What can I feed to an abandoned Bluetit? (1 Viewer)

[Doone]

Hi all. I'm new to this and am looking for some advice. In in England UK.

We have a birdbox in our small garden. 1 Bluetit hatched and left the nest 2 days ago. It was fed by 1 parent yesterday and early today. The parent has not been back for several hours.

The baby has feathers and flutters around, spending most of the time on the ground.

I found twigs covered with blackfly (like greenfly) and put these in front of it but it ignored them.

Is it normal for it to be abandoned like this?
If it's not, is there anything I can do to help the young Bluetit? :bounce:

 

[June Atkinson]

Abandoned blue tit

Hi all. I'm new to this and am looking for some advice. In in England UK.

We have a birdbox in our small garden. 1 Bluetit hatched and left the nest 2 days ago. It was fed by 1 parent yesterday and early today. The parent has not been back for several hours.

The baby has feathers and flutters around, spending most of the time on the ground.

I found twigs covered with blackfly (like greenfly) and put these in front of it but it ignored them.

Is it normal for it to be abandoned like this?
If it's not, is there anything I can do to help the young Bluetit? :bounce:

Poor little thing! Some people would advocate leaving it well alone, in the hope that one or other parent will eventually come back and feed it. Having read in another forum about 11 tiny bluetits being left to die by their parents, maybe you ought to try to find some caterpillars for it.
The fledging time is normally defined by the emergence of caterpillars in the trees nearby.

Apparently very heavy rain seems to have washed off the caterpillars from the trees with the result that there is no food for the baby tits.

Sadly, our box isn't being used this year - I think one of the pair was taken either by a visiting cat or our sparrowhawk.

Best of luck..........you can but try.

 

[Doone]

Amazing! I went into the garden and searched for a caterillar - I found only 1, in a rolled up leaf. I picked it up with tweezers and tried to feed it to the Bluetit. It's a bit tricky! It wasn't too afraid of me, I guess its used to seeing me hanging out the washing etc. At first it wouldn't open it's beak and kept turning its head away. Then it opened its beak more but I dropped the caterpillar as it shook its head. I tried again and got it in a wide open beak! Success.
I then found a soft green bug it what I think is called cuckoo spit. This went in more easily. I was looking for more tasty morsels and heard a familar squawk. I nipped back indoors, just in time to see a parent return!! After a minute, it flitted down, fed the baby and off it went again! I have sat and watched and worried about the baby since 10am this morning and the parent hasn't returned until now, 5.20pm! But it has returned!! Isn't nature amazing. :clap:
I'm going to buy some meal worms or something?? and leave them nearby so it's got food closer to home. Whew. I shall be keeping a close eye, just in case.

Thanks for your advice. :t:

 

[June Atkinson]

Happy outcome

Brilliant news!!
Bluetits, despite being so tiny, are amazingly resilient.
You're doing a great job. :clap: Hope your little one survives.

 

[stevetb]

I would buy some mealworms, especially if you could only find one caterpillar. Good luck!