Update: found the babies alive on the ground. Returned them to the nest, and returned the nest to a part of the bush not yet cut. Thanks for the advice!
Earlier today, while cleaning up the yard and trimming back a very overgrown bush, I unknowingly cut a large branch that was home to a bird’s nest. It wasn’t until the branch was already on the ground that I noticed the nest nestled inside. To my surprise (and horror), there were three very young hatchlings in it. I could see the mother—a bright red cardinal—hovering nearby. She continued to feed them and remained close, clearly distressed but attentive. About an hour later, I checked again, and the nest was completely empty. I’m assuming the babies fell out, as the nest was only about 3 to 4 feet off the ground. Can hatchlings survive that kind of fall? Should I leave the area alone in case the mother is still caring for them nearby, or try to find and gently return them to the nest? I feel terrible. Am I officially bound for the bad place now?
TLDR: I disturbed a nest with hatchlings-can they be saved?
Comments
Did they have feathers and eyes open? If so, they likely fledged as their nest was disturbed
If they were still quiet young, check the ground. If they fell, they will likely have survived but won’t last long without warmth
I always return fallen birds. There’s a myth that you can’t touch them because they will be abandoned, but it’s just that, a myth.
When you find a birds nest on the ground, or babies fallen from a nest, it is okay to pick it up and put it back where it was/a safe place nearby or the babies back in the nest.
Obviously, the closer to the ground the nest is, the more accessible to predators. But sometimes that’s where mom and dad decided was a good place to nest anyhow. Nature is mysterious 😂
If they’re not in the nest anymore, I think it’s unlikely they’ll survive unless they had already fledged (probably too early in the year for that though). At this point, unless you can find them, there’s nothing you can do. Shit happens and cardinals as a species are not remotely in danger of extinction, so don’t beat yourself up about it. In the future, if you find yourself in a similar situation, call your local wildlife rehabilitator for advice – hatchlings can often be reared and released by people (rehabilitators, not you).
You were trimming your bush and there was a nest in it? Personal hygiene..
I was trimming my bush (if you catch my drift) and I almost nicked my little birdie. And by birdie, I mean peanits.
Uhm, with respect, if the bird hovering nearby was bright red then what you saw was the father, not the mother. Male cardinals are red. Female ones are brown, sometimes with a bit of red on the wings & tail.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Cardinal/id
Thanks for the update and for taking care of these birds