Water is essential for the survival of all living things, including baby birds. Baby birds, like adult birds, need water to stay hydrated, digest food, and carry out other bodily functions. But how exactly do tiny, flightless baby birds get the water they need to thrive?
How do baby birds drink water?
Baby birds are able to drink water in a few different ways:
1. Parents provide water
One of the main ways baby birds get water is from their parents. Adult birds collect water and bring it back to the nest to feed their chicks.
Songbird parents like finches and sparrows will collect water in their beak or crop and regurgitate it into their babies’ mouths. Birds of prey like eagles carry water in their talons and tear off bits of meat for their chicks to eat and get moisture from. Other birds like pigeons and doves produce a special type of milk called crop milk that contains water and nutrients for their squabs.
Parent birds will also bring wet insects, worms, fruit and berries for their babies to eat. All of these provide chicks with pre-formed water as well as important proteins, carbs and vitamins.
2. Drink from puddles and leaves
As baby birds grow bigger and start exploring outside the nest, they will drink water from natural sources.
Young chicks may drink raindrops collected in leaves, branches or nests. They will sip water from puddles, pools, ponds or other bodies of water near their nest. Some species only need to rely on their parents for the first few days before learning to drink on their own.
3. Get moisture from food
In addition to drinking plain water, baby birds get pre-formed water from the food their parents provide. Live insects, worms, small amphibians and snails contain a high percentage of water. Fruit also has a very high water content.
Berries, for example, can be over 85% water. The juicy flesh and moisture inside seeds and nuts also supply baby birds with their water needs. Mealworms contain around 62% water while earthworms are made up of about 80% water.
So in most cases, as long as the parents are providing enough nutritious food, the chicks will get enough moisture through their diet.
When do baby birds start drinking water?
Most baby birds start drinking plain water within just a few days of hatching. Precocial species like ducks, quails and shorebirds can walk and find water right away. Altricial songbirds take a little longer, usually 3-5 days, before leaving the nest.
However, the age at which they can drink independently depends on the species. Larger birds tend to mature faster than smaller birds. Here are some examples:
Songbirds
– American robins – 5 days after hatching
– Chickadees – 5 days
– Finches – 4-5 days
– Sparrows – 4-6 days
Birds of prey
– Hawks – 7-10 days
– Eagles – 2-3 weeks
– Owls – 3-4 weeks
Water birds
– Ducks and geese – Day 1 after hatching
– Loons – 1-2 days
– Herons – 3 days
– Gulls – 2 days
Songbird parents will start providing water, in addition to food, once the chicks are 3-5 days old. Before that, the insects and fruit provide enough fluids.
For altricial birds that take longer to leave the nest, like hawks, owls and herons, the parents continue to supply all the water until they learn to drink and hunt on their own.
What do baby birds drink?
In the wild, baby birds drink plain fresh water from natural sources like puddles, rain pools, lakes, rivers, etc. Parent birds may collect and bring back:
– Rainwater
– Water from bird baths or livestock troughs
– Drinking water from puddles, creeks, ponds or lakes
The main thing is the water is cool, clean and free of contamination. Stagnant water allows bacteria and parasites to grow and can make young birds sick.
For pet birds and birds in rehabilitation, suitable drinking water includes:
– Fresh tap water
– Filtered water
– Bottled natural spring water (not distilled)
– Water with bird vitamins added
A bird-safe drinking container should be provided. This can include a shallow dish, water dispenser or sipper bottle. The water should be changed frequently, especially in hot weather when it can go stale fast.
How much water do baby birds need?
The amount of water baby birds need depends on factors like:
– Age – younger chicks need less
– Size – larger birds require more
– Diet – those eating dry foods need more water
– Temperature – hot weather increases requirements
For the average songbird, experts recommend:
– 1-7 days old – 1-2 ml per day
– 1-2 weeks old – 2-5 ml per day
– 3-4 weeks old – 5-10 ml per day
For medium sized hatchlings like gulls and pigeons around 2-3 weeks old, they will drink 15-30 ml of water per day.
Larger birds like young herons, eagles and hawks may need 50-150 ml daily when they are 2-6 weeks old. Amounts can be estimated by the number of feedings and quantity the parents provide.
Most wild birds get moisture through food so exact measurements aren’t possible. But parent birds seem to have an innate ability to judge if their chicks are getting enough water based on their droppings and activity levels.
What happens if baby birds don’t get water?
Baby birds need adequate water right from birth to survive and thrive. Here are some problems that can occur if baby birds don’t get enough water during this critical growth period:
– Dehydration – Thick droppings, sunken eyes, lethargy
– Impaired growth – Failure to reach normal adult size
– Digestive issues – Constipation, intestinal blockages
– Malnutrition – Inability to properly digest and absorb nutrients
– Organ failure – Kidney and liver problems
– Weak immune system – Increased risk of diseases
– Behavior issues – Increased begging, choleric temperaments
– Higher mortality rates – Especially in hot, dry conditions
Severely dehydrated chicks will be unresponsive and unable to beg for food or water. Death can occur within a few hours or days. Providing hydration therapy with oral rehydrating solution can help save dehydrated chicks.
Access to clean drinking water is absolutely essential from the time baby birds hatch until they fledge. Parent birds invest significant time and effort to ensure their developing chicks get all the water they require through the food and drinks they provide.
Interesting facts about baby birds drinking
Here are a few fascinating facts about how nature meets the drinking needs of baby birds:
– Baby hummingbirds can lick up to twice their body weight in nectar each day from their mother’s tongue.
– Nestling tree creepers have adaptations for drinking large drops of water – hairy feathers around their mouth acts like a sponge.
– Male emperor penguins keep eggs warm on their feet and go without eating for 2-3 months. They drink melted snow for hydration.
– Baby eagles are fed small animals and scraps of meat by their parents. The moisture in this diet provides almost all their water needs.
– Newly hatched ostriches can run at speeds up to 30 mph. Within a day or two they are able to find water on their own.
– Baby pigeons or doves get all the water they need from crop milk produced in their parent’s crop organ.
– The diet of lorikeets includes nectar and fruit which gives them most of their moisture. Parents regurgitate excess liquid for young.
– Young seabird chicks like petrels and albatrosses have to travel far from nests to find fresh water pools to drink from.
– Cranes and storks build nests near wetlands so newly hatched chicks can access water within hours.
Conclusion
Access to drinking water is vital for the growth and survival of baby birds. Parent birds use ingenious methods to collect or produce water for their hatchlings. As they grow, nestling birds quickly learn to drink on their own from natural sources. Proper hydration allows chicks to develop into fully feathered, healthy fledglings ready to leave the nest. Understanding how water needs are met can help bird rehabilitators or pet owners better care for hatchling birds.
