Do mother robin's teach their babies how to eat?

Question

or is that just instinct?

Answer 1

Eating is an instinct in every animal, reptile, and bird.

Answer 2

Nah... We just shoot them out of the nest! Just kidding! Can I send a dozen mating Killdears by you? Perhaps a few Swans? Mallard ducks? Canadian Geese? We have Doves if you would like a few. Gulls we can send lots!  Have a few Cranes and Egrets. Only one Great Blue Heron.

Answer 3

Still breaking laws?

It's too bad that this poor robin will suffer because of you.

Yes, baby robins need to be taught survival skills from their parents, not humans.   But we already told you that.  You just refuse to listen.

The robin should have been left with it's parents, or brought to a rehabber.

You are breaking federal wildlife laws.  You aren't helping the bird, either.

Every day I answer questions like yours from children who selfishly take wild baby birds out of nature, and try to keep them as pets.   95% of the birds die.  It's cruel and it's pointless.

If you want a pet -  buy one, but leave wild animals alone.  They don't need your kind of help.

Answer 4

Do humans teach thie babies how to eat?

Answer 5

i think they just feed them until they are kicked outta the nest.

then they have to feed themselves. i think its instinct. because you never see a mama bird out on the sidewalk with her babies teaching them how to stick their beaks in the dirt, find a worm, and eat it.

so i dont think so...

oh, and ignore "suzy" she doesnt know that you found the bird dying on the sidewalk. and i guess she just doesnt take the many factors into consideration. i hope she doesnt do that in all her other situations :/

Answer 6

Mother robins don't have to teach their babies to eat, but they do show them how 2 find and catch food.  If your bird does not have this skill, it will not be able to acquire food to eat and thus can not make it on his own in the wild.

To do this you should buy some crickets and worms from your local petstore or bait shop.  Take them home and then feed one of each (dead) to the bird so it realizes this is appropriate food.  Then you can slowly teach the bird how to hunt by disabling movement of the bait (ex/ hit a cricket in the head and place it and the bird in a confined area).  Each time you feed the bird its prey should become a little faster and less predictable (in a less confined area) until the bird can successfully catch and eat an active cricket.  This process will take between 1 and 2 complete weeks.  

You should also aclimate the bird to the outdoors by spending an increasing amount of time outside with it each day. You can combine this with the hunting exercises the last few days before you release him to really help its chances.  

This can (and has) been done successfully; good luck!