No one answered your question publicly, so I'll take a shot at it as a
non-expert on fledging.



I think, for most birds, the nest is not a place of refuge. Once a young
bird can fly a little distance, it's usually safer for nestlings to spread
out so they are not sitting ducks, so to speak. Nests are often full of
parasites, too. Leaping from the nest is usually a one-time event. The
period after the bird leaps, when it's still learning to fly (and when it
might have leapt too soon) is extremely perilous, but evidently not as
perilous as staying.



There are exceptions. Cavities, for example, can be relatively safe compared
to the outside, but I don't know how often the newly-fledged youngsters can
fly well enough to get back into a cavity.



Perhaps someone else can offer more expert insight.



Kelly Cassidy



_____

From: tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu
[mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Marc
Hoffman
Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 11:42 PM
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: [Tweeters] Fledging: Is It a One-Shot Deal?



[This is a follow-up question to my earlier post.]

While watching our local Red-Breasted Sapsucker nest today, I saw one
youngster tumble out of the nest hole and spend the rest of my viewing time
on a branch, from which he/she was fed by the parents (photos:
http://www.dartfrogmedia.com/birds/sapsuckerNest/).

Now I'm wondering: Does it ever happen that these fledglings make their way
back to the nest? Or did I just happen to see a once-in-a-bird's-lifetime
event?


Marc Hoffman
Kirkland, WA
http://www.dartfrogmedia.com <http://www.dartfrogmedia.com/>
mailto:tweeters at dartfrogmedia.com