Expert: Miguel Rodriguez - 7/7/2007

Question
I live in an English Tudor house that has feddors by the roof edge.  Now I see that there are a number of nests built around the house. It had been great fun watching the little ones sprout.  One baby fell out (?) of the nest onto the porch and sadly died.  I was planning on burying the bird.  I see that the ? mother continues to perch on the railing nearby. I don't feel I should move the little one just yet.  What does the behavior of the bird perching nearby actually mean?  Should I leave the little one there?  If the baby were still alive, could I have nurtured the bird in any way?

Thank you.


Answer
It is possible, though quite hard, to raise these chicks by hand.

The mother was quite possibly still standing by not looking out for the dead chick, but probably weary that you were quite close to the nest that holds the rest of the clutch. In fact, the fallen bird was probably pushed out by it's competing siblings, a very common occurrence when the larger chicks eliminate their competition to have more food for themselves.