Can I move a hanging planter with live nest? (1 Viewer)

[mcgeggy]

I have a hanging flower pot with baby birds in it right on my deck near the sliding glass doors (house finch?). The baby birds have been there for about 5 days or so and are being cared for by the parents. We are having a big deck party this Saturday, and I'm afraid all of the commotion will spook the parents.

The hanging basket is right underneath a second upper deck. What if I moved the entire hanging basket a few feet up, onto the upper deck, and placed it under a table for shelter (it would still be easily accessible from all sides)? Would the parents still tend to their young?

 

[DownyWP]

Personally I would let it be, you may find that in 5 days time, the fledglings will have left the nest. Just my $.02

 

[mcgeggy]

Personally I would let it be, you may find that in 5 days time, the fledglings will have left the nest. Just my $.02

Thanks for the response. That would be a relief if they've left by Saturday. But if not - I wonder which is the least disruptive - parents not having access for 5-6 hours, or finding the nest location has moved up above to a more private area...

 

[fugl]

Thanks for the response. That would be a relief if they've left by Saturday. But if not - I wonder which is the least disruptive - parents not having access for 5-6 hours, or finding the nest location has moved up above to a more private area...

If you intend to move the nest, I would do so as soon as possible while the chicks are still comparatively small. Waiting until just before the party, when they're that much older, might cause them to leave the nest prematurely.

The parents are unlikely to desert healthy young if they know where they are and can get to them and there's nothing in the immediate vicinity to scare them off.

 

[LowellMills]

A bird's sense of where its nest is is pretty sensitive, with a number of spatial cues used. Moving the nest can lead to confusion, so I'd be very reluctant to move it. An 'invisible cordon' around the nest to your guests would be a much better idea and would be a great feature at the party watching the adults provision from a safe distance. I'd be pretty cheery to have that in my garden.