Posted by Gail Littlejohn on July 7, 2007

Q: A cat has attacked one of the parents of a robin family with four fledglings (fledged 3 days ago). The bird was rescued and released and was able to fly away, but in the two hours since this occurred there has been much less parental feeding going on. If the bird has or does succumb to its injuries, will the other parent continue to feed the young, and how successful is this likely to be? I suspect that it was the female that was injured, as I have heard a male singing.

Habitat: suburban/yard

State: Ontario

Habitat: suburban/yard

A: How upsetting to see something like this happen. It's one thing if it's all part of Nature, but a cat isn't supposed to be there! Anyway, I can't give you a definitive answer but I can give you some information.

Depending on how much the parent was injured will determine whether it is able to continue parental duties or not. No way to know at present. The other bird, however is almost certainly going to continue feeding. If the habitat around the bird's area is a fruitful one (plenty of food available) a single parent will be much more likely to provide adequate food. Of course, food arrival will slow so I'd expect the fledglings to slow down a bit in growth. Do keep in mind though, that fledglings are on the cusp of being on their own - over time they'll begin feeding themselves, especially if not adequately fed. So, I can't be sure but I'd suspect that all will work out in the end although the single parent, if this continues, will be quite worn out. If you know who owns that cat, please encourage them to bell the animal. Belling cats doesn't always work but it's certainly better than not doing so. My best to you and your feathered family!

John Wiessinger ( July 7, 2007)