Baby birds being fed by mother (Part 1)

This is the first video of the four wild babies. Notice how quickly they stop chirping as soon as the mama flies away. Three days later (see "Baby birds being fed by mother - Part 2"), one of them is able to flap his way to the opening of the cage and hop out for a close-up meeting with mama. Another three days later and they are flittering around the cage (see "Baby birds being fed by mother - Part 3").

These babies were found on the ground in various locations throughout my yard. I tried to give the birds to a local bird farm, but they couldn't take any more birds. Making the decision to feed them, I bought the proper food and as I fed the babies in my house, the parents were right outside the kitchen window, listening and screeching.

I put all four birds in a cage and pushed the cage up against the open kitchen window in hopes that the parents would take this opportunity to see that their babies were okay. The parents bypassed their fear of me and flew right up to the cage and started feeding the babies. It's been four days and I haven't had to feed them once. They're being taken care of the way nature intended, by their parents -- albeit in a cage in a human's kitchen! lol

The bird farm said they should be ready for flight in a couple of weeks. By now, as this video demonstrates, they are growing rapidly. One even hops out of the cage and the mama starts pulling kernels of corn from its throat, probably because they won't digest like bugs and moths do. At the end of the video, he falls off the table and you hear a 'plop' when he hits the floor (don't worry... he was fine). LOL

Normally, it's not a good idea for humans to interfere with nature, but I decided to get involved this time and it appears to be working out for the best. They will be released (and videotaped -- stay tuned) when they are ready to be free.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• pet video
• blue jays
• bluebirds
• scrub jays
• western scrub jays
• baby birds
• feeding baby birds
• caring for baby birds
• mother bird feeding her young
• mother bird feeding baby bird

[corvidgirl]

I do like the fact the parent or parents were still feeding the baby scrub jays. However, I am a licensed wildlife rehabilitator and do have one question. You stated you obtained the proper food for the baby scrub jays. Evidently the corn kernels were not an appropriate diet. You were lucky that the parents did remove the kernels for they would have never made it to the stomach. They would have remained in the crop and cropstasis as well as starvation would have occured.

[appygeez]

@corvidgirl FYI, I only handfed the babies once, and the parents fed them the remaining time. I never gave them anything else except for mealworms when they were older (recommended by a wildlife rehabilitator). The parents obviously fed the corn kernels to the babies and apparently removed them as well. Guess not all parents are wise! ;-)

The reason I posted these videos is to confirm that nature takes care of its own. HAPPY ENDING: babies have since flown away to start their new lives!

[BlackTar100]

@appygeez Good thing they survived, it would of been sad if they ended up dying. When I see "fledglings" on the ground I leave them as the parents do a better job at taken care of them. The only time I interfere is when I know the birds are endanger, ie; cats, dogs, other birds, parents not feeding, other humans (who love interfering with nature), etc. You're real lucky the kernels didn't get stuck! Baby birds are very delicate creatures. Mealworms are good.

[corvidgirl]

I love scrubbies, its obvious by my screename.

Good to hear you has a successful soft release.