“I have a nest in my yard. I’ve been watching for three hours and the parents haven’t been back. Can I bring the baby birds to the center?”
After hatching, mom spends a great deal of time on the nest incubating her young, as they need an external heat source to maintain their body temperatures. Once the young birds grow their feathers, they are capable of temperature regulation. As this happens, both parents take up feeding duty, but spend much less time on the nest. In fact, they may ONLY be present during feedings.
It is at this transition that new observers might assume the nest is no longer being tended. People grew accustomed to the consistent presence of adults and their absence led callers to this mistaken conclusion.
Even upon explaining the stages of care to a caller, some remain adamant that the parents have not come back. But, keep in mind that a bird feeding can take place in a fleeting instant. This chickadee is only in the frame for a little over three seconds. The feeding, itself, takes place over less than two seconds. If you blink, you’ll miss it. The feeding did not trigger the camera’s motion sensor, either, even though it’s at the most sensitive setting.
So, if you are worried about a bird nest, know that you won’t necessarily see a feeding. In fact, if you watch, your presence may keep the parents away, defeating the purpose.
Unless there is a concrete and specific cause to do otherwise, bird nests should be left alone.
If you have questions or concerns about birds you’ve seen, give us a call.
Thank you for caring
Chickadee feeding
