Help please blackbird chicks (1 Viewer)

[snapper]

Just come in after walking the dog to here blackbird alarm calls ran around the outside of the house to find a magpie in the garden soon as it saw me it flew off the blackbird pair still kept on by the way these birds are nesting in the garden with young I went ot the back of the house to see if I could see anything else there was nothing so I came in the house & through to the back garden to find a young blackbird on the garage back door step the blackbird alarm calls still ringing out so a walked on to th lawn & there was the problem just jumping out of the bushes & up the fence a black cat which when it saw me soon left the alarm calls went on for about 15 to 20 mins with male & female carrying meal worms in there mouths but not going to the chick the chick finally made cover to my hedge & since then I have seen one other chick at the other end of the garden my questions are 1. is this bird to young to be out of the nest & 2. why are they not feeding it the chick has not made a sound I don't even no if they no where the chicks are as I was typing this my wife asked me to come & look at something she could see on the lawn it was one of the young dead don't even no how it's got in the middle of the lawn it was not there before & I have not seen the cat or any alarm calls since any help or advice please.

Snapper.

 

[Lucky Birder]

Unfortunately we do have cats in this country (every one should be shot) but that's another matter. I was in this position when I was a kid. I took it in and fed it spiders. It got diarrhoea and died.

If it was me now, I'd leave it where it was and let 'nature' take its course.

 

[luke]

i work at an owl sanctuary and we get alot of fledglings in, our usual answer is any chance you can take it back and put as near as you can to the nest, but if not the best thing we can do for them is to feed mushed up cat food (cats are handy for something) you can also buy an isect paste from pet shops you add water to it and that is good for them aswell.

 

[Dimitris]

It's at the right age to leave the nest,even though they can't fly well yet.They will clamber around until they are old enough to do so...(btw.Your youngster is a female)
I would take it to a rehabilitation center or rear it myself.I wouldn't put it outside as it seems that the local predators know were it is.
If you would like to raise it yourself(I don't recomend it as it would become humanized...) you can try feeding it on soaked cat food(yes that's right) and mealworms.Force feed for the first few days,afterwards it will open it's mouth on it's own(well ususally they do).

Hope this helped.

Dimitris

edit:If you are wondering were I've learnt all this well living in a country full of hunters and bird keepers helps...

 

[Zulu Merula]

I know blackbird chicks well (we have loads every year) and judging by the photo the chick is the right age to be out of the nest. At this age they hide in the bushes and can't fly very well- the reason the parents may not have been feeding it, and the reason the chick was remaining quiet, could be because of the threat of danger- the chick wasn't drawing attention to itself and neither were the parents drawing attention to it by going down to feed it. If this had happened in my garden I'd get some cat deterrants and leave the blackbirds to it- as the chick is old enough to be out of the nest, the parents will continue feeding it and it won't be long until it's clumsily fluttering about and learning to fly (they seem to get more accurate once their tail feathers have grown).

So, to answer your questions, Yes the chick is old enough to be out of the nest, and the parents were probably not feeding it as they were on lookout guard for danger- once the danger has passed they'll get on with the feeding.

 

[Zulu Merula]

Dimitris- how can you tell the fledgling is a female? I'm intrigued because I was under the impression you couldn't tell because all blackbird fledglings are brown and speckly! The only way I can tell if a bird is a male is if it starts trying to copy his Dad singing- then I think- ahhh he's a male- but he's still brown and speckly!

 

[snapper]

Thanks all but hang on I dont want to take the bird/birds in & rear them thats not the way I no one of the Questions has been answered they are old enough to leave the nest I wondered if the cat had dragged them out of the nest before time 2. with them not cherping I wonderedi f I should pick them up & put them together near to the bush were there nest was but I thought I had better not they may get deserted I was gutted about the one who died still have not worked out how it got in the middle of the lawn but good news one has been found & is now being feed plus the female is taking meal worms over the fence & coming back empty handed so there must be another chick over the fence these birds have nested in our garden trouble free for 4 years I am sorry but if I catch the cat which cats are no use to anyone I will ringe it's bloody neck its a bit of a thing when friday night me & the wife have to stand alternate watches until dark got to go it's my watch.

Regards a very upset Snapper.

 

[Zulu Merula]

Aww snapper bless you for keeping watch- that's what I'd be doing too if any damn cat had been in my garden when the fledgies are about!!

 

[snapper]

Aww snapper bless you for keeping watch- that's what I'd be doing too if any damn cat had been in my garden when the fledgies are about!!

Just had to get rid of another cat a ginger & white one have not seen a cat in the garden for a good while it's as if they no whats going on I think the wife thinks I am paranoid dashing outside at the least little noise thank god it's almost dark.

Regards a nerve shredded Snapper.

 

[SarahK]

:h?: I've been reading this thread with interest because we currently have a young song thrush in the garden which can't fly yet. The parents have been bringing it food and making a hell of a racket on the rooftops. Aside from all the usual cat-bashing which always accompanies a thread like this I am interested if anyone has a theory to why the birds leave the nest before they can fly?

The RSPB websire says "Young song thrushes leave the nest when they are fully feathered but not yet able to fly and remain flightless for a couple of days."

What is the point of having wings to help you get away from cats, stoats, foxes et al if you leave the nest before you can fly? :h?:

 

[snapper]

:h?: I've been reading this thread with interest because we currently have a young song thrush in the garden which can't fly yet. The parents have been bringing it food and making a hell of a racket on the rooftops. Aside from all the usual cat-bashing which always accompanies a thread like this I am interested if anyone has a theory to why the birds leave the nest before they can fly?

The RSPB websire says "Young song thrushes leave the nest when they are fully feathered but not yet able to fly and remain flightless for a couple of days."

What is the point of having wings to help you get away from cats, stoats, foxes et al if you leave the nest before you can fly? :h?:

Hi Sarah I think they need to leave the cramped nest to get the wings stretched & the blood flowing it's hard to practice flight or even stretch your wings in a nest with 4 plus in there.

Regards Snapper.

 

[SarahK]

Hi Sarah I think they need to leave the cramped nest to get the wings stretched & the blood flowing it's hard to practice flight or even stretch your wings in a nest with 4 plus in there.

Regards Snapper.

Thanks Snapper, I suppose that makes sense. It's still there this morning, this is day 2 so I'm hoping that it will try to fly today - it doesn't seem to have moved far since yesterday.

 

[snapper]

Up early this morning put some meal worms out male & female blackbirds taking worms into bushes in & around the garden don't want to speak to soon but everything seems fine this morning no bloody cats about & the young have not been abandoned still gutted about the one that was killed will keep you up dated with happens next.

Regards Snapper.

 

[SarahK]

My thrush has moved on to another garden, heard it calling a few doors down about an hour ago but can't hear it anymore. Hope it's okay.

Good luck with your baby blackies, I'm sure they'll be moving about about soon and you can relax.

Sarah

 

[Dimitris]

Dimitris- how can you tell the fledgling is a female? I'm intrigued because I was under the impression you couldn't tell because all blackbird fledglings are brown and speckly! The only way I can tell if a bird is a male is if it starts trying to copy his Dad singing- then I think- ahhh he's a male- but he's still brown and speckly!

Simple:young males are darker more blackish then the females(not always obvious but given good views you should see it).You should focus on the breast area as it's there were the difrence is best seen.Well at least that's the case in Greece don't know if it's diffrent in Britain.

Hope this helped

Dimitris

 

[snapper]

My thrush has moved on to another garden, heard it calling a few doors down about an hour ago but can't hear it anymore. Hope it's okay.

Good luck with your baby blackies, I'm sure they'll be moving about about soon and you can relax.

Sarah

Hi Sarah thats the funny thing about these young blackbirds from the time they left the nest I have not heard one of them call at all I had to watch with my bins from the bedroom window to see where the adults were taking the food they just sat there like stone status the only thing that moved was there mouth when being fed.

Regards Snapper.

 

[pauco]

Simple:young males are darker more blackish then the females(not always obvious but given good views you should see it).You should focus on the breast area as it's there were the difrence is best seen.Well at least that's the case in Greece don't know if it's diffrent in Britain.

Hope this helped

Dimitris

It is the same in Britain Dimitris.

 

[Zulu Merula]

Simple:young males are darker more blackish then the females(not always obvious but given good views you should see it).You should focus on the breast area as it's there were the difrence is best seen.Well at least that's the case in Greece don't know if it's diffrent in Britain.

Hope this helped

Dimitris

Yes it did thanks- I will look out for it when (hopefully) the next fledglings appear in a couple of weeks! :0)

 

[Zulu Merula]

Hi Sarah thats the funny thing about these young blackbirds from the time they left the nest I have not heard one of them call at all I had to watch with my bins from the bedroom window to see where the adults were taking the food they just sat there like stone status the only thing that moved was there mouth when being fed.

Regards Snapper.

Wait til they get a bit bigger and they're kamikazeeing all round the garden learning to fly, hehehehe!

There was only one fledgling from our blackbirds first brood this year, I came across it hiding amongst some big pots we have in the garden, this too stayed so still, the only movement was it's blinking. In the fading evening light at times I questioned whether it was really a blackbird, til it blinked.

 

[snapper]

Wait til they get a bit bigger and they're kamikazeeing all round the garden learning to fly, hehehehe!

There was only one fledgling from our blackbirds first brood this year, I came across it hiding amongst some big pots we have in the garden, this too stayed so still, the only movement was it's blinking. In the fading evening light at times I questioned whether it was really a blackbird, til it blinked.

Hi Laura I will be so glad when they can fly just to see them make it to the canopy of the silver birches behind us it will give me such peace of mind to know there are out of reach of the cats it's funny because the cats have always been there & the blackbirds have nested in the garden for 4 years with no trouble + dunnocks, robin & blue tit but from that first attack with one young blackbird dead it's been like a cattery around our house with 4 different cats I am sure that they can sense somethings going on I bet the neighbours think I have lost the plot running outside every two minutes, never mind it should not be for much longer I hope.

Regards Snapper.