Got birds?  My property has its share of our feathered friends, especially robins.  In fact, we've had a family of robins in a nearby tree, complete with a nest of fuzzy little ones.  It's been a joy to watch the progression of nest building, to the mother robin sitting on the nest, to hatchlings emerging from those eggs.  Well those little hatchlings have had a rough go of it.  Mother Nature is not always kind.  In fact, sometimes it can be downright harsh.  I saw that exampled first hand the other day as a big crow swooped into the nest and grabbed a baby robin right out of its nest with a bevy of robins crying in pursuit.  It was so difficult to watch that fluffy little body of the robin fly away in the mouth of that crow!

Then yesterday, I discovered another baby robin on the ground underneath its nest.  My first instinct was to get it back into its nest since it appeared quite unready for flight and seemed sure to get snatched up by another predator.  I wanted to save at least one from the nest.  Well, before researching what to do, I acted on my rescue impulse and attempted to put that fuzzy baby back in its nest.  Unfortunately, it decided that wasn't where it wanted to be and just jumped out of it yet again.  I think it had outgrown its tiny house.  That's when I decided to head inside and do some internet research on what to do when you find a baby bird out of the nest.  Here's what I discovered: according to the National Audubon Society (the bird experts)...

"Many species of birds such as robins, scrub jays, crows and owls leave the nest and spend as many as 2-5 days on the ground before they can fly. This is a normal and vital part of the young birds' development. While they are on the ground, the birds are cared for and protected by their parents and are taught vital life skills (finding food, identifying predators, flying). Taking these birds into captivity denies them the opportunity to learn skills they will need to survive in the wild. Unless a bird is injured, it is essential to leave them outside to learn from their parents."

This just proves that nature is smarter than we are.  Birds know what they're doing and we should just leave well enough alone even if the outcome is not pretty.  I just wish it wasn't so hard to watch nature takes its course!

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