Spring is coming, and so are baby animals. It is human nature to want to help baby animals, whether they need it or not.
Baby birds that fall from the nest just need to be placed back into their nest. It is an old wives’ tale that the parents won’t help a baby that smells like people. Birds, especially song birds, have no sense of smell. If it is impossible for the baby bird to get back into its nest, get it as close as possible to the nest.
A baby bird that has no feathers should be placed in a small box or shallow flower pot and placed as high as possible in the tree or bush the nest is in. This substitute nest does not need any bedding as the parents will take care of that, but drainage holes are important. You don’t want the baby to drown during the next rain storm. The parent birds will continue to take care of their baby even if it stays on the ground, getting the baby off the ground just keeps it out of the reach of predators.
A baby bird with feathers is probably learning how to fly and is just tired. Place this “fledgling” directly on a branch in a tree or bush where the parent birds can find it. It does not need a substitute nest, just a place to rest before its next attempt at flight.
But, if you happen to find a baby bird that is obviously injured, either by the fall from the nest or by an animal, please call a wildlife rehabilitator who specializes in taking care of baby birds. It may seem simple to take care of a baby bird, but it is not. Too much handling or noise can overstress and kill a baby bird. The wrong diet can cause bone deformations or worse. We should always do what is best for the baby bird.
To find a rehabilitator in your area, visit the New York State Wildlife Rehabilitation Council’s site at http://www.nyswrc.org/.
