Blue tits leaving the nest

[hillsxxx]

I have enjoyed watching a family of Bluetits from the start as they chose an empty nesting box in my garden. Finally it was time for the fledglings to leave the nest 2 days ago, which I discovered as my dog was gently nudging one under the trampoline in the garden. I was so scared he had hurt the bird, I gently picked it up and poped it back in the box. I then saw the adults helping another fledging to fly sucessfully but they didnt return to the box for the weak one inside and I have not seen any of them now since. I removed the fledgings body this morning and wondered if anyone could tell me if the family would normally move out completely once the fledglings have flown? In hindsight, I should probably have left the weak one where he was and kept my dog in the house, but will any of these birds return, maybe next year? Thanks

[Littlesparrow]

Small animals and birds die very easily from shock, so it may have died without your dog actually hurting it. I don't see why the same blue tits wouldn't return, I can't remember it blue tits have two broods of chicks a year, but if we ever get a summer you may find its used again.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Littlesparrow

Small animals and birds die very easily from shock,

I've seen this stated many times, but am not convinced.

What evolutionary advantage would there be to small animals dying so easily 'from shock'? Besides, any genetic line that tended to have this trait would soon die out.

Jim

[Littlesparrow]

I don't know why small animals and birds have evolved this way, but if you Google something like shock and wild animal there is plenty on the subject. some large wild animals are also prone to dying of shock, such as deer.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Littlesparrow

I don't know why small animals and birds have evolved this way

The point I'm making is that it can't be evolution, because any individuals that show this trait are less likely to live long enough to breed and pass it down. It doesn't make evolutionary 'sense'.

Jim

[Littlesparrow]

Well I don't know what else you can call it Jim, a fluke of nature perhaps.

[~T~]

I've always found the opposite with fledgeling birds and young small mammals being pretty tough when it comes to getting some big scares early in life. I've disturbed cats playing with baby wood mice and voles and the ones that didn't actually have any big puncture wounds survived and seemed no worse for their big ordeal. Same with fledgeling sparrows. My old neighbours cat used to catch them all the time but just brought them in the house pretty much unhurt then lost interest. They would bring them to me and after half an hour or so to calm down in a shoebox 99% of them would fly off to find their parents. To the OP, there may just have been something actually wrong with the fledgeling and they parents chose to abandon it. It may not have been your dog, could have injured itself prior to it finding it or even a genetic problem. One of the reasons they have such large broods is that very few survive to adulthood.

[Dave R]

On a similar note I've been watching Blue Tit parents backwards and forwards to nestbox in my garden. Came home from work one day last week and noticed activity had stopped and no cheeping from the box. Haven't seen any young one in the garden and I had a look inside the box this weekend and found 2 dead chicks in there. My impression of Blue Tits is they have larger broods so what do you think the chances that some of the brood have fledged successfully and I just wasn't around to see anything.

[hillsxxx]

I think you are right, as they traditionally have 7-10 eggs, and I have found out today that once the fledglings have left the nest, the whole family leaves for the trees. Maybe they will return next year to entertain us again.

[hillsxxx]

The dead fledgling I retrieved from the nest was completely unharmed, no broken skin, perfect, my dogs an English Springer so instinctively would not harm a bird. Just natures way I think, but I do miss them all so.