Single Kestrel Parent Raises Six Chicks | The Dodo

she's fighting off predators to save her babies she's an experienced mother this year she's had six chicks but this time she doesn't see herself she's leaving the nest more often than she should one night she seems particularly on edge she can't see the threat in the darkness but she knows it's there a toenail confronts her [Music] it seems to be the last straw and she disappears into the night leaving their chicks completely alone it's clear Mrs Cass won't be returning leaving Mr Kaz the father with a near impossible task if their chicks are going to survive you'll have to defy the textbooks after a night alone the chicks are cold and hungry although he's equipped to provide for the chicks it's got no idea how to feed them [Music] Mr Cass keeps returning with more prey and the chicks are getting more and more desperate one of the chicks tries to eat but they can't feed themselves they haven't been fed in over 12 hours and if they don't eat soon they'll die I decide it's time to intervene I'm Robert Fuller Wildlife artist and filmmaker and I'm going to help Mr Kess succeed as a single parent carefully open up the nest so I can assess the chicks they're starving so I gently feed them by hand so these chicks are really hungry and there seems to be some that are getting quite weak in here so I think I'm gonna have to take them out I'm just going to do a quick health check on each one and see which ones I might need to get warm straight away three were small cold and weak and needed to be cared for but I put the three stronger chicks back in the nest in a bid to keep them wild Mr Cas wastes no time in coming back to them he's brought even more food but when they won't take it his instincts kick in he tries to brood them usually the role of the female [Music] it's remarkable to watch but you can tell he's not used to this [Music] you just can't seem to get comfortable he's unsettled and heads out at the entrance he calls for his mate foreign [Music] as he fires off the chicks are alone once again with no sign of Mrs kez returning I'll be keeping a close eye to see how he gets on as a lone parent I won't return his other chicks until he learns how to feed them here we go it's amazing to see this little one now it was really cold when I first got it in and not moving much at all but I've warmed it up now and look at it begging for food you're absolutely superb later Mr Cass comes in with a special catch a lizard release it is thinner and easier to swallow and the chick guzzles it down whole this is incredible to watch and it seems like a light bulb moment for Mr kiss and he heads out for more [Music] he comes back in with purpose sets the mouse down and starts tearing it up for the chicks it's absolutely magic against all the odds this male Kestrel has learned how to feed his chicks I think these chicks have got a good chance of survival it's 5 a.m in the morning and I've got the three youngest Kestrel chicks with me now looking so much better it's time to get the younger chicks back into the nest the older chicks seem a little stunned with the reunion but they soon welcome them as family with all six chicks doing well now Mr Kess settles into his new role [Music] grow fast pretty soon The Nest becomes crowded with six well-grown chicks one of them stumbles to the entrance for the first time it's fascinating watching him peek out in curiosity even with older chicks Mr Kaz continues to be a devoted father providing them with as much food as he can I keep a close eye and continue to help out knowing there are many mouths to feed it's been about a month since the kestrels hatched the starting to show signs that they're ready to leave the nest one foggy morning as Mystic has awaits on the nearby Branch Three Chicks squeeze onto the entrance is very crowded and one struggles to hold on to leave him with no choice but to take the leap [Music] promptly joining his father on the branch soon a second takes flight overwhelming Mr Cat over time the third the fourth and fifth chick leave the nest the sixth and final chick seems confused at the amount of space in the nest now it won't take long for him to take the leap as well [Music] Mr kez must be a very proud dad [Music] thank you

Channel: The Dodo

Views: 1,111,095

Keywords: animal video, animals, the dodo, Animal Rescue, dodo, cute animals, pets, wildlife, pet videos, wildlife videos, animals the dodo, the dodo animals, rescuing animals

Id: lBBeomQYTZU

Length: 5min 55sec (355 seconds)

Published: Mon Jun 19 2023