What happened to the mockingbirds?

Question

There were 3 little babies in a nest yesterday and today they're gone. The nest is not in a place our cats can get to.

What other things would eat them? They were too young to make any noise yet. Any thoughts on this? I know the mom was not happy when we were in the yard. (We never touched the babies)

Answer 1

To Kill A Mockingbird

Answer 2

Crows, most likely. One of the staples of a crows' diet is hatchlings...you've probably seen adult mockingbirds defending their nest against the much larger crow.

Answer 3

No, they cannot move them.

Domestic cats are the "biggest" threat to wild animals in the cities of our world.  They do not discriminate and will kill anything from Garter Snakes and wild birds to mice, gophers, moles, and other small animals.  Many of the animals they kill are very beneficial to us and to the environment, like the Moles, Garter Snakes, and wild birds.  It is my opinion that cats should be kept in the house as much as possible and NOT let out to prowl around all night.  In Australia, they know how to deal with feral cats, because they love their wildlife and native animals.  Any  house cats they see in the wild, they shoot.

It is most likely that a cat got the baby birds.  Yours or someone elses.  But, there are some wild animals that would eat those babies too, among them are Crows, Ravens, or a  bird of prey.  Depending on where you live, there are some snakes that feed upon birds too.

A few years ago, America was being overrun by English Sparrows (an accidentally introduced bird, not native), and our Crows and Ravens took care of that problem, by eating the babies out of the nest.  Nature WILL take care of itself IF man will just leave it alone, which, of course, he probably never will.

Answer 4

If the birds were tiny and unfeathered then yes they were eaten by a predator.  Anything could have eaten them really, a snake, rodent, racoon, cat  or even another bird.  Corvids (crow, jays, ravens, etc.) are nest predators.  Even Mockingbirds themselves will raid other birds nests.

Answer 5

A Common Raccoon would eat a Mockingbird chick.

Answer 6

Well with you saying the mom wasn't happy with you all being in the yard, it's VERY possible she moved them to a more private place.  I wouldn't worry.

Answer 7

Lots of things eat baby birds. If it was in a place that cats couldn't reach, it was probably another bird or maybe a snake.

Answer 8

Have you seen any crows hanging around your yard?

Answer 9

If not a cat, maybe a crow or raven...