1000 people each year.

Organizations
Oklahoma Bluebird Society, North American Bluebird Society, National Audubon Society, Oklahoma Audubon Society, Oklahoma Fur Bearers Alliance

Publications
Bluebird Magazine, Oklahoma Today, Fur-Fish-Game, Birds & Blooms, Nature Society News,Back Woodsman Magazine, Tulsa World, Broken Arrow ledger, Teaching Tolerance magazine,Trappers World, OK Hole Story, Birders World

Education/Credentials
Degree in Mechanical Engineering, an MBA, Graduate of the Home Study Course in Bird Biology from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Oklahoma Master Naturalist. I am also a pofessional speaker and writer.

Awards and Honors
Chosen as a public speaker for the North American Bluebird Society, Bluebird trail accepted as part of the Transcontinental Bluebird Trail, Chosen as a panel speaker at the 2006 NABS Convention.

Past/Present Clients
Many

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