Should I put this barn swallow back up in its nest?

Question

We had 4 baby birds in a nest where they raised 4 babies earlier in the year. I'm assuming it's the same parents.

We've been losing babies. We find them on the ground below. Yesterday the 3rd one was found and today I see just one by itself. This morning the 4th one is on the ground but alive. I haven't noticed the parents much today. They didn't roost there last night which is normally what they do. Is it possible they have abandoned this last baby? I feel so bad for the little guy. I know this is nature. . .but I wish there was something I could do. I hate to see him just starve to death.

He has some feathers but is definitely too little to fly. I'm afraid if I just put him back and he tries to get down he'll dye like the other three.

I've left a voicemail for a rehab person. Should I try meal worms?

Answer 1

do not touch the baby with bare hands only with gloves this is important because if the bird smells of human if the parents ever come back they will forget it was ever in the family try and get it meal worms

Answer 2

When I was young, we found abandoned baby birds rather often. My mother called a wildlife/rehab center (like you did) and they told her to give the baby little bitty pieces of bread soaked until soggy in either milk or water. She would feed them to the baby with a tweezers. Then either the rehab people would come pick the bird up or we would take it to their center. Hope that helps.

P.S. - we were also told that touching it does not leave a smell that will cause the parents to abandon it.

"No matter how flighty birds appear, they do not readily abandon their young, especially not in response to human touch, says Frank B. Gill, former president of the American Ornithologists' Union. "If a bird's nest is disturbed by a potential predator during the nesting or egg-laying stage," he says, "there's a possibility that [it] will desert and re-nest. However, once the young are hatched and feeding, [their parents are] by and large pretty tenacious."

The myth derives from the belief that birds can detect human scent. Actually, birds have relatively small and simple olfactory nerves, which limit their sense of smell. There are very few birds with extraordinary olfaction and these represent specialized adaptations."

Answer 3

well i would not put him back u there bc mostly likely they parents will be back, and if the smell that a human has touched the baby bird they WILL abandoned him. so just put some worms out if u feel u have to do something about it.

Answer 4

maybe you should keep him until he gets old enough to fly but please please please research them and what they eat dont put him back in he'll probrobly try to fly out but if you see the parents dont put him back up theyll smell you and leave bring it in you could keep him in a big OPENED box until he or she is a couple weeks older hope this helped good luck

Answer 5

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 unfeathered...then look for a nest and if you can find it...replace it into the nest. 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. If you cannot find a nest, 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://search.yahoo.com/search?p=how+to+...

Answer 6

BARN SWALLOW? is that some kinda west Virginian perversion?