How to Teach Baby Robins to Fly

Baby robins should be brought to a qualified wildlife rehabilitator. It is very difficult to rear a baby bird without some animal husbandry knowledge. Birds chill, dehydrate and sicken extremely quickly. Many chicks may need immediate veterinary care. It is also illegal to take songbirds, be sure the bird is truly in danger -- such as a newly hatched bird from a destroyed nest or an injured hatchling. Place healthy hatchlings back in the active nest. If you have successfully raised a chick to flight stage there are a few steps that can insure a successful release. The steps are not about teaching the bird to fly but are about teaching the bird to feed itself in the wild.

Instructions

    • 1

      Always try to place the bird with wildlife rehabilitators. Contact local veterinarians or animal control officials to assist in helping the robin. Handling songbirds intentionally is illegal.

    • 2

      Assure the chick is healthy and the breast is plump to the touch. See that the bird has full wing feathering even though the body will exhibit immature feathering. Hold the robin in the palm of the hand and the bird will begin to try balancing with its wings.

    • 3

      Take the bird to a safe and enclosed environment. Leave the bird alone and watch to see if it is trying its wings for flight (this stage of growth is reached at about 2 weeks). Birds fly instinctively and do not need any assistance. Watch the robin attempt short and awkward flights. Do not release the bird.

    • 4

      Set up a food training station for the robin. Hide mealworms and other insects in this training area for the bird to begin feeding. Feed it fortified baby parrot food and fruit pieces. Robins need to eat every half hour, as much as they want to eat during daylight.

    • 5

      At 3 weeks move the robin to a safe outdoor area. The chick will not identify predators and must be set in a secure area. Continue to feed the hatchling as mentioned before. Bring the chick inside at night. Continue doing this until the bird automatically stops coming for food and has moved off on its own.