Hello, sorry if this is in the wrong thread. I have robins nesting down the side of my house (between house a garden wall) and it tends to be a throughway for neighbourhood cats. The adults have been feeding small bites the last two days so I am guessing the chicks will fledge in the next week or so. I’m going to put chicken wire up either end of the alley to protect the fledglings, but wondering how many days I will need to keep it up once they fledge, as I understand they stay on the ground for some time? Thank you!
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How long fledged robins stay on the ground? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Andil
- Start date
Tired
Well-known member
I'm not familiar with what I assume are European robins based on your location flag, but fledgelings of most songbirds are flightless for a couple of days to something like a week. I'm also not certain whether chicken wire will deter cats all that well, skilled climbers that they are. Maybe if it bends outward at the top and is loosely attached there, so as to wobble and not provide a good grip?
How large is the space? I'd be concerned about trapping the fledgelings during a time where they're meant to be moving around, learning how to be birds. Cats are a nonnative predator and a major concern, but this is the period in a bird's life where it has to take some risks- birds trade off having their babies out of the nest earlier with having that few days of vulnerability.
How large is the space? I'd be concerned about trapping the fledgelings during a time where they're meant to be moving around, learning how to be birds. Cats are a nonnative predator and a major concern, but this is the period in a bird's life where it has to take some risks- birds trade off having their babies out of the nest earlier with having that few days of vulnerability.
Thank you. The alley is about a metre wide and 4metres long, but not enclosed above. Their nest is on top of the wall in the ivy (The wall is about two metres high and runs alongside my neighbour’s garden). I’ll keep an eye out and will try bending chicken wire At the furthest end. I think as long as it is high enough the local cats won’t be able to jump over..
