Baby/Juvie Bird Help...Maybe?

[Milo's Mom]

A young bird (has real feathers, but also showing some fluff) has been sitting in the grass for nearly 4 hours. Same spot, has not moved. Been chirping like crazy. I KNOW IT' BABY BIRD FLIGHT SCHOOL SEASON, BUT we are supposed to have HORRIBLE storms this afternoon/tonight. It has been VERY windy here today and it is only going to get worse before it gets better.

Does this baby need help before the storms arrive? How long do I leave him/her out there? Is it possible he got blown out of his nest with one of our big gusts?

We do have the occasional stray cat running around, so I am a little concerned about that too.

I know NOTHING about birds...they have feathers, beaks, and they fly...that's about it. Oh and the state I live in HATES wildlife.

Do I intervene, watch and wait, forget about it? HELP!!!

[skarabrae]

That's too long. You're sure the mom hasn't been back to feed the little one? They need to be fed every 30-45 minutes at that age, and shouldn't go without being fed for more than 2 hours in an emergency.

I'd be willing to bet the mom is MIA or won't be coming back.

Can you find a bird rehabber close by?

Can you tell me what kind of bird it is?

I'd start by putting her in a cardboard box with a lid with holes punched into it. Put some fleece or something soft in the bottom (nothing with loops).

If you have kitty or doggy kibble, soak it in warm water until it's spongy and feed baby small pieces. 4 or 5 pieces or until it refuses. If baby won't open it's mouth gently rub or tap the food on the corner of its mouth where it hinges.

You must feed it every 45 minutes or so between dawn and dusk.

(((HUGS)))

[Milo's Mom]

Okay, went outside and investigated a little. There are 2 baby/juvie birds. I think they are Robins. I found a nest on the ground, picked it up and was instantly covered in millions of teeny tiny black bugs crawling everywhere. I put the nest on the ground where I found it, only right side up.

I put the two baby birds together close to the nest. The entire time I was doing this, there were at least six adult Robins swooping and chirping at me. None of them got near the little ones, but I think the parents are aware of the situation and they are trying to do something about it.

I will continue to watch.

[skarabrae]

If you have an easter basket of some kind, you can put the nest and babies in it and hang it up in their bush or tree, wherever you found them. Somewhere out of the rain and high enough for some protection against predators would be preferable, but it has to be very close to where you found them.

Poor babies!

[Milo's Mom]

I tried putting them in the nest and they both hopped out right away. I'd be scared to put them in a basket and hang it from my neighbors deck (their original nest was under the deck) for fear that they would hop out, and face plant themselves.

It's just starting to rain a little, but the thunder is rolling. If the real rain starts and they are still out in the grass I will take more drastic measures. Until then I am going to let mom and dad deal with their kids.

[Uno's Mom]

I had something similar happen last year with a baby cardinal. He somehow ended up on the ground before his time. Had feathers and could float downwards but not fly up yet.

I put him in a basket in the crook of a tree branch but he wouldn't stay, kept hopping out.

Momma and Papa cardinal diligently fed him and watched after him for a day and a half.

I found him on his side at the base of a tree late the second afternoon. Mom and Pop were gone.

I buried him in the large in ground planter on the pool deck and gave him a special rock...he was so sweet.

If I had a do over I would have taken him in and found a bird rehabber.

Hopefully your two will have better luck.

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Can the little guys perch on your finger? If they can then they are fledglings and should be out of the nest. If they can't they will need help or need to get back up in a nest.

[Milo's Mom]

Yes, they were able to perch...the one kept doing so on my sock/sneaker.

The horrible rains are here and I see no sign of them. I cannot hear them chirping anymore either.

I really do believe that Mom & Dad were right there. When I inspected them close up, the did have some of the fluff feathers, but for the most part the were fully feathered (except for their butts/very low belly area). They were both able to flap their wings and hop around on their really long legs.

As soon as I got close to them, they tilted their heads back and opened up wide...like I was supposed to feed them.