Cedar waxwing (fledgling)
Issue: This healthy waxwing was captured by a well meaning person.
Treatment: Le Nichoir first tried to reunite the waxwing with its parents but was not able to find the exact location where the bird was found. The Centre decided to care for this fledgling until it was mature enough and able to fly.
Result: The waxwing stayed at the Centre for 3 weeks. It was placed in one of the outdoor aviaries where it was able to fly and was fed a variety of different naturals foods, similar to those found in the wild.
Did you know? That baby birds that fledge (fledglings) fall or are thrown from the nest even though they cannot fly? They will roam around, on the ground, for up to 3 weeks before they can fly away. During this time, the parents will feed them every couple of hours and protect them from predators. If you find a fledgling bird, the best thing is to leave it be. This is part of their growing process, and part of nature.
First published in the Hudson/Saint-Lazare Gazette and are reprinted here with permission.