Quick Answers
The amount of time a mother bird feeds her babies depends on the species. Most songbirds feed their chicks for 2-3 weeks before the chicks leave the nest. Larger birds like hawks may feed their young for up to 10-11 weeks. The feeding time also depends on the number of chicks in the nest. More chicks means a longer overall feeding time for the mother.
Birds make incredibly devoted parents. From incubating eggs to feeding hatchlings, avian parenting requires immense time and energy. One major responsibility for mother birds is feeding their chicks. But just how long does this essential process last?
The answer depends on multiple factors. These include the species, brood size, and speed of chick development. Overall, though, most mother birds spend anywhere from 2-11 weeks feeding their young before the chicks fledge from the nest.
In this article, we’ll explore how long various bird species care for their chicks. We’ll also look at what affects the duration of the feeding period. Whether you love watching urban house sparrows or majestic bald eagles, you’ll discover the incredible dedication of mother birds.
Songbirds
Many backyard bird species fall into the songbird category. This includes chickadees, sparrows, finches, wrens, bluebirds, and more. Most songbirds have altricial young, meaning the chicks hatch helpless and require extensive parental care.
For songbirds, the feeding period typically lasts 2-3 weeks. Here are approximate fledging times for common species:
- American robin – 13-16 days
- House wren – 12-18 days
- Song sparrow – 11-13 days
- Mourning dove – 14-15 days
- Eastern bluebird – 17-19 days
- Black-capped chickadee – 16-18 days
Songbird chicks grow incredibly fast. They can increase their hatching weight up to 10 times within two weeks! This rapid development requires nonstop feeding by the parents. Mother birds make hundreds of food deliveries to the nest each day. Nestlings gape their mouths wide anytime an adult approaches, begging for more nutrition.
Both the mother and father share feeding duties in most songbird species. The parents work together to supply enough food for the family. This teamwork allows songbirds to successfully raise multiple broods per season.
Other Perching Birds
The perching bird order contains over 5,000 species. It includes songbirds along with other types like crows, jays, magpies, and swallows. Here are the approximate chick feeding times for some of these groups:
- Crows and jays – 4-5 weeks
- Swallows – 3-4 weeks
- Cuckoos – 2-3 weeks
- Woodpeckers – 3-4 weeks
- Nightjars – 3-4 weeks
In general, the bigger the perching bird, the longer the feeding period. American crows, for example, are much larger than house wrens. It takes over a month before crow chicks develop enough to leave the nest.
Like songbirds, most of these perching bird parents share feeding duties. Both males and females work nonstop to raise hungry chicks. Nestlings clamor loudly if they spot an incoming adult, ensuring they get their fair share.
Birds of Prey
Raptors like hawks, eagles, and owls have a much longer nesting period. These birds usually lay fewer eggs, so each chick requires extra attention. Feeding times often last 7-11 weeks, though the largest eagle species may feed chicks for up to 14 weeks.
Here are approximate fledging times for common raptors:
- Great horned owl – 6-7 weeks
- Red-tailed hawk – 6-8 weeks
- Bald eagle – 10-11 weeks
- Peregrine falcon – 5-6 weeks
In most raptor species, the female performs the majority of chick feeding duties. She passes food items brought by the male and tears them into bite-sized pieces. The chicks exercise their wings and legs as they grow, preparing for life outside the nest.
Seabirds
Seabirds that nest on cliffs and shorelines also have long chick rearing periods. Young seabirds need time for their feathers to develop enough to keep them waterproof at sea. Some examples include:
- Albatrosses – 8 months
- Frigatebirds – 4-5 months
- Penguins – 2-3 months
- Cormorants – 4-6 weeks
- Terns – 3-4 weeks
In most seabird species, parents take turns foraging at sea and returning to feed the chicks. This allows the young to receive food even while one parent is away. Seabirds utilize a variety of specialized feeding methods, like the regurgitation behavior of albatrosses.
Other Avian Groups
Some other bird groups have extended chick feeding periods as well:
- Limpkins – 13-16 weeks
- Cranes – 10-11 weeks
- Herons – 6-10 weeks
- Rails and coots – 5-10 weeks
- Pigeons – 4-5 weeks
Parent birds in these groups tend to have fewer offspring per clutch. But their chicks are helpless and require diligent care for an extended period. Limpkin nestlings, for example, stay with the parents for over 3 months before becoming independent.
Why Does Feeding Time Vary?
As we’ve seen, avian feeding duration ranges widely from just 2 weeks to over 6 months! So what accounts for all this variation between bird species? Here are some of the major factors:
Chick Development
Bird species with altricial young require longer care than species with precocial chicks. Altricial hatchlings are naked, blind, and totally dependent on their parents. Precocial chicks are covered in down and can leave the nest shortly after hatching. Since altricial chicks take longer to develop functional feathers and mobility, they need more time in the nest.
Songbirds and owls have altricial downy chicks that demand two weeks or more of feedings. But pheasants and ducks produce precocial young that can feed themselves after just a day or two of parental care.
Number of Eggs
Birds that lay larger clutches end up spending more total time feeding chicks. A mourning dove with two hatchlings finishes sooner than a barn owl with six nestlings. Though individual chicks may fledge at the same time, the owl has to work over twice as long to feed its whole brood.
Seabirds that lay single eggs have shorter nesting periods than songbirds with 5+ eggs. Overall effort is greater with more hungry beaks to fill!
Adult Size
Larger bird species tend to have longer feeding times. With more body mass, chicks take longer to put on the necessary weight for flight. An American robin fledges in two weeks. But a hefty blue jay chick needs four weeks or more to develop its muscles and coordination for flying.
Eagles and herons dwarf songbirds in size, so their offspring require 10+ weeks of nest time instead of 2-3. The amount of food needed for proper growth is vastly greater.
Range and Habitat
Birds native to harsher environments may have longer care periods. Snowy owls face challenging conditions when raising their young in the Arctic tundra. Likewise, king penguin chicks endure severe weather while parents forage in Antarctic seas. Slow development helps these chicks endure and build strength while waiting for food.
In contrast, tropical birds can fledge faster since resources are abundant year-round. Chicks aren’t forced to wait out long storms or cold snaps. The consistent climate allows for quicker maturation in many species.
Food Availability
Scarcity of nutrition lengthens the feeding period. This is because birds need more time to acquire adequate food for their chicks. Eagles in areas with low fish populations may provide just one meal every few days. Meanwhile, eagles near salmon runs deliver daily meals.
Seabird feeding duration varies greatly between years and colonies based on marine food supplies. If prey fish or plankton are scarce, chicks require a longer nesting period before they gain sufficient weight. Parents work harder searching for nutrition.
Number of Broods
Bird species that raise multiple broods per season generally have shorter nesting stints. Parents try to fledge chicks quickly so they can begin a new clutch. American robins and house wrens leave the fledglings from first broods on their own in order to start new families.
Birds with one yearly clutch often devote more time to that brood. Atlantic puffin parents take shifts feeding their single chick for 6-8 weeks before it fledges. They don’t start more clutches, instead focusing attention on the one chick.
Conclusion
Caring for helpless chicks is a major endeavor for mother birds. Depending on the species, they may spend anywhere from several days to over half a year feeding and raising nestlings. Songbirds and raptors show especially strong devotion, feeding chicks hundreds of times per day.
While feeding duration varies, all bird parents display incredible dedication. They tirelessly collect food and deliver it to nests according to their chicks’ needs. This parental effort allows young birds to grow into independent, successful adults. The next time you hear fledglings begging, listen closely for the reply of the mother bird as she returns with a meal.