Bird watchers and naturalist, I need some advice- Fast!

[Up2Late]

The baby bird from the Bird box, just outside my window has jumped out of the nest, obviously can't yet fly, and is hopping around on the ground.

The Parent birds (Titmice) are freaking out.

Should I go and try to put the little one back into the nest or at least, on his bird Box? Or just let nature take it's course?:shrug:

[Mairead]

1. Put it back in. Try not to get your scent on it

Go!

[Up2Late]

8. Well, it getting dark, and I couldn't find it...

Maybe it could fly a little, or made it's way back to the box, or under a bush. The parent birds had left the area, but came back when I got near the box, so I don't know.

I guess I'll just keep on the lookout for the little one.:shrug:

[MuseRider]

2. I have returned them before

without harm. Be careful, parents may try to nail you when you do it so be quick and handle it as little as possible.

You might want to wait a little and be sure it can't fly, they may just be trying to get it to fly back in.

[Coloradan4Truth]

3. If there are cats around -

you should put it back in the nest. That old thing about parents abandoning it if you touch it is a wives tale. Or, if no cats are about and there is a bush nearby, you could slowly walk toward it and it to make it move there for protection. Oh, and that's assuming it's big enough to fledge. If it is still pinky, you should definately put it back in the nest.

My 2 cents. Ornithologist here.

[kliljedahl]

4. Don't touch it

Happens all the time.

Part of growing up.


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[livvy]

5. If you can get him/her back in the nest, I'd do that.

Sometimes babies do fall out a bit before they're ready, especially as they get bigger, and room in the nest gets tight. Birds don't have a great sense of smell, so your touching the baby won't make a difference to the parents. Good luck!

[Botany]

6. Too small to eat? .....

..... put it back into the nest .... but in the mean world of nature a lot of
times bigger birds will kick smaller birds from their nests .... biology
is not for the squeamish.

[Coloradan4Truth]

7. True - life is hard and so goes natural selection.

Can it eat on its own is a much better gauge of survival ... a fair amount of gradation between pinky and fledging.

[Up2Late]

9. Not sure, it looked like it was about a week away from...

a full set of feathers, but still had the funny Baby bird beak.

I first noticed it when I saw it hanging on the out side of my window screen. Still a little goofy looking.

[Coloradan4Truth]

10. Sounds like you should put it back. A week is

a long time to be hopping around.

Good on ya -

edited. Now I sound like a repug... first it's is it pinky, then it's can it eat... now it's can it fly...? I keep switching messages.

:)

[amazona]

11. put the bird back in the nest

It will be fine if you act quickly. Sometimes the Titmice and other small birds "jump the gun" and try to fledge too soon. Just put the little guy back in the box. It can try again in a day or so. They grow up faster than you think.

P.S. Titmice have no real sense of smell so touching it does not cause the parents to abandon the baby.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[Qanisqineq]

12. I used to work for a wildlife rehabilitation program

Put it back in the nest. If you can't reach it, nail a plastic dish (margarine or cool whip container) to the same tree as high up as you can get it. Put some soft material in it and the baby bird. Don't worry about your scent on the baby -- most birds have a very poor sense of smell.