Help - What to do with a broken Swallows Nest and Baby Birds?

Question

Urgent Help needed. A nest with baby swallows has broken at the front of my house. The babies have feathers - I think they are fleglings. The parents are very distressed and were flying around for a while but I can't see them now. I put the babies in a box on a windowsill as close to the place where the nest is as possible but will the parent recognise them. Should I put the babies on the ground outside. I've gone around all the websites I can and the information is mostly about baby birds falling out of nests. This nest has broken so what should I do????

Answer 1

just leave them in the box near where the nest was and the parents should return. if they are feathered then the parents dont usually visit the babies too often in the day so give the parents time to find them. keep out the way so they can go to them with out you around. if the parents hav definatly abandoned them then u could try feeding them urself. as i hav just done with a dove. when they are feathered it is much easier as they will normally eat by themselves if u hold the food to their beak. or u could giv them to a wild life rescue place. gd luck.

Answer 2

sounds like you ddi the right thing. Stay hidden and watch to see if the parents return to feed. The parents will recognize their crys as everyone is distinct. They wil also recognize their parents calls. Just make sue the box will not fall off the sill or a cat cannt get it. Make sure it is not in total direct sunlight either. You can make a makshift nest out of a strawberry basket and some tissue. If they are fledglings they will be out soon. good luck

Answer 3

You did the right thing, assuming the place you put them is a safe place.  The parents will hear them calling and come to them and care for them.  They aren't fledglings yet because they are still in the nest (or box); but it sounds like they will soon fledge from your improvised nest-box.

Answer 4

If the bird is fully feathered, it is most likely a fledgling and has left the nest on it's own and it's parents are caring for it. It is normal for birds to leave the nest before they can fly.   You need to replace it where you found it..preferably in a scrub or tree so it is relatively safe from predators, and the parents should come back to feed it.  If it is mostly unfeathered...you did the right thing..the best thing to do is to "make" a nest with a basket or pail with handle (box is fine too), and try and hang or replace the "nest" as close as possible to the original location...the parents WILL recognize them and care for them.    Do not worry about your scent being on the chick..birds have a very poorly developed sense of smell and will NOT reject a baby that has been touched.  Only if the birds are not being cared for would you get the bird to a local wildlife rehab for it's best chance of survival.  Also, keep in mind, it is illegal for you to try and raise this bird on your own.  Look for a rehab here:

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contactA...