Ask Lafeber

How to Encourage a Baby Bird to Leave Its Nest

I have a baby rainbow lorikeet that was born from a pair of lorikeets I keep. I have never hand-fed the chick; its parents have been taking care of it. However, the parents become very aggressive whenever I approach the nest.

The nest is a wooden box with a hole for the birds to enter and exit. Right now, the chick appears to be in the fledging stage: it has grown feathers, has dark eyes and a dark beak, and a short tail. I’m worried because the chick has never come out of the nest or even walked to the entrance to look outside.

Is there anything I can do to help? I’m concerned since the parents are not wild lorikeets but pet birds.

Hi,

If he hasn’t come out by now, you may want to help him. Since the parents are pet birds, they may just need a little help. You could leave it with them over the weekend. But after that, if he is still not looking out, it might be time to give him a push. Once he is out, take the nest box away so the parents can rest and look after the baby. They should not breed again for at least 6 months after the baby is moved to a new cage.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda