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Barnyard Buddies:  Have a wild 'mama bird' question...  |
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goneriding
True Blue Farmgirl
1599 Posts
Winona
Central Oregon
USA
1599 Posts |
 Posted - May 31 2009 : 07:10:34 AM
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I'm now living in the middle of a large ranch and there are lots of wild birds living in the bushes and trees.
Yesterday, a baby bird fell out of its nest that is about 10-12 ft off the ground. One of my mini-doxies found it and was trying to play with it. The mama bird was flitting around trying to act threatening. That's what alerted us that something was wrong. So my husband picked up the baby bird, gave him to me, got the ladder and set it up, I handed him back and my hubby climbed the ladder to put the little critter back in the nest. There were two other little chirpers in there.
Mama bird was none too happy about things and kept trying to strafe-run my mini-doxie. She was doing this chirping thing that whole time that sounded like she was pretty mad (don't blame her).
Ok, now my questions...will the mama-bird accept the little one back? The nest which is normally very noisy was very quiet after this. Did the mama-bird possibly push the baby out or was he just clumsy? He had all his feathers but definitely a juvenile. Couldn't fly yet, just plop to the ground. I haven't been outside yet to check but it's sure quiet out there.
What do you think? Next time should we do the same or let nature take its course and the little one probably dies anyway, one way or the other?
Winona 
To read funny stories about my cooking 'skills', please visit http://lostadventuresincooking.blogspot.com/
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2009 : 10:59:23 AM
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| This was probably a fledgling and was more than likely pushed out to encourage the lttle guy into his first flying lesson |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2009 : 11:10:22 AM
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I don't know whether it was the right or wrong thing to do, but it's most certainly what I would have done! I really don't think birds would "scent" the way animals would...would they?
It sure is baby bird season around here. Lots of demanding youngsters letting their presence in this world be known! The worst are the stellar jays...holy smokes, and I thought little human kiddos could be demanding! 
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goneriding
True Blue Farmgirl
1599 Posts
Winona
Central Oregon
USA
1599 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2009 : 2:38:41 PM
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Oh, these little brats are in full throat as I type!! Mama didn't reject the would-be fly-boy and so there they are, squished into this little nest. Mama-bird is still ticked at my dogs and still does the strafing runs, chattering all the time.
Really kind of fun to watch these guys...
Winona :-)
To read funny stories about my cooking 'skills', please visit http://lostadventuresincooking.blogspot.com/
For uber-opinionated, pleasurable horse related reading, please visit http://horseinfoperson.blogspot.com/
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Farmtopia
True Blue Farmgirl
1465 Posts
Zan
New York
New York
USA
1465 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2009 : 4:14:54 PM
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Hey Winona--used to work as a vet tech and people would bring in these little guys all of the time--probably fell out of the nest trying out his wings. Good to hear that they are doing ok...
For future reference you CAN put the baby back in the nest--most birds (save vultures) have a horrible sense of smell, so it wouldn't be a problem. They probably quieted down for awhile because they were shocked to see a big human up close and personal!
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2009 : 05:33:29 AM
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We have a pair of mocking birds that Iwatched dive bomb a snake the other day. It has also come onto the porch to harass the dog and my 2 cats.
Pretty cheeky |
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willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2009 : 05:50:23 AM
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My cat caught a baby blue jay that was learning to fly on saturday. I got it away and the bird was fine, mostly scared. It was an "easy catch" for the cat so he was pretty gentle with it. I picked up the bird to calm it down all the while mama and papa were squaking and dive bombing my head. We didnt know where the nest was so I set him on a branch in a nearby tree and watched to see if mama came along. She did! I put the cat in and came back about an hour later but the little bird was gone. I am assuming it had leared to fly. While I was holding it it would grip my finger and flap its wings. Im certain it was ready - just got scared by the cat. Mama and papa squak adn dive bomb the cat every time he goes outside now!
Farmgirl Sister #17
Blog
www.willowtreecreek.wordpress.com
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goneriding
True Blue Farmgirl
1599 Posts
Winona
Central Oregon
USA
1599 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2009 : 07:44:10 AM
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Welp, bad news...we came from the barn and one of my mini-doxies ran around the house and found one of the little ones dead on the ground. He was already cold so don't think my doxie did him in that quickly. We think the nest was too small for all three and one had the bad luck to get shoved out. Don't know if it was the same one or not. Anyway, mama bird was still ticked and doing her strafing.
Winona :-)
To read funny stories about my cooking 'skills', please visit http://lostadventuresincooking.blogspot.com/
For uber-opinionated, pleasurable horse related reading, please visit http://horseinfoperson.blogspot.com/
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goneriding
True Blue Farmgirl
1599 Posts
Winona
Central Oregon
USA
1599 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2009 : 9:55:23 PM
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Still more bad news. Found yet another little yapper on the ground but he was still alive. So hubby drug out the ladder but this time checked another tree with nest but those chirpers were too young so the little found baby bird was from the first nest. Good honk, there were FOUR baby birds in that tiny nest, no wonder one of them keeps getting shoved out. They can't fly, they have feathers but not filled out, sort of gawky looking right now. Hubby stuck the little one back in the nest anyway.
My best guess is law of the jungle, someone has to go to the birdnest in the sky and this is nature's way...
Winona :-)
To read funny stories about my cooking 'skills', please visit http://lostadventuresincooking.blogspot.com/
For uber-opinionated, pleasurable horse related reading, please visit http://horseinfoperson.blogspot.com/
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Edited by - goneriding on Jun 01 2009 9:56:28 PM |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2009 : 03:20:36 AM
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Kind of cruel but sad
In the world of eagles, 2 are hatched at a different rate. The strongest out competes the weaker and it ends up dying.
Kind of sad, but nature's way of ensuring healthy genetics that get passed along |
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City Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
1402 Posts
Deb
Chattanooga
TN
USA
1402 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2009 : 03:52:05 AM
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From what I understand birds don't have a sense of smell or don't use it - only birds that are carrion eaters use it.
Hope your little chirpers make it.
http://www.xanga.com/My_Pondering_Place |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Jun 03 2009 : 03:14:47 AM
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Someone said they can't taste either.
I beg to differ on that one.
My chcikens go crazier over people food. Or maybe that's b/c they don't get it all the time either |
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Barnyard Buddies: Have a wild 'mama bird' question... |
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Have a wild 'mama bird' question...
