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How to Feed an Orphan Baby Robin

| Updated September 26, 2017

Things You'll Need

  • Mealworms, earthworms or grubs

  • Fruits and berries

An orphaned baby robin left on its own before the age of two weeks will most likely perish. Robins are unlike other birds in that they will not consume bird food and live on a diet of invertebrate animals, such as grubs or fruits and berries. You can feed baby robins at your home until they are ready to fend for themselves.

Feed the baby robin mealworms, earthworms or grubs. Place the food onto the ground near an area that is well protected, such under a bush or near a thicket, and allow the baby to devour the meal. The baby will eat every 15 to 20 minutes during daylight hours so you may want to keep the bird to in an area that is fenced off from any predators.

Cut up fruit and berries, such as strawberries, apples and blueberries. The robins may wish to consume these fruits and berries later in the day near the end of its feeding time. Place these items on the ground and allow the bird to feed.

Continue to offer the baby robin food until it slowly begins to find food on its own. This will generally occur within one to two weeks of the baby's birth. Once this occurs, allow the baby robin to find its own way.

Warnings

  • Check with your state's laws concerning wild animals. It is illegal in many states to own a wild animal, so the bird should only be kept until it can be turned over to a licensed animal rehabilitator.