Fledglings leaving the nest is a natural part of their development, but it can be concerning for homeowners who find a baby bird on the ground. Young birds often end up grounded while they are learning to fly. This fledgling stage is a vulnerable time in a baby bird’s life, so their survival depends heavily on their parents continuing to feed and protect them. With proper care and monitoring, many fledglings can survive on the ground for short periods of time as they learn to fly.
When do birds leave the nest?
Fledging is the stage when young birds leave the nest. The age at which birds fledge can vary widely depending on the species. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, most songbirds fledge anywhere from 11 to 19 days after hatching. Some examples include:
- American robins: 13 days
- House wrens: 15 days
- Mourning doves: 14-15 days
- Chickadees: 16-18 days
- Cardinals: 9-11 days
- Finches: 14-17 days
Larger birds tend to fledge later. For example, hawks and owls typically fledge around 6-8 weeks after hatching. The important point is that all young birds will leave the nest before they can fly perfectly. They need room to spread their wings and practice flying while their parents continue caring for them.
What does a fledgling look like?
Identifying a fledgling on the ground isn’t always straightforward. They often have a stubby tail and some downy fluff on their heads and bodies. Unlike nestlings, fledglings will be fully feathered, but their primary wing and tail feathers may still be short.
Some key identifiers that it’s a fledgling and not a nestling include:
- It can hop and walk well.
- It has longer wing and tail feathers.
- Its eyes are fully open.
- It can flutter up to low branches.
The most obvious sign is that the bird is outside of the nest. If you see a small bird on the ground that doesn’t seem injured, chances are it’s a fledgling.
Do fledglings return to the nest?
Fledglings do not return to and sleep in the nest after leaving it. They may still rely on the nest as a home base for a few days after fledging, but they sleep on branches or hidden in bushes and shrubs at night from this point forward.
During the daytime, fledglings will rest on the ground or low to the ground near cover. They can use their feet and wings to hop and flutter short distances, allowing their parents to find and feed them. At night, they roost in bushes, trees, or on low platforms like fence posts.
The parents still feed and care for fledglings on the ground. You may see adult birds continuing to visit and feed older juveniles for several weeks after they fledge until they become independent.
Do fledglings survive on the ground?
A healthy fledgling left alone on the ground has a good chance of surviving. The parents are still taking care of it while teaching it to fly and hunt. However, fledglings face many threats on the ground that they would be safer from in a nest up high.
Dangers that grounded fledglings face include:
- Predators like cats, dogs, foxes, raccoons, snakes
- Collisions with vehicles or human activity
- Weather exposure (cold, heat, rain)
- Not getting adequate food from parents
Fledglings usually spend 1-3 days on the ground while finishing feather growth. After this point, they can fly short distances and start gaining independence. Spending more than a few days unable to fly well puts them at greater risk.
Survival rates
One study examined survival rates of songbird fledglings in the wild and compared birds “rescued” by being put in a nest versus left on the ground:
| Group | Survival Rate |
|---|---|
| Left on ground | 63% |
| Put in nest | 57% |
As the data shows, fledglings left on the ground had higher survival rates than those who humans moved to a new nest. Interfering with a fledgling can cause the parents to abandon it. The study emphasizes that a grounded fledgling’s best chance is reuniting it with the parents in the area where it was found.
When to help a fledgling on the ground
Finding a fledgling brings up a dilemma – should you interfere and try to “rescue” it, or leave it be and give the parents a chance? Here are some guidelines from wildlife experts on when to step in:
- Immediate threat – If there is an urgent threat like a cat stalking it, move it a short distance away to safety.
- Injury – If you see signs of injury like bleeding or a broken wing, contain it and call a wildlife rehabilitator right away.
- Cold and weak – A cold, unresponsive fledgling may need warmth and hydration before being returned outside.
- No parents, several hours – If parents do not visit for 4+ hours, the fledgling likely needs assistance.
- On busy road – If on a busy road or path, gently move the bird off the ground to a safer spot.
As a general rule, if the area is relatively safe, staying hands-off will give the fledgling its best odds. Monitor for at least 6 hours before intervening. If needed, safely contain the bird in a ventilated box until reuniting or getting to a rehabilitator.
How to care for a fledgling on the ground
If a fledgling is in your care because the area wasn’t safe or the parents didn’t return, here are some tips for temporary care:
- Use a ventilated box or carrier with air holes and line it with paper towels or scraps of fabric.
- You can place a heating pad under half of the container to provide warmth.
- Hydration is critical, provide rehydration fluid using an eye dropper.
- Offer high protein foods like mealworms, boiled egg, or wet cat food.
- Avoid overhandling and keep noise/activity minimal.
- Contact a wildlife rehabilitator to assess whether release or admission is recommended.
With supportive care, many fledglings can go on to be successfully released back to the wild. Be sure to get expert guidance from a rehab center for decisions about long-term care and release.
Can you move a fledgling bird back to the nest?
It’s best not to move a fledgling back to its former nest or into a new nest. Here’s why:
- It can disturb other young birds in the nest.
- The parents may reject or ignore the returned fledgling.
- Adoption by new parents is extremely unlikely.
- It can put the other nestlings at risk of injury.
Instead, if the fledgling isn’t injured, simply move it to a nearby shrub or hidden area on the ground. This gives the best chance for the parents to resume care. The only exceptions are with cavity nesters like woodpeckers where their specific nest hole may offer needed safety.
How to make a substitute nest
While not optimal, you can make a substitute nest to use as temporary housing in an emergency situation:
- Use a small basket, hanging plant basket, or plastic container.
- Line the container with soft fabric scraps or dry grass.
- Partially disguise the makeshift nest in a bush or tree at as high a height as possible.
- Monitor to see if parents resume care at the new site.
This can be used as a short-term solution to get a fledgling off the ground and away from immediate danger. The focus should still be reuniting it with the parents as quickly as possible.
Will parent birds reject babies touched by humans?
There is a pervasive myth that parent birds will abandon their chicks if humans touch them because of our “scent.” However, this is very unlikely to happen. Here are some key facts about birds’ sense of smell:
- Most birds have a very limited sense of smell compared to other senses.
- They are much more likely to reject young based on visible/audible cues than smell.
- Wild birds lack the very sensitive sense of smell that birds like vultures possess.
- Songbirds who find babies on the ground will not recognize or react to human scents.
Birds identify their young using sight, sound, and interaction cues. Smell plays little if any role. The impulse to help is understandable, but fear of “scent” should not stop someone from aiding young birds in distress.
Signs of a healthy fledgling
Before intervening with a fledgling, assess whether it’s healthy and the parents are still caring for it. Here are some good signs:
- Alert, looks around.
- Good body condition, not emaciated.
- Clean, no sign of injury/blood.
- Lots of energy, can hop and flutter wings.
- Parents nearby with food.
As long as the area is safe, a healthy fledgling left alone can survive for short periods while learning to fly. The parents will continue to care for it and teach it survival skills.
Risks from pets and humans
Well-meaning people and their pets pose some of the biggest risks to fledglings on the ground. Some key dangers include:
- Cats may stalk, injure, or kill grounded birds.
- Dogs can unintentionally harm birds through chasing or crushing.
- People may disrupt bonding by moving fledglings away.
- Loud machinery like lawn mowers can startle flightless young.
- Cars and bikes on roads/paths may strike wandering fledglings.
Keeping pets away and allowing normal development on the ground are two of the best ways to maximize survival at this vulnerable stage.
How long do fledglings stay with parents?
Fledglings remain dependent on their parents for varying periods as they learn to fly and forage. Some approximate timelines include:
- Finches – 3 weeks after fledging
- Sparrows – 4 weeks after fledging
- Robins – 4-6 weeks after fledging
- Chickadees – 3-4 weeks after fledging
- Mourning doves – Up to 2 months after fledging
- Eagles – 3 months after fledging
As they near independence, the parents will gradually taper off feedings. Fledglings’ flying and foraging improves until they can survive solo in the wild.
Conclusion
Finding a fledgling bird alone on the ground can look alarming, but it is often a natural stage in their development. While vulnerable, they have a good chance of survival if their parents continue caring for them. If you observe from a distance, you will often see adult birds visiting to feed the grounded youngster.
Intervention is warranted if the area is unsafe or parents are not returning. Otherwise, letting normal development proceed gives them the highest chance of fledging successfully. With some temporary protection and support, most fledglings can get through this critical life stage and go on to independence.
