Swallow keeps falling out of the nest - wwyd?

[Sarah CB]

We have barn swallows nesting in our roof. For the last two days we've had to rescue them off the ground. The first day I found one on the ground and put it back in the nest. The mother continued to feed the birds (apparently song birds don't have a great sense of smell) and everything was fine. Then, yesterday we found two of them out of the nest - one was already dead. We put the live one back in the nest and again everything was fine. Today there is another bird on the ground. I've read that sometimes they'll push the smaller birds out. There were 6 birds in the nest to begin with so maybe they're just pushing the same one out each time?

 

So, would you continue to put the bird back in the nest each time or would you transfer the bird to a hamster cage and try to care for it yourself or would you just leave it where it is?

[Melissa in Australia]

we have swallows nest every year on our veranda. there is always one or two that fall out of the nest. the parents still feed the one that is down. we usually put it up on a cupboard that is right there, that way it doesn't get stood on. the parent birds continue to care for it.

[Orthodox6]

I would leave the bird(s) alone. If you have a dog, when dog needs to have a "yard run", take it outside on a leash.

 

Our beagle routinely feasts on captured birds. [gaack ! ! !] I have had to de-romanticize my views about birds since acquiring a hunting dog.

[Tess in the Burbs]

This happened to us last week! We had 6 robin baby birds and they kept falling out of the next and semi-flying into our garage! My vet tech neighbor tried to help get them in the nest but they kept falling out/trying to fly out. The mama bird kept squawking at us and we finally got them close to the nest on the ground. She fed them and they seem to have made it out on their own....ironically the one that died was in the nest :001_huh:

 

so let them be. she will feed them and they will learn to fly.

[Pam Wilhelm]

There is a stage of baby birds called the Fledgling Stage........ they are somewhat feathered but cannot fly yet. THEY WILL HOP OUT OF THE NEST AND MOM/DAD WILL TAKE CARE OF THEM UNTIL THEY CAN FLY. You can keep putting them in....... but they will keep hopping out. It is normal.

 

What is not normal is when a bald baby bird falls/gets pushed out of the nest. It can happen for a variety of reasons....... including parasitation by Brown Headed Cowbirds. (google it...... fascinating stuff).

 

If the bird has some feathers on it......... leave it be, Mom is close and doing her job.

[OrganicAnn]

I would let nature take its course. I would keep dogs/cats/kids away from them, but other than that I would do nothing.

 

For some animals - touching, picking them up, moving them will do more harm than good.