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Question
A couple of weeks ago we saw a small brown bird repeatly fly into one of our outside plants, and when we went to check it we found a small nest with 3-4 eggs. today we went to check on it and saw little baby birds that appeared to be dead, but we see the mom and dad flying in it with food. Is it possible that the the baby birds may be alive but just not conscious from hatching or shock?
They are not unconscious but just being really still so as to not attract attention from predators. You appear to be a predator to them so they "freeze" until the parents come for food. Moving, cheeping chicks are just advertsising themselves as food, so they lay low. Roger Lederer at Ornithology.com
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Answers by Expert:
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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