Found a Baby Bird?
You're enjoying a beautiful spring day at the park when you hear a faint chirping. It's coming from a tangle of overgrown grass. You take a closer look and discover that the pitiful sound is coming from a baby bird that has fallen from its nest. What should you do? That depends on whether the bird is a nestling or a fledgling. A nestling is a featherless, downy, or incompletely feathered bird. A fledgling, on the other hand, is an older, nearly fully feathered bird that lives outside the nest and is just learning to fly.
If you find a nestling, you should return it to its nest. It might require a bit of searching to find the nest, but it will likely be hidden in nearby trees, shrubs or even buildings. And, although you'll alarm the baby's mother with your approach, she will quickly forget the intrusion. If you can't find or reach the nest, contact your local wildlife rehabilitation centre for guidance. They will usually accept the young for raising. If the nest has fallen to the ground or been blown down, try to get the young and the nest back in the original position, securing it in place if necessary.
If you find a fledgling, the best thing to do is nothing - unless, of course, it's in immediate danger from predation or from traffic. Fledglings are often clumsy and may appear to be hurt when in fact they are just developing their flying skills. Parents keep track of their young and feed them for several days after they leave the nest. If the bird is at risk you may want to place it up off the ground, where appropriate, and keep cats and dogs indoors during this time.
Never attempt to raise a bird (or any wildlife) yourself or supply any food or water as you may inadvertently cause the bird harm. Contact your nearest wildlife rehabilitation centre for advice.