Spring and summer are the seasons of the juvenile bird! Warm your heart with these too-cute photos of young birds out in the big world.
11 Adorable Pictures of Juvenile Birds Leaving the Nest
Published on May 28, 2025
Juvenile Anna’s Hummingbird
“I was about three feet away from this adult Anna’s hummingbird feeding its young. The mama appears to gaze directly into the camera as the juvenile bird waits for its meal. Once she was at ease with me being there, she then hovered just above the baby to feed it,” says Birds & Blooms reader Chris Bailey.
If you think a juvenile bird is adorable, you’ll love these photos of baby birds.
Fluffy Owlet
“I was so happy to photograph this cute eastern screech-owlet. This baby owl just happened to be perched out in the open observing everything from a branch high up in the tree. I love owls!” says reader Lisa Swanson.
Did you know: Eastern screech-owls nest in tree cavities, but they will also readily roost in a backyard nest box. And they thrive in suburbs, with less predators and open lawns that make hunting easy.
Juvenile Blue Jay Siblings
“We had three sibling blue jays visiting our feeders daily. They were always together and very entertaining, so we lovingly nicknamed them the Three Amigos. This photo was taken with a Nikon D7100 using a 200-500mm telephoto lens and captured two of the three hanging out together on a shepherd hook. The trio was very special to us as they always made a grand entrance coming into the yard. Their juvenile antics were especially endearing,” says reader George Giese.
Common Loon Family
“I was using my Canon EOS 90D when I photographed of this pair of common loons at Burntside Lake in Ely, Minnesota. I quietly sat on the shore and watched as the adult loon fed its offspring. Each time the juvenile loon would receive food it would react to its parent through some form of gratitude. In this photograph it appears the juvenile loon is offering gratitude through a tender hug,” says reader Thomas Johnson.
Did you know the common loon is the American Birding Association’s Bird of the Year for 2025?
Juvenile House Sparrow
“I believe this is a baby house sparrow because we always find them nesting in the shutters of our house. I saw it working on its new wings in my yard, so I ran for my Panasonic DC-GX9 camera and snapped this while it was resting on a garden flag. It kind of looks like Einstein! I love its tufted ears and serious expression,” says reader Steve Weber.
House sparrows can be cute, but they’re a problem for some of our native birds. Here’s how to keep house sparrows out of bluebird boxes.
Love Between Adult and Juvenile Egret
“While I was visiting Florida, my flight back to Seattle was postponed, but my friends and I were excited to get one more day for wildlife photography. We decided to visit Gatorland in Orlando but encountered a few photography obstacles. Many nesting birds were there but were too close for our telephoto lens. It was also very crowded on the boardwalk, preventing unobstructed shots. So, I got creative! Instead of capturing the whole bird, I looked for sweet little interactions between parents and baby egrets,” says reader Soo Baus.
Juvenile Sandhill Crane Colt
“While riding my bike through my neighborhood on a lovely Saturday morning, I noticed a beautiful family of sandhill cranes. Naturally, I raced home to get my camera, silently praying the birds would still be there. Luckily, they were, and this adorable baby my day!” says reader Marzena Mlyniec.
Did you know: Sandhill crane chicks, also known as colts, hatch in a more developed stage than some other birds, which is called precocial. Within a few hours of hatching, a colt’s eyes are open, their downy feathers are dry, and they can generally walk and leave the nest within the first 24 hours. Other birds, including most songbirds, are altricial, which means they hatch in a fairly helpless state with their eyes closed, mostly bald and immobile.
Juvenile Bluebird Ready to Take Flight
Reader Sandy Darrigo captured this photo of an Eastern bluebird chick getting ready to take a leap of faith to the outside world!
Juvenile Robin Feeding Time
“We do not use any pesticides in our yard so there are plenty of worms and grubs for the robins to feast on. We have always had breeding pairs return to nest in our yard and I happened to catch the female robin feeding her fledglings,” says reader Steven Biegler.
Young Woodpecker Growing up
“I looked out my window and saw this little bird, a juvenile red-headed woodpecker, being fed by a parent. By the time I got my camera, the bird was left alone to fend for itself. This was the first time I spied a juvenile woodpecker. I was totally thrilled. I think it was posing for me!” says reader Rosemary Willer.
That Awkward Phase
“Last summer, I saw this common gallinule baby with its mother in a local wetland. I think it is the perfect example of something so ugly that it is cute!” says reader Larry Imhoff of Wooster, Ohio.
RELATED:
