I have been monitoring a pair of Parsons nesting since mid June and was confident they had young a couple of days ago....
Today, whilst in the aviary I glanced over to their nest (a nesting box) and saw a little one (about 3 days old), waving its head about the place....it was between the entrance and probably the main part of the nest. Being very careful, I sided up to the box and could see that it's crop looked empty but mum was still in there, although a little ways back. I left the aviary and then watched for about 30 minutes to see a nest change over between mum and dad (who were not acting like stressed parents) but no interaction with this stressed youngster.
Keeping in mind that this is their first nest AND the potential hazards of sticking your fingers into 'most' finch nests AND natural selection, what would you have done?
Tony
Baby Parsons...what would you do?
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jusdeb
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If I had another nest that could accommodate an extra mouth then I maybe would have moved it .
Might have given it a top up feed knowing full well this would probably lead to hand rearing it .
First clutch I d be basing any decisions on parents inexperience more than "natural selection" .
Definitely would be watching it to keep tabs on things ... that answer was my heart talking .
This answer is my head talking ..leave it alone and let the parents learn from their mistakes , it may well be an inferior bird and nature has chosen it to not survive .
Contradictory answer I know . Such is bird breeding .
Might have given it a top up feed knowing full well this would probably lead to hand rearing it .
First clutch I d be basing any decisions on parents inexperience more than "natural selection" .
Definitely would be watching it to keep tabs on things ... that answer was my heart talking .
This answer is my head talking ..leave it alone and let the parents learn from their mistakes , it may well be an inferior bird and nature has chosen it to not survive .
Contradictory answer I know . Such is bird breeding .
Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue.
David Brent
David Brent
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Diane
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- Location: Northern 'burbs of Adelaide
Whatever happens to the youngster you will be left with "why didnt I?" or "why did I?"
This is one of those dammed if you do and dammed if you dont moments.
Myself I would leave it overnight to give the parents a chance to take it under their wing so to speak then in the morning I would wait in the hope that both parents leave the nest and scoop it out and try and top it up and put it back before the parents get back.
Even then you will end up referring to the first sentence of my post.....Whatever happens etc etc etc
This is one of those dammed if you do and dammed if you dont moments.
Myself I would leave it overnight to give the parents a chance to take it under their wing so to speak then in the morning I would wait in the hope that both parents leave the nest and scoop it out and try and top it up and put it back before the parents get back.
Even then you will end up referring to the first sentence of my post.....Whatever happens etc etc etc
Diane
The difference between Genius and Stupidity is, Genius has it’s limits
The difference between Genius and Stupidity is, Genius has it’s limits
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tonytoast
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I am smiling as I write as you both expressed the thoughts that went through my head....
I considered grabbing it out and waited to see if there was an opportunity where both parents were off the nest...that never happened (not a bad thing as I would prefer 'dedicated' parents rather than 'leave the nest every time the wind changes direction' parents). That being said, had I grabbed it out, would the parents then known that I had tampered with the nest and leave the other young (if they exist).
In the end I wrote this one off to nature knows best (more than likely an inferior bird or inexperienced parents)...it is heading for 5 degrees here tomorrow am so unless they physically picked it up and carried it back to the nest and fed it (unlikely) then it will not be alive in the am.
I considered grabbing it out and waited to see if there was an opportunity where both parents were off the nest...that never happened (not a bad thing as I would prefer 'dedicated' parents rather than 'leave the nest every time the wind changes direction' parents). That being said, had I grabbed it out, would the parents then known that I had tampered with the nest and leave the other young (if they exist).
In the end I wrote this one off to nature knows best (more than likely an inferior bird or inexperienced parents)...it is heading for 5 degrees here tomorrow am so unless they physically picked it up and carried it back to the nest and fed it (unlikely) then it will not be alive in the am.
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gomer
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Is a hard one as they don't like nest inspections. I would flick it back in discreetly with a spoon if the opportunity arose. Left it for a few hours if i still could not spoon it in discreetly during this time. Sometimes the parents can accidentally pull out the young when exiting the nest due to disturbances, so you yourself can be the cause of the initial mishap inadvertently. So many ifs and buts, and choices to make at the time. The other things As mentioned i may do. Put it in another nest if possible.or leave it to nature.It depends how much you value one bird as to the possibilities of loosing the nest.
By the way congratulations on the parsons. I to had some diggles fledge today.
By the way congratulations on the parsons. I to had some diggles fledge today.
Keeper of Australian Grass Finches
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tonytoast
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Yeh, my other option was as you say, feeding it back into the nest when both parents were out...chance never eventuated... I even had a spoon/straw utensil in preparation...
As for dragging off the nest, agree but I have another theory. I have a pair of Cutthroats feeding young at the moment but every time I am at the aviary, they are peering into a different nest. They are super inquisitive and I often wonder whether they have been the cause of many nest mishaps including 1 week old Ruddies on the aviary floor (alive) and Long Tails leaving nests at various stages. They even came and had a sticky beak at the young Parsons but were chased away by the cock bird....
There is always something but on the bright side, my Parsons were collected from Brisbane airport only 7 weeks ago.....
As for dragging off the nest, agree but I have another theory. I have a pair of Cutthroats feeding young at the moment but every time I am at the aviary, they are peering into a different nest. They are super inquisitive and I often wonder whether they have been the cause of many nest mishaps including 1 week old Ruddies on the aviary floor (alive) and Long Tails leaving nests at various stages. They even came and had a sticky beak at the young Parsons but were chased away by the cock bird....
There is always something but on the bright side, my Parsons were collected from Brisbane airport only 7 weeks ago.....