Nature is Cruel, I'm Bummed...

[Tricky Grama]

Didn't want to hijack the "what bird lays eggs in another's nest".
Had robins build there home in a tree near our driveway, fairly low & we watched them survive fierce rains, high winds, only to see nothing in the nest yesterday am, there had been 3 babies being fed.

So what do we have? Cat? There were hawks nearby last Spring, have never seen a snake (suburbs here).
Feel so bad.

Patty

[Shygal]

How big were they? perhaps they left the nest?

[ronbre]

yeah I see our cats catch birds, mice, rabbits, etc..but I figure if THEY don't do it the falcon, hawks, coyotes, etc will likely get them..

Our one cat eats every single part except the rabbits feet, (don't know how he eats the head), and he even eats the wings on the birds..so he doesn't "waste" them..I'm very proud of him, I know it makes him stronger to eat fresh meat so I'm not going to fuss about it..if he just killed and left them that would be a totally different story, the female cat doesn't always eat them, but her son will, so they still don't go to waste.

the food chain just seems to run that way..if we see a bird in danger, like cornered on the porch, we will rescue it..Ron held a Junco in his hands for a few hours the other day to make sure it was still going to live before he let it go, think it blessed him..so we aren't cruel, but they are good hunters and hey, they keep the mouse and rat population under control so I'm not going to complain about them getting some birds now and then

[Tricky Grama]

Oh, no they were just getting their feathers, maybe about a week old, sorry, shoulda said.

[rabbitpatch]

Unfortunately, robins are terrible nest builders and sometimes babies just fall out. I have found many baby robins under our big maple tree, that just fell out for no apparent reason. They're usually about that age too...maybe a week or so old. Feathers just beginning to come through, etc. Judging by how frequently I find them on the ground this time of year, it's a wonder we have any around our place that actually make it to adult hood.

[Bearfootfarm]

Most likely it was a snake.

I've seen Black Rat Snakes climb right up the side of a tree to raid nests

[Patt]

I would guess owl. We have had one pick young guineas out of our trees before.

[Yvonne's hubby]

I hate to hear about this, somehow it seems different when we get attached to these wild critters, but you are correct..... Mom nature is cruel, harsh and cold. She offers no guarantees and snakes and hawks gotta eat too. Pop Time is no real treat either..... look at what that old buzzard does to us!

[mekasmom]

If Mom is still alive, she should lay again in the same area. They lay in the same area at least twice in the season, and even more if their eggs/babies are lost.

[Tricky Grama]

Originally Posted by mekasmom

If Mom is still alive, she should lay again in the same area. They lay in the same area at least twice in the season, and even more if their eggs/babies are lost.

Yup-figured that would happen, dumb birds.

[7thswan]

Bummer. the hawks like to troll my bird feeders. Harrier hawks I think, now if the Red Tail would pick off a few of these feral cats....

[tinknal]

Nature is neither cruel or kind, innocent or guilty, it just is.

As easily as you can say it was cruel to the young robins, I could say it was kind to the young, say owls, that were nourished by those young robins.

[fishhead]

Birds will continue to feed their young on ground even if they fall out of the nest.

[Tricky Grama]

Originally Posted by fishhead

Birds will continue to feed their young on ground even if they fall out of the nest.

No evidence of birdies on ground.

[salmonslayer91]

sometimes larger chicks kick out the smaller compition for space and food