My five week old American robin has NOT come back.?

Question

A rescued robin in my care got away yesterday. Normally, when it was outside foraging for bugs it would fly away and fly back on my head.

It has not returned and it has been more than 24 hours. There is a family of robins in my area and I am wondering could they be a deterrant for him to come back (since it is their territory) or was he at more risk with the threat of predators?

I am so concerned. I syringe fed him for three weeks and put him in the back yard in a bottomless cage so he could eat the bugs in the soil. He was even given a buffet of earth worms, sow bugs, and millipedes all dug up for his enjoyment.

I am so sad and miss the little fluff ball in my house with his head tucked into his feathers asleep and safe at night.

Answer 1

I'm sure you've heard the old "Set it free and if it doesn't come back it was never yours to begin with." This is a big case of that.

He is a wild bird, he's doing what wild birds do. Leaving mom and living on their own, findind a mate, having little robbies of his own.

Just accept that wild animals are wild. I know its hard, believe me. I have raised more wild animals than most people get to, and it hurts when they leave. The worst part is for the rest of your life, even when you know its not possible, you will look at every robin and wonder if its him.

Answer 2

He went home to be where he should have been all along. In the wild.  It's agaisnt the law to keep or care for wild birds.  At 5 weeks old the bird will learn to take care of himself without you.  As long as he can fly, he can get away from predators and become very good at it.