Hi! There’s a baby bird in my yard. It’s about the size of my fist. It has a few short white feathers. I think they’re pin feathers. The nest is too high for me to reach; so I left it alone on the ground....
That’s a baby mourning dove! There are usually two babies so the sibling is likely up in the nest. The parent could feed it on the ground if it feels safe to do so, but I’m not sure if the parents would know how to find it or would feel safe.
They’re so derpy and sweet! I scrolled and posted a lot recently on Reddit (wah wah) on the mourning derps and stupid dove nest subreddits (hilarious) because I got a little dove nest in a plant pot on my own porch this spring! The mom actually just had another set of eggs! I have learned a lot about these damn birds.
I really hope you get to see this one grow and get to see the parents, too. Our last set of fledglings spend a lot of their “teenage” days on our balcony railing instead of in the nest and the mom kept on coming back to feed wherever they stood, until eventually they were coaxed to start really flying. Maybe your baby’s parents will swoop down and feed. Or like someone else said the fledgling may just adapt and figure it out - surely it will get hungry enough to try!
I’m officially a bird person thanks to mourning doves!
Help? Found a baby bird; should I be doing something? Update 2
Hi! There’s a baby bird in my yard. It’s about the size of my fist. It has a few short white feathers. I think they’re pin feathers. The nest is too high for me to reach; so I left it alone on the ground....