Fledglings - What Are They, How to Recognize and What to Do with Them?

It happens all too often that some people unknowingly kidnap a juvenile bird thinking it’s injured or orphaned. These young birds are called fledglings. Fledglings are well feathered and have already left the nest, but can’t yet fly.

Fledglings leave their nests after growing first feathers in order to exercise their legs, tail and wings. They need to strengthen these muscles so that by the time their wing and tail feathers grow longer and sturdier, they are in a better shape to pick up their first flying lessons and learn how to survive independently.

The parents know the calls of their baby birds, know how to find them and will continue to feed them and teach them the skill they’ll need in life.

The period between when the fledglings leave the nest and when they are able to procure food independently is crucial in their development and nobody’s better at getting them to the next stage in life than their parents.

I know most people have the best of intentions when they see an animal in need of help. However, before intervening with birds, it’s important to make sure that the bird is in fact in need of help.

In this video I go over facts that can help you determine if a bird you are looking at is a fledgling, and what is the best course of action if you come across one.

The video features the fledglings and an adult White Wagtail (Motacilla Alba).

00:00 Disclaimer
00:11 White Wagtail fledgling
00:51 What is a fledgling?
01:01 Adult White Wagtail
01:42 When you can encounter fledglings
02:03 Kidnapping of fledglings
03:16 Parents know their fledglings
04:03 What to do if you unknowingly capture a fledgling
04:32 When it’s OK to intervene with a fledgling
05:26 When not to capture a fledgling
05:38 How to recognize a fledgling
06:21 Ethical bird photography
06:51 White Wagtail parent feeding a fledgling
07:24 Adult bird knew I was watching
07:41 Fledgling feeding in slow motion
08:34 Principal rule of ethical bird photography
09:24 Two White Wagtail fledglings
09:35 White Wagtail fledgling in the grass
09:45 Fledgling can now fly a little

Keep rocking :o)

Mark