Do fledglings die if they are not fed constantly?

Question

There is a bird's nest on my balcony in the wall above the door with birds who breed. They have fledglings who already hatched. (I assume this because I sometimes hear quiet sweet chirping.) I sit on my balcony often for breakfast and sometimes for lunch almost every day. When I do this, the birds stop feeding their fledglings (because they are afraid of me or because it is some natural instinct to not reveal their nest).

A friend of mine (who installed a birdhouse on her balcony) told me that the fledglings die if they are not fed constantly. She told me that she doesn't use her balcony anymore (or at least not longer than 5-10 minutes) because of this.

So my question is: Do fledglings die if they are not fed constantly? How long can they survive without food? (like 30 minutes or so)

I would like to use my balcony because I really enjoy having my meals on it but I also don't want the fledglings to starve.

Answer 1

Depends on the species and their age. All birds have fat reserves that can keep them alive for a relatively long time. It's when fledglings are left for many hours or days that one should start worrying about their survival.

The following link explains more detail on how frequently birds must be fed, even if in your case I suppose you aren't the one feeding them: https://birdwatchingbuzz.com/how-often-should-you-feed-a-baby-bird/

In my experience some species of birds might become less afraid if you leave food or water stations for them.

Answer 2

Every 10 to 15 minutes. The youtube channal: A chick called Albert It is a good channel that is really interesting.