A fledgling is a young bird that has grown enough feathers to leave the nest but is still learning to fly and be independent from its parents. The term fledgling refers to the stage after a chick hatches and grows feathers, but before it can fly competently or survive fully on its own.
When does a bird become a fledgling?
The age at which a bird becomes a fledgling varies by species. Most songbirds such as robins and sparrows fledge between 11-17 days after hatching. Larger birds like hawks and eagles take longer, often fledging at 8-14 weeks. The timing depends on the rate of feather growth and overall size of the bird. Once the flight feathers on the wings and tail are large enough, the nestling is ready to become a fledgling.
What abilities does a fledgling have?
A fledgling can flap its wings and may lift up or hover briefly, but cannot yet sustain long flights. Its feathers and muscles need more development first. Fledglings make short hops and flights from branch to branch, building strength and coordination for sustained flight later on. Their tail feathers help provide balance and steering.
While fledglings have feathers, they may still have some down or fuzz, especially on the head and body. This insulating down keeps them warm since they can’t fully regulate their body temperature yet.
Fledglings stretch and flap often to strengthen their wings. Their feathers may look ragged and worn over time as they practice flapping. Parents continue to care for and feed the fledglings until they are strong fliers – often for several weeks after leaving the nest.
How do fledglings behave?
Young fledglings are very active, curious and noisy. They beg persistently when hungry, using loud calls that catch the parents’ attention. Fledglings may chase their parents around waving their wings and calling.
When not begging for food, fledglings rest and sleep a lot to conserve energy. Napping conserves calories needed for growth. You may see fledglings resting on branches or on the ground.
Fledglings like to hop and climb around branches exploring their surroundings. Their grip is still weak, so they may fall or get stuck while climbing. Fledglings also spend a lot of time preening their feathers to keep them in good condition.
How do parents care for fledglings?
Parent birds continue bringing food to fledglings after they leave the nest. Fledglings cannot forage well or recognize food sources yet. Depending on the species, parents may feed fledglings for several days to several months after fledging.
The parents lead fledglings to good foraging areas with plenty of food and teach them what is edible. Fledglings watch their parents closely and begin trying different foods.
Parents shelter, protect and warm fledglings at night or during cold weather. Fledglings lack strong flight skills to escape predators and have immature immune systems. Parents defend and watch out for fledglings until they can live independently.
What are the risks to fledglings?
The fledgling stage is a vulnerable time for young birds. Many fledglings die from natural causes like starvation, weather exposure, injuries, or predators. Only 25-50% of nestlings may survive to become fledged young. Of those, another 50% or more may die within several weeks after leaving the nest.
Threats to fledglings include:
- Starvation if parents cannot find enough nourishing food
- Exposure to severe weather before they can thermoregulate
- Injury or death from clumsy attempts at flying
- Predators – cats, snakes, birds of prey, etc.
- Accidents like flying into windows or cars
- Disease from weakened immune system
The first 2-3 weeks after leaving the nest are especially high risk. However, parental care greatly improves survival odds. Fledglings following parents closely have much better chances.
When can fledglings live independently?
Fledglings are considered independent juveniles once they can fly competently, find food on their own, and no longer need parental care. The timing varies across species based on their development rate. It may range from 2-4 weeks to 2-3 months after fledging.
Songbirds like finches often reach independence within 3-4 weeks after leaving the nest. Larger birds take longer – hawks may become independent after 6-10 weeks. Shorter-lived birds tend to develop faster than long-lived species.
Parents recognize when fledglings are ready for independence based on their flight skills and how much they beg for food. The young birds no longer follow or beg from their parents, who stop feeding them. Juveniles disperse from their parent’s territory to avoid competition for food and mates.
Signs that a bird is a healthy fledgling:
- Alert, looks healthy
- Can hop, walk, flap wings, and may make short flights
- Has most feathers, may have some downy fuzz left
- Parents are nearby attending to it
When to help a fledgling
It’s normal for fledglings to be out of the nest and on the ground, developing their flying skills. As long as they appear healthy, can flap their wings, and parents are feeding them, it’s best not to interfere.
However, if a fledgling shows signs of illness or injury like:
- Bleeding, wounds, or limping
- Weak, unable to stand or extremely lethargic
- Featherless or covered in downy fuzz
- Shivering
- No parents attending to it after 2-3 hours
Then it needs help from a wildlife rehabilitator. Use a cardboard box lined with a towel to safely contain the bird before taking it to an expert. Do not try feeding it yourself.
Fledgling development in different bird species
Here is a table showing approximate timelines for various birds to reach the fledgling stage and independence:
Bird Type | Age at Fledging | Age Reaching Independence |
---|---|---|
Robins | 11-17 days | 4 weeks |
Chickadees | 15-18 days | 3-4 weeks |
Mourning Doves | 14-15 days | 4 weeks |
Crows | 35 days | 6-8 weeks |
Hawks | 35-42 days | 6-10 weeks |
Eagles | 10-13 weeks | 3 months |
As shown, the length of fledgling development varies widely based on the size of the species. Small songbirds like chickadees may fledge in 2-3 weeks, while large raptors like eagles need 3 months or more of parental care.
Interesting fledgling behaviors
Here are some fascinating facts about the abilities of young fledglings:
- Fledglings can make short hovering flights from branch to branch or ground to low perch. They beat their wings quickly while staying in one place to build flight power.
- Fledglings sleep on branches or even while perched on their parents’ back. The warmth and protection keeps them safe.
- Fledglings chirp or “beg” constantly when hungry. This cues parents to feed them, sometimes up to 400 times per day for songbirds.
- Young fledglings may mistakenly beg from and follow other adult birds, not just their biological parents.
- Fledglings watch their parents closely and imitate everything they do to learn skills.
- Some adult birds purposely injure their wings to demonstrate to fledglings how to walk and hop instead of fly.
Conclusion
The fledgling stage is a critical development period in a young bird’s life. Specialized care and feeding from adult birds helps fledglings grow their feathers and build flight muscles to ultimately leave the nest. Fledglings appear awkward at first, but their flapping and short flights help strengthen their wings. Within a few weeks to months, fledglings develop into independent, adept juvenile birds ready to forage on their own.