Mother Bird Approves of Her New Nest

Gates Wildlife Technician Cassandra removed five baby starlings from a soffit of a home last week. All the babies were placed in one of our reunion jugs, which acts as a temporary nest for the family until the babies are big enough to leave the nest on their own. We leave the jug on site until this happens, then return to remove the jug for the homeowner.
Watch this video to see up close footage of the mother bird returning to her nest to discover our jug. It is very interesting to see how she works up the courage to land on the jug and feed her babies.
Please Note: some PPE's were removed for filming purposes.

[@smc130]

You have to respect a mama bird that worked so hard to build a nest like that!

[@larasikora5534]

She's gonna be like what happened to my house I was robbed they took everything

[@Agent1996]

It’s a nasty bird Supposed to kill em

[@MeysamShojaeeNejad]

With all respect, I don't think the new nest is safe against the predators such as magpies. The new nest should have been bigger with a tiny entrance to only let the mother gets in.

[@janelightning73]

She's super mama.

[@bruker4230]

Yeah she just wanted the best for her babies 😊

[@ASURAN24]

Love that you guys aren’t forcing the bird to relocate somewhere far. Appreciate the homeowner allows the nest to exist

[@tomaiger]

wait till a crow finds it

[@summerzhao5365]

I am surprised that you not only rescued the birds but also fixed the roof holes for the owner! I guess in most cases they’ll say: you have to call roof person to fix this. You provide such good and thoughtful service!

[@samsen3965]

Me too. They ought to be really good at heart or Too Young. Maybe both. But seriously and I hope they don't have to deal with the long arm of law later on and in the future!

[@NsyShwl]

Great video ❤ I think the most interesting part was seeing the mother come back and figuring out what happened.. each time she flew by you could see her taking in information and putting it together to figure out how to land.. Great channel thanks

[@toupac3195]

Hehe, mom is thinking, "dang I have some engineering prodigies for kids!" 😂

[@deeice5398]

Why not have advised the homeowner to have just waited another week or two when the chicks would have fledged on their own. She then could have had that part of her home repaired without causing any additional stress to the mama bird and her babies. I delayed an outside paint job on my home for a couple of weeks when I noticed a nesting bird with her chicks. I didn't want to disturb her. They all fledged within a week & I then continued with my home repairs. Simple sacrifice to make for the benefit of wildlife.

[@BeasleyStreet]

Indeed my thoughts also...why the the big rush, really for a few more days it can't be that big of a deal ...

[@nancy-katharynmcgraw2669]

She said another month...more than just a few days...

[@BeasleyStreet]

@@nancy-katharynmcgraw2669 starlings fledge 18 to 21 days and they were pretty advanced, so a few days is closer to the mark, a week at most...

[@Agent1996]

I shoot them

[@davidmichael9696]

We had a nest like this outside my daughter's bedroom. I figured I would wait until they moved out in a few weeks, then remove the nest and fix the soffit. They were there for exactly 24 days (making noise) and went silent the day before we left for vacation. Three days after we came home, my daughter said, I hear the birds... they are still there. I climbed out her window to check it out, and they were loud as can be. Turns out we had a 2nd family move in. They were there for exactly 24 days, and the soffit was fixed the next day. Later I found out that starlings are an invasive species, and they carry diseases. Also, the parent birds decided to sleep in a tree over my truck, and consequently, it was constantly covered in corrosive bird poop each morning! Get the nest out why you can!

[@Ladybug19391]

So cute, baby starlings have bedheads....

[@debradodd4810]

haha

[@enocsilvergreen9114]

I think that slightly larger wooden bird house should be placed, it is better and can be reused. Thank you.

[@lynnjasen9727]

This is light, easy to attach to the house, easy to remove when the birds leave, and can be reused for other nests in other places at other times. It’s perfect for its purpose, I think. 💕🇨🇦

[@kevindecoteau3186]

Quite a comedown in home size, mansion to studio.

[@bookmouse2719]

The rent's the same.

[@neraklrllessur8844]

Its May & u guys are in layers! Sweatshirts no less! Envy from the Gulf Coast!

[@voyaristika5673]

I'm worried that mama thought she was losing her mind. "I swear my nest was up there! Am I in early senility?! Will they take my car keys?! No, someone's messing with me...gaslighting, cruel prank!" But then it clicked and she was being mama once again 😊. Thank you SO much, Gates'. I hope more groups like yours start up to where they're a fixture in every community ❤

[@robinferdinandsen7122]

Naked with fuzz on their heads. they are ugly-cute just like babybirds should be. thank you guys and your customers for respecting animals so much

[@jjfaris]

How cool to watch the mother scope out the jug and feed her young. Thoughtful homeowner as well. Thank you for sharing

[@ksullivan1025]

I think any baby is cute even if it’s ugly because it’s so innocent. I think the fuzz on their heads and the look on their faces as cute as hell. I really like watching them do their work

[@droolbunnyxo9565]

When you think about all the trees with nests felled every spring & summer, it's nice to know that there are people who care enough to help make up the losses. 🌟

[@olgatellomorrow5898]

thank you for being kind to the animals❤

[@olgatellomorrow5898]

great job guys❤

[@jazzyj4765]

I know you use the box you made for raccoons, fox, and other rodents. Have you thought about creating something for birds, other than the jug? Is that type of bird good in small spaces? What happens when the babies get bigger? I can't foresee 5 of them, plus mom in the jug. Have you ever thought about using a 1.25-2.5 gallon rectangular water jug? That way there's a bit more room?

[@kimberlyingram-veillette4113]

I was thinking the same. That jug would be fine for two babies, but five? Seems too cramped. Also affixing a stick or something for a perch would help the mom a lot.

[@Suzanna65]

I think the jug is way too small. Especially as the babies get bigger, the mother can't even lay down with them. I also worry if it rains (in heavy rain with wind) water is going to go right in. Does the bottom have any small holes so it can drain? If not the rain water will just sit in there, which could be very bad for the babies. I love how well they care for all the other critters, but I do feel they need a better set up for the bird. Perhaps maybe even offer home owners the option to purchase a bird house. That would be my personal choice.

[@2degucitas]

The jug would have worked better horizontally

[@verabolton]

Agree. And that light above it must be very disturbing for the birds. I also wonder why did she not save more of the nesting material... Why could they not wait for a month, let them fledge and then fix the roof? Why was it so urgent?

[@jazzyj4765]

@@verabolton I'm sure the homeowners couldn't sleep with all the chirping and noises, since they were in the ceiling/wall of their bedroom. Hopefully they will begin to use the longer water containers. I think it would end up being more beneficial.

[@BarbaraKelley347]

Thanks so much for the work you do to protect and save these creatures. And look at this young woman! She rescues the birds and then gets out her electric drill and repairs the soffit!

[@shirleysmith8072]

Great Video of people rescuing chicks why couldn't they wait until they could fly away on their own and then remove nest from house 🙄😀? 🥰😍💞

[@stuff2047]

I’m with you. IMO, that absolutely could have waited based on where they were. I had 3 vents taken over one year by the same birds and I certainly wasn’t thrilled but I waited until they fledged and had the vents covered. To each their own I guess.

[@aananimity]

I agree - they probably didn't want 4+ weeks of poop build-up, or maybe the chicks make too much noise at 5:00am I would have let them be until they fledged the nest 💜

[@animalsareourangels93]

All creatures, big and small are truly beautiful! It’s sad that humans are taking so much of their living space. But thanks to Gates wildlife control, I’m happy to see how humanely you move the animals to a different location where they won’t be bothered and they can live the rest of their time being undisturbed. What a great Mama!! I am an avid follower of your channel and I have the utmost respect for your team. Best wishes, Susan from Ontario Canada. PS: I would give you 1 million likes if I could.

[@anitacoogan4822]

This was cool and humane, never heard of a Jug solution. A Friend & I rescue songbirds that hit the glass skyscrapers in Newark NJ, TRT made a video named 'Window Strikes in the Business District' of us picking up injured Warblers. In Newark most of the birds that hit the glass skyscrapers perish on impact, or when fall to the cement pavement. We bring injured to TRT (The Raptor Trust) for a 2nd chance. We do not see adult Starlings hit the glass, have see 3 Fledglings ( same family) hit and perish so with starlings apparently it is something they can learn to avoid if they survive. I've never seen baby starlings as young as you showed, only seen fledglings. Thank you, were so gentle with them

[@droolbunnyxo9565]

The Raptor Trust is a nice place to visit. A friend of mine just passed & one of my fondest memories of her was watching her play a funny game of peek-a-boo with a little screech owl they were caring for.

[@tinklvsme]

We had raccoons, possums, skunks and deer. All kinds of birds, wild turkeys squirrels and foxes. Un fortunately we had coyotes and 1 mean cougar but 2 sweet bears. Skunks don’t spray, they’d rather run away. Possums also we’re sweet. They’d sniff my toes & go eat. The raccoons would leave their babies for me to bay sit. Really sweet. We lived in the exact center of California North Fork. Now we’re in the city of Clovis Ca & have possums. From adults to babies 5 all together. ♥️🐾🐾🐾🐾

[@maryv4631]

Now that is downsizing mom will have to adjust to. Thanks for the show and sharing with us.

[@rubberbandshee2188]

Cassandra you are clearly super fearless of heights love your awesome work!

[@karenhayes4743]

Another job well done Cassandra!!! Thank you for sharing the video.

[@blippityblop2767]

I love the head tufts. Stylin’

[@razony]

My favorite channel on YT. The Rescuers of the Galaxy!

[@trishaferreira2309]

Of course she approves...her babies are in there. It would have been nice if you could have put a stick or dowel to make it easier for mama to perch. And yes. So nice that the owner lets them stay. ❤️🐦

[@TheSierralj]

Exactly

[@annwithaplan9766]

Or at least put something soft in the middle.

[@suemcknight9051]

@Trisha Ferreira… So agree. Also am wondering if the time & trouble is taken to do this, why not a roomy square gallon jug & putting at least the center-bulk of the nest in the gallons jug… five growing babies stuffed in that little space with barely any nesting material seems a bit sad to me. Only my opinion.

[@turquoisewitch.wild-owl]

I'm so amazed that you guys don't drop whatever babies you rescue. Watching these is like watching a thriller when it comes to the removal part...lol!

[@maxb4074]

I suppose they have had so much experience doing this work it is easy and secure when they handle babies.

[@marydurham5976]

While I’m A Huge Fan Of What You Guys Do… And Extremely Appreciative… I Honestly Think That “The Actual Carefully & Purposely Soft” Main Part Of The Nest Is What Should Be Placed In The Bucket & Definitely Not The Hard & Pokey Twigs (Usually Meant For Supporting The Soft Part Of The Nest)… As Bird’s Skin Is Very Thin & Delicate… Especially That Of Clumsy, Flailing, Feeding Baby Birds😓… And Tears In Their Tender Skin Is Extremely Susceptible To Infections!!😓😥…. Not Criticizing… Just Thought It’s Something To Consider In The Future… And Especially In Cooler Climates, Etc.!!??🤔😏…. As It’s A Really Easy Fix!!… And Could Make Those Baby’s A Lot More Comfortable… Without Dis Regarding All Mom’s “Self-Professed”… “Really Hard Work To Make It Softer”!!??💖😉…. Much Love, Appreciation, & Admiration!!!💖😍🤗😉

[@blessedbeauty2293]

- Thanks for showing the mom finding the birds. I wouldn't have been able to sleep if I didn't see her find her baby birds ❤ 16:11

[@deelb9462]

It would have been nice if the birdhouse had a perch on the outside of the hole. Plus made of a more natural and larger material.

[@da3640]

Bit concerned too about the sharpness of the plastic edges at the entryway

[@alvashoemaker8536]

Y’all were so caring with that wildlife; this is/was SO COOL…THANK YOU for doing this… (Mother Nature Thanks you…!). 🤣🥰👍🏼👍🏼👣

[@KatherineUribe-1]

Yea! Bird family is happy with their new accommodations.💕🐦🐦💕 Bless you and the home owner for looking after them, for your compassion. 🤗

[@bealynn2258]

🌟Yet Another absolutely EXCELLENT & INFORMATIVE Video!! GATES...Thank You so much for these Videos!! 💕We ALL learn so much!!! 👍👍🎉🎉🐣🐦

[@CharLiAdventures]

Rescuing an invasive species. Not their fault they are here (fault of humans of course). You guys are a joy to watch. Makes me believe there are still good people in this world.

[@toupac3195]

Starlings are fun, Walmart parking lot Grackles are not. (Grackle calls are kinda cool tho)....lol the babies have Rod Stewart hairdos 😂

[@danadavis8333]

Rod Stewart hairdos 🤣

[@larasikora5534]

Adorable thank you for being kind to God Creatures

[@veepee78]

evolution...

[@debragregory191]

I am eagerly watching the two soffit holes on my neighbor's house where the papas have clearly been bringing in nesting material and foods!

[@AbraCassandraCrafts]

I love Starlings. We have a mother, father and 5 babies that come here daily to eat the suet we leave out.

[@stuff2047]

They are beautiful. Have you seen Stella the Starling on KZbin? If not look her up, it’s pretty cool!

[@AbraCassandraCrafts]

@@stuff2047 I have not but I've been a huge Leslie the Bird Nerd fan forever

[@stuff2047]

@@AbraCassandraCrafts oh yes. Love that channel too. Stella the Starling is just a Starling that was rescued that can talk. Just a quick few clips to check out if you have a few minutes.

[@AbraCassandraCrafts]

@@stuff2047 I'll definitely check her out. Thanks!

[@joanmelnick1704]

I have a baby woodpecker (or 2) at my Florida beach. The chirping here instantly had me smiling. ❤😊

[@donaldbaumbach8291]

Starlings are rhe main invaders of woodpecker nests.

[@carolmartin6719]

You both do great work & are very gentle & kind to the wild animals. You both do a very good job.

[@Rikachan92]

The bird is killing me😂😂😂 it’s like “I don’t know man, I remembered the nest being up there not here…” 😂😂

[@johnwalsom4739]

This the second of their vids I have seen. What a lovely, competent, caring young woman. Any dad would be proud. I wish her well......lstay away from the bad jabs, please! Just as much a wildlife rescue team as a contractor. Keep up the good work.

[@sensualeye]

Please consider wearing safety glasses at least when you’re working on things above your head and you are looking up. Great job!

[@smc130]

Good advice. You never know when a sharp twig could hit your eye and do some real damage. Plastic glasses are worth the $15-20.

[@JohnRohoboth]

mind your business, fairy, before I give you a slap.

[@sensualeye]

@@smc130 being temporarily blinded while on top of a roof or ladder as in the video could be fatal.

[@mrs.sherry]

Respect to the woman who climbed up there and did that. Cassandra is awesome!

[@fvnt0miix953]

Imo, birds are the most amazing parents out of all animals. I witnessed a pair of American robins that built a nest near our deck. It was mid-April when I noticed the mother and the eggs. The weather was super cold and windy, but the mom stayed there everyday. The babies hatched on April 29 and 30th. The father and mother fed the babies every 15min-ish from dusk till dawn. I installed a camera there to watch the activity and I fed the family fresh berries. Unfortunately, the babies did not survive 😭 They were found by a raccoon at night exactly 1 week after their birth 😢 I think it was the first night the mother left the babies alone in the nest. The mother came back around 5am and was shocked by her empty nest. She still sat in the empty nest for about 10-15min and then left... It broke my heart when I saw that footage, she knew the babies were gone, but sitting in the nest was the only thing that her mother instinct told her to do. The nest was beautifully built. The mother and the nestlings endured awful weather. The male bird flew back and forth to feed the babies non-stop everyday. But in the end, they became someone else's meal... I know this is part of nature, but I wish I did something to protect the nest...

[@dawsie]

We have starlings here in the Outback where I live in Australia and every morning and evening they come and raid the cats dry food same as the blackbirds, kingfishers and butcher birds and so many other birds. To make it safer for them I put food out in a dish in the front gate for them but so far after 13 plus years the cats have left them all alone why they steel their dry food. One thing is they are all very fussy eaters I tried putting out a cheep dry cat food and they would not have any of it they love the seafood friskier cat food 😹😹😹😹😹

[@patricepodvojsky2784]

Wow. Am I impressed with your replacing back the soffit after …most companies will not even do that….

[@Jessica-kk1cz]

Nice that the owner is supporting their starling neighbors. ❤️She needs a bigger jug and a place to land that is more comfortable than the sharp edge of plastic that has been cut. I sometimes make birdhouses out of scrap wood - just use screw to hold it together

[@TheRealEvvonne]

I agree with you 💯.

[@olganovikova4338]

The suspense at the end... 😱

[@dreamcatcherjulie1]

So cute-the yellow mouth reminds me of Daffy Duck...

[@janelightning73]

Excellent, compassionate work.

[@KittyMama61]

Now, I raised three Starling babies. That said, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned that Starlings are an invasive species, and are not a protected species.

[@KittyMama61]

Also I forgot to mention Starlings will go in and kill baby bluebirds and build a nest over the bodies.

[@matteoricci1449]

cool videos

[@janwarner3475]

You are absolutely world changing. The camera LOVES you! You and your voice are just as or more so as captivating as your father. You are the world's next Steve Irwin. Keep up with your great videos. Not kidding, not even a little. 👍♥️

[@jdm44456]

Soooooo gorgeous 🥰 .. God bless your wonderful works 🙏 .. I sooo enjoy watching your videos from Australia 🇦🇺

[@nomercy_AtAll]

European Starlings are not protected by the federal endangered species act or migratory bird statutes, but they may be protected by some states under certain circumstances.

[@nancy-katharynmcgraw2669]

They are in Canada.

[@Agent1996]

Shoot em!!!!

[@djdiscoworm]

BEAUTIFUL

[@WillyTung]

I wonder if babies have ever been attacked by other animals while in the heat box.

[@sierrachoco5271]

Thank for being so careful and kind!!

[@MiMijakam]

Love your videos!

[@pamabernathy8728]

Love your work & admire your fearlessness with heights.

[@cynthiarogers2904]

*Perfect, but i would have used a jug with a wider bottom in order to give them more space as they grow.*

[@sallydorsey1851]

What great home owner great job

[@AmandaLeigh1004]

Oh my, what grumpy little faces! They look like me when I first wake up.

[@ronalddiloro4628]

Thank you!

[@aprildemers8814]

Nicely done!! ❤️

[@citibear57]

If only birds could talk, they could be home inspectors! "Hello Ma'am, you have a hole in your soffit that you will need to repair." 😁

[@louise9973]

These birds struggle to find food, their lucky if one gets to full adulthood and go on to have its own babies.

[@spiritsjoy]

Nope these birds are invasive bullies, they take all the food from native birds, even kill them to take an occupied nest and build their new nest on top of the dead family.

[@louise9973]

@@spiritsjoy I'd say humans are the invasive destructive species. From the damage we've done and are doing we out do these birds for invasion.

[@laughinglighting4343]

awesome stuff!

[@pamabernathy8728]

They are adorable!!!

[@dftfire]

I find it a bit odd that you say in the video the weight of the lamp caused the section of roof-panel to fall-out... and yet later you hang the babies in the jug from the exact same panelling! Are you sure it's safe?

[@gateswildlife]

Thank you for the question. The soffit panel was cut short by the company who installed it, which made the panel fall out from the trim piece with the weight of the pot light. When we put the soffit back we placed multiple screws in the soffit to ensure it will not fall down again. The jug was secure!

[@maryhairy1]

Great love for the birds & the eves of the this house. Many new builds are creating eco environments & building within the brick structure holes for birds to nest.

[@ed9763]

Even in my third World country we make aesthetically better looking wooden boxes for birds to nest.

[@monicathomas1757]

I think they purposely don’t make fancier boxes bc they don’t want them to stay. Just my theory.

[@bhannyboy]

Hugs from Russia and thank you! Very nice channel - love you

[@sohqur]

Good channel and I love watching nature..really god is great...babies have yellow visible color so that mother can feed them in the dark and when they grow it gets it normal color...anyway honestly there are two mistakes by you people...first you should have used the actual nest which was hollow and soft for babies comfort and sleep but you used the other left garbage material of the nest. .Secondly you should have used little bit bigger box..like actual nest box from the market instead of that empty water or oil can box. .it is very small and uncomfortable for mother to feed babies and she can even go inside when the weather is rainy and cold. .not just feeding to the babies is important but keeping the babies warm and safe with other predators is also important. .mom sits on the babies in the night to keep them warm and safe. .anyway this is what I felt so I said it. .overall good work. .thanks.

[@bodhi8260]

That nest is better looking than what I grew up in lol

[@suziecreamcheese211]

You could have waited for them to leave the nest. Why the hurry?

[@katea9584]

Wouldn't it be better to wait 2 weeks? The young chicks would fly out of the nest and then it would be possible to tidy up and secure a place in the roof for the future.

[@martinasikk6162]

❤❤❤❤ from Sweden. 🇸🇪

[@Nirrrina]

So can the starling family do a lot of damage to the home in the few months it takes to raise their family? Or would it have been fine to just leave them until gone? Just curious. Clicked because of the reunion jug. Which is really interesting to see & it's wonderful that that works.

[@davidheafield1436]

Just out of curiosity , which type of animals are inclined to either use the new homes in situ or rescue their young from them and relocate them from them ……and which type of animals are inclined to abandon their young if the original nesting area is disturbed?

[@angelgirldebbiejo]

I don't get why they couldn't just leave them, they would fly away when bigger wouldn't they? So sweet.

[@gateswildlife]

Thank you for your concern, the nest was located by the homeowner's main bedroom which kept them awake in the early hours of the morning. The nest would also get messier as the birds got older. Our jug keeps them contained and out the house.

[@dawnth531]

Like my neighbor who complained of cocks crowing in the morning and waking her up - and we live out in the country SMH. People never want any wildlife around them, even when they are the ones invading the animals' territory. Sad.

[@angelgirldebbiejo]

@@gateswildlife oh gotcha, thanks for answering. I know nothing about such things. I think they are cute though. Who pays for you guys to come out, the city or each person privately?

[@gateswildlife]

@@angelgirldebbiejo you're welcome! We are a private company so each customer pays for our services privately.

[@Brandoncye]

We had starling birds in our apt vent and told the apt manager. Little did I know they would legit just grab the babies and nest and throw it to the ground.. from a 3story apt. It made me so pissed!

[@dbaum23]

Starlings aren't native to North America, so at least in the US you can legally kill them.

[@Brandoncye]

@@dbaum23 oh wow, I didn't know that.

[@dbaum23]

@@Brandoncye Yeah, they're an invasive species. House sparrows are another. They make it hard on many native bird species because they are aggressive and will overtake their nests.

[@nancy-katharynmcgraw2669]

This is filmed in Canada

[@fwobebe5164]

Baby Birds: Well, we're in here now...let's eat.

[@lynn1099]

Mom was freaking out for a minute

[@jwonderfulsuccess]

Well played🙏

[@MeysamShojaeeNejad]

Nice job but two criticisms, if I may! First, why didn't the owner wait until the chicks fledge and then call for the removal. That would be a lot better for the nestlings. Second, I don't think the new nest is safe against the predators such as magpies. The new nest should have been bigger with a tiny entrance to only let the mother gets in.

[@Carmen698]

Out of curiosity would there have been any harm in leaving the nest were it was until the chicks were gone and then clearing it out?

[@cheekypiper512]

Obviously not or they would have done it.

[@UnknownTwig]

Some birds carry diseases and bird mites

[@Ryan-wk7us]

Cool video guys

[@maxloewe9162]

That's a very confused mama bird in the end :D

[@Windrider6]

10:36 !?!? Knocking on the door in perfect time with baby bird chomping its beak!?!? Excellent editing!!!!!

[@Zaydon7]

Birds mom was like I had kids in the middle class nest now where in a plastic jug on section 8 lmao no jugs

[@wackyrice1]

English starlings will tear out well installed hardware cloth soffit(sp?) vent covers. They are persistent .

[@alex_nemo_]

Great job! But why would you remove the old nest in the first place?

[@kellyjoiner4418]

Causing damage to the house

[@stephenchen4448]

very awesome

[@irishkazolotse]

I understand this jag/nest is only for a month, but in Midwest winters, would such nest help the birds against the cold? Because we have many birds living on my house like this, what is the nest solution to make them safe and not ruin the house?

[@shoutingatclouds6841]

Did you ship the starlings back to England or just kill it?

[@f_bog]

I had an internship where starlings got through the siding and nested in the ceiling above my desk. apparently something died up there because maggots fell from the ceiling , onto my desk, for a couple weeks.....

[@judypa38]

Birds nest are amazing:

[@alohatstyles]

I love your approach to humane removal. I was wondering though, about why not just leave this nest for another month until they leave? Seems like some major added stress to mom and babies.