Petting Baby Birds (Nestlings)

Also see Monitoring and Nestlings

Okay, admit it, maybe you've done it, at least once - petting or stroking a beautiful baby nestling.
They sit quietly in the nest and seem almost tame. We feel close to them and love and care for them
so - it's like they are "our" babies. And it's amazing and tempting to get that close to a wild
creature. Bluebirds (but not necessarily other cavity nesters) are remarkably tolerant of humans,
and normal monitoring will not cause the parents to abandon the nest. But is petting baby birds a
good idea?

I think there are a couple of concerns.

- One is transmittal of disease, especially if you have pet birds you have handled, or if you are
coming from checking another box where you touched nesting material/nestlings.

- Another is stress. Imagine how GARGANTUAN and alien we look to a bird. Yes, the babies may look
calm, but is it because they are terrified and are instinctively pretending to be dead? Notice that
the older babies are, the more likely they are to hunker down in the nest, pretending to be asleep
or dead or trying not to attract attention.

- It can also stress out the parents, as they might think their babies are being attacked (although
some parents are so used to monitoring they just observe), which is why it's good to get in and out
quickly. You wouldn't want the parents to choose to nest elsewhere next time because of too much
interference.

- Some folks might view it as a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act because it could be
considered harrassment. (Although ots of other things responsible bluebird landlords do, like
changing out a nest when it is wet/infested with blowflies, could technically fall into this
category.)

- It's harder to maintain an even temperature inside the box when it's open. The babies could get
chilled, especially younger nestlings that are unable to maintain a constant body temperature. The
longer the box is open, the bigger the threat.

It's a gift that birds nest in the boxes we provide. They are wild creatures - they are not pets,
and they are not really "ours" - we are just blessed with an opportunity to observe them. Their
welfare should be our primary consideration. I know that responsible bluebird landlords would never
want to harm or stress nestlings. Thus, I recommend minimizing any handling of babies.

Personally, I would only handle babies under circumstances like having to: do a nest change, check
for blowflies, remove an unhatched egg or dead nestling, band, or bring a bird to a rehabber. During
these activities, it is best to put the bird(s) in a covered shoebox or paper grocery bag rolled
shut at the top, with a paper towel on the bottom so they don't slip. The darkness will help calm
them.

On another note, it's NOT a good idea to handle eggs unnecessarily! Eggs are so small and fragile
that they can crack just from being picked up. Chickadee eggs can break if you just touch them
lightly to see if they are warm or to count them. The oil on our hands could prevent eggs from
hatching (by interfering with respiration.)

I don't mean to yell at anyone or make folks feel bad - I just want to provide some information and
share my opinion for your consideration.

See nestbox monitoring tips at http://www.sialis.org/monitoring.htm for some more information on how to check nestboxes. For example, if you have a nest that's high up or difficult to see inside of,
Ace Hardware carries a great extendible auto inspection mirror that will allow you to see what's
going on inside the box.

Also see Why We Get Goopy Over Bluebirds at http://www.sialis.org/goopy.htm

Bet from CT

I never touch bluebirds unless absolutely necessary for their health. I have a parrot who would not appreciate me giving her an infection. I always shower and change clothes after coming in from the trail before I touch Lolita..

Phil Berry

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