What chance of survival?

[Maybelle]

The single bluebird mom (see Two Females with one male?”) from the neighbor’s field is now going in and out of the BB box where our widowed male resides. They seem to be courting his box together. Meanwhile her one surviving fledgling will be 2 weeks fledged in a couple days and is still quite dependent on her for food. Today I saw our male knock the little one from its perch on the fence near his box where it ended up dangling from the wires. That doesn’t look like Papa is adopting it as I had hoped.
He has 4 well cared for young that fledged over 5 weeks ago. I wonder if those fledglings are old enough that they might help feed the younger one. Mama hasn’t yet started a new nest, but her interest in the box is keen and I don’t know how much longer she will devote entirely to this little fledgling. Has anyone ever seen a situation like this?

Cari
Willamette Valley, Oregon

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