There is no definite answer to how long it takes for baby birds to fly off but, as a rule of thumb, they usually leave the nest within two weeks of being born.
Different species in different locations take varying lengths of time before moving on, but it's unusual to find a bird remaining in its nest for longer than two weeks after birth.
After an egg has been hatched, the mother isn't likely to be overly-protective any longer, and is likely to stray far from the nest for a day or two as she feeds and looks after her new-born.
During this time, the chick will start to develop an awareness of its surroundings from watching its mother, and will start to pick up ideas on how to survive.
Gradually, the mother will spend less time in the nest looking after the new-born, and some species of birds leave the nest within a day or two of being born.
Larger birds tend to stay in the nest longer, as they develop physically but, once a mother is confident in her new-born's ability to feed and fend for itself, she is likely to allow it to fly off.
Some chicks will be able to feed themselves within a few days of being born - and once they are able to feed themselves, they are well on their way to being able to look after themselves, so will soon be flying off to fend for themselves.
Mother Knows Best
Mothers are always best-placed to make these judgments, and they don't allow sentiment to intervene. Unlike many other animals, a mother bird doesn't develop a very close bond to her young and, after the egg has hatched, won't spend very much time on them.
As soon as a mother sees that her chicks are able to look after themselves, they are likely to be left alone - and will soon fly off on their own.
Different species in different locations take varying lengths of time before moving on, but it's unusual to find a bird remaining in its nest for longer than two weeks after birth.
After an egg has been hatched, the mother isn't likely to be overly-protective any longer, and is likely to stray far from the nest for a day or two as she feeds and looks after her new-born.
During this time, the chick will start to develop an awareness of its surroundings from watching its mother, and will start to pick up ideas on how to survive.
Gradually, the mother will spend less time in the nest looking after the new-born, and some species of birds leave the nest within a day or two of being born.
Larger birds tend to stay in the nest longer, as they develop physically but, once a mother is confident in her new-born's ability to feed and fend for itself, she is likely to allow it to fly off.
Some chicks will be able to feed themselves within a few days of being born - and once they are able to feed themselves, they are well on their way to being able to look after themselves, so will soon be flying off to fend for themselves.
Mother Knows Best
Mothers are always best-placed to make these judgments, and they don't allow sentiment to intervene. Unlike many other animals, a mother bird doesn't develop a very close bond to her young and, after the egg has hatched, won't spend very much time on them.
As soon as a mother sees that her chicks are able to look after themselves, they are likely to be left alone - and will soon fly off on their own.
