I made a big mistake on my trail and looked in a box that had tree swallows that weren’t quite ready but close to fledging. I quickly closed it back up and one jumped out. I pushed him back in the hole and he kept trying to get out. I plugged the hole and waited awhile and then unplugged it and he and a sibling flew out. I could barely find the one because he flew toward really heavy weeds. After digging through hip height weeds I found him in the adjacent farm field.
I made a hole reducer 1″ out of cardboard because I couldn’t find my metal hole reducer. 🙄 This is what you do with bluebirds that fledge too early. The parents can feed them still but they can’t get out.
I’m hoping this works for tree swallows.
I’ll check on them in the morning. Just what I wanted to do before church tomorrow morning!
This topic was modified 7 years, 4 months ago by tamsea.
Hi Tammy:
I hope the hole reducer worked and that all is well with the fledglings. Boy the things we have to do to be guardians of our feathered friends. Good Luck.
Connie (PA)
I checked on them this morning and the parents just seemed agitated. I never saw them feed in about 40 minutes. So I finally just took the hole reducer off. That’s all I could do since I didn’t see the parents even going to the hole. I’m upset but hopeful. They didn’t move a muscle so maybe they will stay in. First time I’ve ever had this happen to me.
Good Luck to you and your little “tuxedo birds!” I have them for the first time this year, and I just love them. However, Lisa is right–it is one more thing to worry about.