Fledge's the stage in a young bird's life when the feathers and wing muscles are sufficiently developed for flight. It also describes the act of raising chicks to a fully grown state by the chick's parents. A young bird that's recently fledged but's still dependent upon parental care and feeding's called a fledgling. In ornithology, the meaning of fledging's variable, depending on species. Birds are sometimes considered fledged once they leave the nest, even if they still can't fly. Some defini… (More on Fledge)