Kristen J. Navara
You found a baby bird. What next?
Spring is here and the birds are breeding! That means it won't be long before we start seeing baby birds in their nests, and, unfortunately, sometimes on the ground. When we see something helpless, our first instinct is often to help it. In the case of baby birds, however, that is often actually the worst thing you can do for them. Before picking up that bird, answer the following questions about it:
1. Is it a fledgling or a nestling?
If the bird has very few feathers that are limited to down fuzz, it is probably a nestling. Nestlings cannot go very long without food and warmth, so it critical that they be returned to the nest as soon as possible, if the nest can be found. Parents will return to the nestling to feed it. If you cannot find the nest, you can line a small box with tissue or straw to place the nestling in. This can either be placed on the ground where the bird was found or, if you believe the bird will not be safe there, in a tree or at a high location nearby where the parents can return to feed the bird.
Sometimes nestlings do have feathers, but are not quite ready to leave the nest. Birds at this age have very limited mobility and the eyes remain closed for much of the time. In birds of this age, the white feather shafts are often still visible. While a bird of this age still needs warmth and feeding from mom and dad, the time for jumping out of the nest is near. It should still be returned to the nest if possible, but be careful not to startle it or its siblings when replacing it, because they may jump too early and injure themselves.
If the bird has many feathers with few to no visible feather shafts and its eyes are open, then it is probably a fledgling, which is the word for a bird that has permanently left its nest. Fledglings are often relatively mobile and can have little feather tufts on the head. While these birds look young and vulnerable, they are supposed to be on the ground. Fledglings of many species jump from the nest and spend days or even weeks on the ground below the nest, still feeding from mom and dad. If you encounter a fledgling, leave it alone.
2. Is the bird injured or in danger?
In almost all cases, birds that are found on the ground should be either left alone or returned to the nest if possible. However, there are exceptions to this. Sometimes a young bird will get injured from a fall to the ground. Other times, a cat or another animal will find a young bird and carry it far from the nest. In this case, you may notice puncture wounds on the bird. Examine the bird thoroughly for evidence of trauma or injury before returning it to the nest. If you see evidence of injury, or if the bird is in danger of predation and cannot be left or returned to the nest, you can call your local wildlife rehabilitator. For a good list of these, click here.
Common myths about baby birds
1. The mother bird will smell you on her nestling if you touch it and will not return to feed it
This is not true. While birds do have the ability to smell, there is no evidence that they can smell human hands on their nestlings, and if they do, they do not abandon the nestlings. Think of it this way - these mother birds have invested a large amount of energy and time into making eggs, incubating the eggs, and then feeding the nestlings that hatch from them. It would be a big waste to abandon those nestlings just because they were touched by human hands. They will, however, stay away from the nestlings if they see you standing near them, so place them back in the nest and leave the area to allow the parents to come back.
2. You can buy bird food to feed baby birds at a pet store and they will survive.
This is also not true. While wildlife rehabilitators use a relatively universal formula to feed a young bird when the species of the bird is not yet known, no one diet will be good for all species of birds. Some species eat only seeds, some eat insects, and some eat a combination of the two and cat food. Feeding young birds is extremely challenging, because not only do the birds require different nutrient balances, it is also very common for young birds to aspirate the food into the lungs, and for the food to get stuck in their crops, causing a crop infection. Even when feeding is done by a wildlife rehabilitator, the success rate is often below 10%, especially for very young nestlings.
3. Baby birds that are ready to be out of the nest can fly.
Again, not true. In many species, fledglings cannot fly well for days or even weeks after they jump from the nest. Parents keep a close watch on these fledglings and only when they are ready do the fledglings fly the coop.
4. Baby birds are too young to carry any diseases
Unfortunately, this is not true. If a bird's parents have an illness, it is absolutely possible for that illness to be passed to the nestling. In addition, nestlings are often exposed to mites and ticks, which can jump to humans when the nestlings are touched. This means that it is possible for humans to catch an illness from a young bird or from the parasites on the bird. To avoid exposure, do not touch the bird, or, if the bird must be touched, wear gloves.
5. It is legal for me to take in a baby bird if I am acting in its best interest.
No! It is illegal for members of the public to take in any wild animals without federal and state permits! Wildlife rehabilitators go through special training and their animal care facilities are inspected before they are given permits to care for wild animals. These restrictions are in place to protect both the birds and you!