What To Do If You Find a Baby bird
We usually get many phone calls during the Spring and Summer months asking what to do after finding a bird or animal that "seemingly" needs help. Here is some hopefully, helpful information.
*1) Baby birds are not necessarily smaller birds. Birds develop very quickly for survival. This is important because most people believe they are helping an adult bird that is sick or hurt, when in fact they are trying to help a fledglingthat is exhibiting Normal Behavior. This may include: lying still on the ground, walking, hopping or flapping, but not able to fly when approached, and possibly, seemingly dragging a wing.
Common Songbird Maturation Schedule (Varies by Species)
House Finches: nestlings House Finch: fledgling House Finch: fledgling being fed by dad.
Hatchling
Days 0-3: Wisps of natal down on body, eyes closed
Nestling
Day 3: Eyes open
Day 4: Primary feathers (also called pin feathers) pierce skin, they look like blue tubes sticking out of the skin
Day 6: Nestling responds to alarm call of parent
Day 7: Primary feathers unsheathe
Day 10: Bird is alert, stretches wings and legs
Fledgling
Days 13-14: Can flutter and hop from branch to branch, fully feathered, but has short tail and wings, leaves the nest. Days 14-28: They do not return to the nest, but are still fed by the adults in nearby trees or on the ground if the young have not yet mastered flying.
If you are lucky enough to have birds nesting in your yard and you happen to find a nestling or fledgling on the ground here are some helpful hints. Our first instinct as helpful humans is to automatically think it has been abandoned and we want to rescue it. Your heart is in the right place but please...
*2) Try to resist the temptation to Rescue. The most common baby bird on the ground is a fledgling (which is typically almost or fully feathered, with short tail and wings). This is quite normal - birds usually need to give that flying thing a few chances before they commit, or even have the strength needed to stay aloft. So what can happen is the fledgling will spend a few days on the ground with the parents coming around to feed them. Now maybe when you saw him or her, you walked up and there was no parent around. Well that most likely is because you happen to be standing there. The parent will go away for their safety and the safety of the fledgling. They don't want to draw more attention to the baby.
*3) If you can, go back inside your house or if possible stand completely out of sight. And simply watch. Most likely that fledgling will start to chirp and the parents will be right down to feed and protect that baby. (Parents can be over cautious after a disturbance and it could take a few hours for them to return). If you have animals and it is possible to keep them in or away from the bird for a few days that is extremely helpful.
*4) If you feel the fledgling is just too vulnerable where it is. Move it under a bush, or place in a shallow box (like a shoe box) with open top and place somewhere safe, possibly in the crook of a tree, or in a bush - where the parent can still get to it and feed it and it will still be able to fly out. Don't choose too deep of box, because the parents may be hesitant about entering, and baby will have trouble getting out when ready to fly. Usually within a few days - the fledgling is off and flying! Probably still being fed by parents, but strong enough to stay with them and still beg for food.
Many fledglings have successfully been returned to their parents by following the above advice. We had one customer who was out hiking and found a fledgling hummingbird on the ground near a trail, and she brought it all the way home and then called us for advice. We told her bringing it back would be its best chance for survival, and she did just that. She drove all the way back, put it back where she found it, she stood back and sure enough the mom came and started to feed it. She called us so excited. She could not believe it! And there are many, many more just like her. So be a believer, nature knows best!
* 5) Rarely does a Nestling find itself out of the nest, but if this has happened look up from where the baby is and if you see and can reach the nest, simply place the baby back into it. The parents WILL NOT REJECT the baby touched by a human. If you cannot find or reach the nest, or the nest has been destroyed, place the bird or birds in something like a strawberry basket (something that can drain water) and line it with toilet tissue or nesting material and tie it to a tree branch. Avoid material that their nails can get caught in. The parents will return to the makeshift nest to feed the bird.
* 6) If the parents don't return, a bird this young will need help to survive. Place the nestling in a small box with a top with air holes, you can line with tissue or some type of soft material (Again being careful not to put in something their nails can get caught on) The darkness will help them to distress, Do Not Feed. All baby birds don't eat the same thing! It is very important to identify the type of bird correctly before feeding, this can be very difficult when very young. Do a quick search on how to identify a song bird, that will help you when searching for a rescuer. Many focus on a particular species. You can also contact Wildlife Care of Southern California (805) 581-3911.California Wildlife Center in Calabasas @ (310) 458-9453. If you cannot get it to a rescuer, take it to the closest Vet. An avian vet if possible, if not that is ok. Search online for the closest one to you. Do not call, just take it to them.
* 7) If you find an injured bird follow same instructions as above (*6)
* 8) It is illegal to possess wildlife unless you have a permit or are a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. As you may well know caring for a baby of any kind takes a lot of time and work. With Wildlife it is multiplied. Nestlings can need to be fed every 15 to 20 minutes.
Birds are much better at it than humans, that is why it is so important, if at all possible to leave it for the parents to care for their young.
All baby birds don't eat the same thing! It is very important to identify the type of bird correctly before feeding, this can be very difficult when very young.
And most importantly a baby bird in the wild is going to learn vital life skills from the parents such as: how to find food for itself, identifying predators, and flying. It may not seem like it at the time, but their chances for survival are much better if left in the wild.
Reminders...
Here are a few things we can do in our own backyards:
Healthy Birds = Happy Birds!
Please keep your feeders clean
and
your yard free of excessive seed debris.
Hummingbird feeders should be cleaned at least weekly during warm weather, and biweekly during cooler months.
Seed Feeders should be cleaned at least once a month,
simply hose and leave to thoroughly dry in the sun, before refilling. Every 2 months scrub and soak and leave to dry.
Keeping seed debris to a minimum under your feeders is healthier for the birds and also helps to keep rodents away.
It is always advisable to wear gloves and or wash hands
when cleaning and even filling feeders,
for your health and the birds.
*
Never use Rodenticide
Most people don't have a rat problem. We use to tell people in the store that were controlling rats with an exterminator service (most likely using poison) that it is better to not feed birds than to control rodents with poison and we stand by that today (we have heard that placing pure essential oil of peppermint around can help deter rodents).
There are also traps that kill them humanly.
Seal up or screen all small hole access to your home
Poisoned rats don't always die;
but can live to infect other wildlife.
They are having a devastating effect on our Raptors
(especially Barn Owls) and all local wildlife!
This is what a poison bait box looks like. Most exterminator services use them. They are not traps. The rats walk in and eat the poison and walk out to be consumed by a hungry animal.
*
Put out fresh water for birds and other wildlife
Especially in the warmer months - we are all watering less
that means less pooling water for birds, animals, insects
*
Bee a Pollinator Protector
Avoid using pesticides, herbicides, fungicides of any kind,
there is usually always a natural alternative that a quick online
search will find:
https://xerces.org/blog/earth-week/pesticide-free-gardening
Visit the Xerces Society website and see what they are doing to
protect you and our invertebrates
Remember birds and other insects are the
best ways to keep pests under control.
*
Add Native Plants to your Garden
Just a few can help a lot.
Native plants will bring biodiversity
that will truly help in the regulation of unwanted pests.
A great place to start is with Native Narrow leaf Milkweed for Monarchs. Please don't plant the tropical variety, it flowers year around forcing the Monarch to lay its eggs during the winter months, and also leaving the caterpillars vulnerable to parasites that live on the milkweed. These parasites die with the milkweed when the native variety goes dormant in the fall.
The Theodore Payne Society carries a wide variety of
native plants - they can also ship seeds.
Here is a link to a local chapter of California Native Plant Society
*
Trim your trees from September to January
to avoid harming baby birds
or baby mammals,
hummingbirds can nest year round,
and Raptors can start nesting as early as November,
so always look for nests or nesting activity before you start to cut.
Please refer to this Audubon link for more information.
*Cohabitate*
We're all in this together!