Helping Hand?
Posted by David Ostlund on May 13, 2006
Q: A robin and a cardinal both built nests just outside our front door. The cardinal eggs hatched and and the mother was caring for her babies. Three days later the bibies were gone and there was no sign of what happened. Two days after that the robin's eggs hatched and she was caring for her babies. About three days later her babies were gone. I know they were too young to fly. What could have gotten to the baby birds. One nest was in a pine tree about five feet off the ground, and one nest was on a trellis about four feet off the ground. Thanks for your help.
Habitat: suburban/yard
State: Minnesota
Habitat: suburban/yard
A: There are all kinds of reasons why the young have disappeared but it's most likely predation. Many different birds and mammals prey on baby birds and any one of these could have plucked them out of the nest. Blue Jays, Crows, or hawks are the most likely reasons but Raccoons, Opossums, squirrels, even a skunk or snake may get up in a tree and eat the babies. When this kind of thing happens, it makes you wonder just how animals are able to raise ANY young without predation! Often when a bird loses its young early in the season, they will renest and try again. Let's hope that's what your birds do too. Thanks for asking.
John Wiessinger ( May 15, 2006)