Springtime is here, and with it, an influx of sunshine, nests and baby
birds. But peppered among the warmer weather is the occasional nasty
storm, which can potentially knock baby birds from their nests. The
question is, how do you best help a stranded baby bird? While it might
be counter-intuitive to leave them on the ground, depending on the
baby’s age, doing so might best the best course of action.
The reason some baby birds are on the ground might have nothing to do with a storm at all.
According to RSPCA Wildlife,
not all baby birds found on the ground need to be rescued. A lot of
bird species, once fledged, will hop around on the ground still being
fed by parents for a couple of weeks. Being so, the site asserts that if
you find an uninjured baby bird, it’s best to leave it alone and watch
it from afar for at least 30 minutes. In that time you will likely see a parent bird come to feed it.
RSPCA,
as well as many other wildlife rehabilitation centers, receive many
baby birds each year from well-meaning members of the public. The birds
they bring in often would have had a better chance of survival had they
been left alone in the wild.
As such, raising wild birds in captivity should always be a last resort,
the criteria for which is when a baby bird is known to be injured or
orphaned. Although it may seem the safer route to raise babies in
captivity, birds raised without the advantage of learning from their
parents have only a small chance of survival when released. Unless you
have the necessary experience, do not attempt to raise a wild baby bird
yourself.
Hatchlings
and nestlings, however, may need your help getting back into the nest.
Contrary to popular belief, the smell of your hands on a baby bird will
not cause a parent to abandon it—as it is, birds have a poor sense of
smell. But how do you tell if a baby bird needs your help getting into a
nest? It’s all in the age:
Three stages of a baby bird:
• Hatchling (usually 0-3 days old)
Its eyes aren’t yet opened. It may have bits of down on its body. It’s not ready to leave the nest.
• Nestling (usually 3-13 days old)
Its eyes are open, and its wing feathers may look like tubes because
they’ve yet to break through their protective sheaths. This baby is also
not ready to leave the nest.
• Fledgling (13-14 days old or older)
This
baby has full feathers. Its wings and tail may be short, and it may not
be great at flying, but it can walk, hop, or flutter. It has left the
nest, though its parents may be nearby. You don’t need to worry about
getting this little guy back to the nest. However, to ensure the baby’s
continued safety, you should make sure your cats, dogs and curious
children are kept indoors.
It’s important to note that some birds nest on the ground.
The baby’s nest might have also dropped to the ground, in which case
you can return the baby and the nest to the tree. However, what do you
do if you find a hatchling or nestling and there is no nest in sight?
You can create a makeshift nest. Put the baby or babies inside of it,
and secure it up in a tree. If the baby is injured or you’re still not
sure what to do, contact your local wildlife rehabilitation center.
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