I think the baby birds in my nestbox are dead :( (1 Viewer)

[scrumpet]

Hi,
I got a nesting box for chickadees a little while ago and hung it up in a tree in the back of my yard. A house wren immediately moved in, and we suspected later on that there were eggs in the nest. A few days ago I heard chirping and realized the eggs had hatched! Then yesterday I saw 3 little heads through the hole and saw them chirping! They were the cutest things! So I got my 2 sons and showed them and we all ooh'd and ahh'd at them (but we never touched the box). Today I realized they're not chirping and watched for a while. They didn't chirp and I didn't see mom or dad. I went back and looked through the hole and didn't see them, and feeling fairly confident that they were no longer "with us", I opened the side of the box just a little. I saw one of the babies and he wasn't moving...

So now I have a hundred questions...
1. Did I kill the babies by looking at them? Would their parents really abandon them because of that? I'd never forgive myself...
2. What should I do now? Clean it out right away?
3. If I clean it out is it possible that another bird couple will move in and lay eggs, this late in the season?

Thanks for your thoughts... please be kind, I already feel horrible!!!

-Judy

 

[crowmorgan]

Don't worry! they wouldn't abandon a nest simply if you looked at it. Growing up, we had wren houses all over with the roofs on hinges. I used to peek in all the time, and never did the parents abandon their babies. I think it's more probable that one of the parents was killed. I've read that if that happens, the other can't raise the brood alone and will abandon the nest.

That said, are you sure the chicks are dead? If they're old enough, and there are enough of them, they might be able to survive a day or two without food.

 

[scrumpet]

Thanks for your reply, Crowmorgan!

I'd really appreciate some more replies since this is somewhat stressing me out!!

And yeah, I'm sure the babies are dead...

Here's a pic from yesterday when they were alive and hungry...

 

[scrumpet]

So I cleaned out the nest box today... there were 5 babies in there... all goners. So sad, I only saw 3 when I saw them alive so maybe they were already in trouble.

Anyway, is it possible the box still might be used this summer? By any bird?

xo

 

[scrumpet]

Why does no one reply? Except for crowmorgan... thank you!!

 

[birding maniac]

It may well be used by another species, but it may be to
Late.
Many chicks die, and there are many causes, such as heat, cold, under feeding ect