Baby birds are born with an innate ability to communicate, essential for their survival and development. Their earliest chirps are not random sounds; they are a key part of their interaction with parents and their environment. Understanding these vocalizations offers insight into how these young creatures navigate their first days and weeks. These sounds evolve as birds grow, reflecting their physical and behavioral maturation.
When Vocalizations Begin
The timing of a baby bird’s first vocalizations varies depending on whether they are altricial or precocial. Altricial birds, born helpless with closed eyes and little to no feathers, begin making soft peeping or cheeping noises shortly after hatching, sometimes within hours or a day or two. For instance, robin and chickadee nestlings start with barely audible, high-pitched sounds that become louder within a few days as they beg for food.
Precocial birds, which hatch with open eyes, downy feathers, and the ability to move around quickly, vocalize early. Some species, like the Muscovy duck, can even produce calls around 30 hours before hatching, while still in the egg. This early vocalization allows them to signal their presence and needs to their parents.
The Purpose of Chirps
Baby birds chirp primarily to communicate their immediate needs to their parents. The most common reason for chirping is to beg for food, signaling hunger to adult birds. These begging calls can vary in pitch, intensity, and duration, indicating different levels of urgency or hunger. Parents respond to these calls by bringing food.
Beyond hunger, chirps also signal distress or discomfort. A baby bird’s chirps can alert parents to their presence, particularly if separated from the nest. Baby birds can also produce distress calls if they feel threatened or lost, helping parents locate them and guide them to safety.
Development of Vocal Skills
A baby bird’s vocal abilities progress from their initial soft peeping. As they grow stronger, their voices become clearer and more sustained. For example, chickadee nestlings, initially making soft peeps, progress to louder “dee-dee” calls by one week old. Similarly, yellow-billed cuckoo chicks’ mechanical begging calls gradually develop into the familiar “kow, kow, kow” sound of adults as they mature.
This progression includes the transition from simple begging calls to more distinct contact calls. Fledglings, young birds that have left the nest, continue to vocalize loudly to their parents for food and to maintain contact. These calls help prevent young birds from getting lost as they explore their surroundings and are precursors to the complex songs they will develop as adults.
What to Do About Chirping Baby Birds
Encountering a chirping baby bird outside its nest can prompt concern, but intervention is often not necessary. It is important to distinguish between a “nestling” and a “fledgling.” Nestlings are young birds, featherless or sparsely feathered, with closed or partially closed eyes, and are unable to hop or walk. If an uninjured nestling is found on the ground, it should be gently returned to its nest if possible, as parent birds do not abandon their young due to human scent.
Fledglings, in contrast, are fully feathered, can hop or walk, and have left the nest as a natural part of their development, even if they cannot fly well. Their parents are typically nearby, still caring for and feeding them. Unless a fledgling is visibly injured, shivering, bleeding, or in immediate danger (e.g., in a road or caught by a pet), it is best to leave it alone. If intervention is necessary, such as for an injured bird, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator, rather than attempting to care for the bird yourself.