A while back in February this year I posted - A Bird Story (gardenstew.com) The nest was used by two other sun birds before it was destroyed by very strong winds. It was left vacant for awhile before that happened. Just recently a new nest was build in the front porch and this time the pair of sun birds that built the nest were blessed with two nestlings. There were lots of chirping in the nest after the nestling were hatched and I noticed there were two sticking out during feeding time. A few days ago Becky saw that one of the nestlings left the nest and was escorted by the mother bird. Its first flight was short and it had to rest awhile before it flew again to a higher perch and this time they were joined by the papa bird. After a short while they disappeared into the wild. Not long after that there was chirping from the nest and we knew that the other one is still in the nest. Mama bird was once again busy flying to-and-fro from the nest bringing food. Yesterday Becky heard lots of chirping and found the nestling on the floor. Mama bird was watching from the roof. She watched the little bird for awhile and it looked dazed. Since it made no attempt to take flight, Becky decided to pick it up. It did not try to run away, it just stood there to be picked up. We decided to put it on higher ground so that it will be safer for it and should it decide to take flight it would be easier which we thought. The mama bird had disappeared by now. The little bird just stood there for about an hour chirping away and there was no sign of mama or papa bird. Then we decided to feed it some sugar solution and put it in a safer place until it is ready to take flight again. Resting after feeding We put it in a shoe box and kept it in the house so that those pesky cats would not be able to get at it. This photo is taken this morning and it looks stronger today and there is still no attempt to take flight. I guess we just have to continue feeding it and wait for it to be ready.
Sjoerd, according to google they are nectar feeders and some small insects especially spiders sometimes. We are feeding it with a 25% sugar solution. Yesterday I spend lots of time looking for spiders to feed it but strangely enough I couldn't find any. When I am not looking for them they are like all over the place. Anyway Becky managed to get one but the bird refused to eat it ... hmm... Yes I will Frank Thank you Pacnorwest, I guess that the least we can do. Took it out for some sun this morning and to see whether it wants to take flight. It looks happy to be in the open. Noticed that its tail feathers is not there yet. Anyway it is still not ready yet as it is still clumsy moving around on the floor and make no effort to fly.
Thanks for the answer. It is so interesting to follow the progress there. I know we are all wishing that little fellow all the best. Ahhh….finally a spider is found and the little bird isn’t interested.
You are welcome Sjoerd and we are wishing that little fellow will fly soon because we are flying too in a month's time. Today's outing is the same as yesterday and we have changed the feed from sugar solution to honey because it should be more nutritious.
Sjoerd, from my observation it takes to the honey really well. I am using natural raw honey and not the commercial produced kind. We get our supply from a honey collector who collect the honey from the jungles and not farmed honey. He had been supplying us for decades and it is a dark colour honey. Yes it is cute but we are worried that it will not be able to take flight when it is time for us to take our flight. We are now looking for a new home for it. There is no change today, still not taking flight, hmm maybe a friend of ours from Australia is right, it is a special need bird.
Thanks for the thought, I'll try them if I can't find anyone in the neighbourhood. Today made a perch for it to stand on wanting it to realise that it had to stand on branches when it can fly Now feeding it with pears and it is taking it. Still no attempt to fly.
That little thing wins the cuteness of the year award. What a good idea to make a little branch-like thing for him to get used to. Brilliant mate. Good luck further with finding it a foster home custodian.
Thanks Sjoerd you are so right and I have good news. Yesterday afternoon a friend of ours who lives in a different district volunteered to take that little fella in. She had some experience in rearing birds and it was a great relief for us. We sent the little fella over yesterday evening and got news that it had settled in to its new home well. It is also eating well but no attempt at flight yet. Anyway it is nice to know that it is in good hands and even if it is not going to take flight, it will be well taken care of.
