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Birding/baby robins disappear
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Question
Hi, for about four days my husband and I have watched from our porch as a mother robin tended to her three babies. This morning the babies and mother were gone. We checked the ground but found no robins. The nest seems totally undisturbed. The babies seemed too young to take flight. Could the mother have moved them (She certainly didn't like our presence and we tried to give her ample space)or are they simply the victim of a predator who just plucked them out of their nest without leaving a trace?
Baby Robins, and all other songbirds leave the nest 10-14 days before they can fly. They hide in the bushes and the mother feeds them until they can fly. So, no, mom did not move them and a predator probably did not get them. They are probably just hiding. Roger Lederer at Ornithology.com
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Thank you for your response. I hope you're right. I hate the idea of a predator getting them. We saw the mom this evening and she doesn't look depressed. She was exploring the grasses (hopefully looking for food for them) | ||
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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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