Birding/baby cardinals

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Expert: - 7/17/2010


Question
We have some baby cardinals in our back yard that have fallen out of their nest. They cannot fly yet and the parents are following the chirps and trying to keep up with them. Is there anything we can do to help them or is this the natural process for cardinals?

Answer
Most people think the babies have fallen out of the nest because they can't fly. They did not fall; they JUMPED. The babies leave the nest (called fledging) before they can fly because they simply are too big for it. The parents then care for them until their feathers are long enough so they can fly - about another ten days. Best thing to do is leave them alone and let nature run its course.

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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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