Can a mama bird find her nest if it has been moved?

Question

A bird (I don't know what kind) created her nest in the middle part of a tree in our yard. These baby birds are about 4 days old. However my dog, a lab, can reach the branch that they are on and has already knocked them out of the tree once (we came home and had to put them back up in the nest AND feed them mushed worms. ewww). Anyway, I know that my dog will do anything to get to them and she has already knocked down the bottom half of the tree. So, will the mama bird be able to find her babies if we move the nest a bit heigher in the tree? The tree is only about 9.5 ft tall and we would move it up only about 1.5 feet. Please help!!

Answer 1

She should easily be able to find the nest in its new location, but i'm not sure if she will feed the babies if the nest has been tampered with. Wear gloves so you don't get your scent all over them and they'll have a better chance of being accepted despite the new location.

If not, you should be prepared to either raise them yourself or take them to someone who can just incase the mother does decide to abandon her chicks.

Answer 2

It's not really a matter of her being able to find it--it's the fact that a lot of work goes into a mated pair's selection of the spot, and the building of the nest to her specifications. If you move it, you will be intruding on their "agreement" for raising their young. Can't you just keep your dog away from the nest for a week or two? These birds will be fledged (out of the nest, and on the ground) pretty quickly. If you move the nest, the birds will abandon it and their young.