Baby robin nest help! (1 Viewer)

Hello, I joined this site because I'm in need of some advice. A robin began nesting on our back porch railing, and nestled her nest in a honeysuckle bush. She has four babies that are about a week old. She and her mate are fantastic parents, but the nest they built is way too small for all four babies. Twice now I've found a baby on the ground and returned them to their nest. As they've gotten older, they've gotten a lot more active and I worry about them fitting in their little nest. They're all healthy babies and great eaters, I would hate to see them not make it. should I try and put something around the nest to secure them better, or is it best I let them be?

It's normal for young robins (and the nestlings of many other songbirds) to leave the nest long before they can fly or feed themselves. They typically scatter in the general vicinity of the nest, concealing themselves on the ground or in vegetation where the parents will continue to feed and protect them. This is a dangerous stage for the youngsters but staying in the nest would be no less so and has the disadvantage that a single visit by a predator could wipe out the whole brood.

So, my advice would be to leave things alone. The babies will be leaving naturally in a few days and you don't want to modify the nest in any way that would make it more difficult for them to do so.

Hope this helps, and good luck with the nest.

fugl, thank you! Although I am not the OP it will help us a little bit with "our" robins in the garden.