My Bluebirds

[Gilda]

Here is the story of the baby bluebirds we hand raised after they were abandoned by mom....dad fed for a few days, but 5 hungary mouths were too much for one bird to feed.

Hubby and I called our local birder who informed us on what to do....the babies lived in a small nest sized bowl lined with toilet tissue(for easy cleaning) we kept this in the gas grill so predators couldn't get to them for a few days..they quickly outgrew this abode and moved to a small cage a friend loaned us. They were fed every few hours through the day on a diet of meal worms and dry cat food that was softened. We had to teach them to bathe and to condition their feathers for inclement weather...this was discovered after the first rain they encountered and were pitifully soaked and coulld not fly....they would come when called and we would put them back in their cage at night. Through the day they were free to do whatever birds do !

After they were flying really well, we quit caging them at night but they would still come in for food.... ....expecting company one day ,and wanting them to experience the birds coming in for food...we waited...one of the males saw me through the sliding door and tried to fly to me....glass doors and birds don't mix....still haven't forgave hubby for that !! No more waiting to feed them. They also flew on a neighbor lady walking that had blonde hair !! She was quite shocked to have a bluebird land on her.

The other 4 grew to maturity and stayed around till the daddy bird ran them off when the next brood fledged...I often wish we had put bands on them and wonder if they are the ones we see and have nest year after year...it was a great experience !

[TundraKev]

OK, now I know you're a good person. That's a really cool story and good pictures to boot.

Bluebirds were always the "favorite bird" in my family probably because they just aren't as common as they once were. Actually, in my state - MN, there's been a huge statewide effort to get all sorts of groups involved in building bluebird houses since so much of their nesting habitat has been destroyed by development.

I raised a couple of baby raccoons once from eyes shut cuties to 20 lb bundles of terror. I know the challenge and commitment you went through. Thanks for sharing.

Kev

[Gin]

You are a great bird mom , and a good person , I love the pictures of them they are so sweet . lots of care on your part . I hand fed a baby sparrow several years ago named her Big Mouth , she stayed in the yard for about 5 years . I think that is about the max on a sparrow . It is nice to know there are still kind people around . Gin

[LJA]

Gilda, what a great story and pictures! I'm a little envious of your success though--I tried hand-feeding a baby bird one time, which didn't quite work out...

Now I stay content with watching the moms rear and feed them, with a real appreciation for the amount of work involved.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Gilda!

That is awesome! What a wonderful thing to do for nature! My dad does this kind of thing too. Sometimes it is baby rabbits, other times squirrels. Once he raised a three legged racoon. That coon was sooooo mean. But it was cool to help him get better.

Thanks for the photos and story!

Cheers!
BD

[Gilda]

Thank you all for looking......it was a special thing that I wanted to share with my orchid family !

Kev, I am glad you now know I am a "good" person.. I thought all orchid growers were good people ! We had a pet raccoon...that would take your arm off if you got too close !

Gin, you are a good bird mom too !

Bruce and Louis,
Got to help nature out when you can....I fret myself silly if I see the bluebirds not feed regularly after hatching ! Like Kev said..they are kinda rare and there is nothing more beautiful than a male bluebird with the sun shining on his feathers..never will you see that color duplicated.

[Slipperhead]

GREAT bluebird story! I just moved back to VA in June 03. This neighborhood is FULL of them. We live on a corner and they are constantly on our street sign, on our gutter, and in our small trees.

Last season one pair nested in my neighbor's newspaper cubby, just under the standard mailbox. They were tolerant of the mailman and kids playing in the driveway most days. I believe the neighbor said that four of the young fledged.

I have just put up two bluebird boxes in the yard spaced as far away as possible. Hopefully they will take a look at one of them!

[Piper]

Gilda,

Your story reminds me of a trip to Scotland last summer (yes, piping was involved!) I was invited to particpate in a sailboat race and the boats we were using had open cabins (no door to shut leading down below.

When we got aboard, it seems some mamma had made a nest on a shelf down below, layed and hatched eggs in the week since the boat was last used. I was driving and we had two crew. Upwind legs were always busy with everyone doing racing things, but when we'd round the windward mark and head downwind under spinnaker, someone would slip below and feed the hungry babies. It was incredible how much noise they made chirping! Afterwards, they'd sleep until the next downwind leg.

We left them as we'd found them (perhaps a bit fatter) and the following week there was no sign of the babies. We never knew what happened to them.

Anyway, thanks for sharing your bb story and pics!

Julie