So you've found a baby bird. Now, what do you do with it?
Q. Won't the parent birds know I've touched the baby and reject it?
Q. The baby has feathers but can't fly. It must be sick or fallen from the nest, right?
Q. I found a duckling swimming in the pond. I know they need water, so I filled a bathtub and put it in the water and gave it bread. Is this ok?
Bread is a common misconception. Adult birds have gravel in their crop that allows bread to be broken down for digestion. Young babies do not have the benefit of gravel and, as a result, the bread will become compacted in their crop. This can cause death.
Q. I brought a baby bird into the house and turned on classical music to
soothe it.
Is this ok?
Now, back to the original question. What do I do with this cute, little baby bird?
If not and you know where the
nest is located, replace the hatchling in the nest. The parents will take
it from there.
If it is feathered and not
obviously injured (broken wing, leg, etc.), clear all pets and children
away from the fledgling and observe it for an hour. Chances are the
parents will return for it. They may be waiting until all the hoopla has
died down before approaching the youngster.
Carefully pick up the baby and put it immediately in a small
cardboard box or plastic food container large enough for the bird to stand
up in or move around a bit. (Try to have the container ready before you
pick up the bird; this will reduce stress on the animal.) Use facial
tissue, toilet tissue or paper toweling for padding and cover the
container LOOSELY with a towel leaving a small gap at the edge for good
air circulation. Place the box in a warm, QUIET area of the house and
call your local wildlife rehabilitation center (see below) for further
instructions. Do not offer the bird food or water until you have spoken
with them and avoid peeking at or disturbing the bird.
Absolutely. Always observe a
young waterfowl before picking it up. These birds are doting parents and
will respond to a lost offspring. They do know how many babies they
have. Because of this, they'll backtrack until they find the errant
youngster. If you listen, you'll hear the duckling/gosling calling for
its parents.
If you're sure the
duckling/gosling is an orphan, follow the same steps as above. Place it
in a padded box/container, covered with a towel, and put it in a warm,
QUIET place. You'll want to use a deeper container for ducklings as
they will jump. Immediately call your local rehabilitation center for
further instructions.
Tips on Capturing Wildlife For Transfer to a Rehabilitator
If you spot an animal, particularly a young or juvenile animal, that appears to be deserted or in difficulty, do not catch it right away. Take 20 minutes or so to observe it's behavior.
In the case of a young or juvenile animal, it may simply be waiting for a parent to return. Remember, adult animals will often leave their young to hunt for food and truurn within a short period of time to feed/care for the offspring.
If you believe the animal is injured, call a rehabilitation center near you BEFORE you pick up the animal. Injured wild animals can be dangerous and need special handling. Keep an eye on its whereabouts and describe its condition to the rehabilitator you reach on the phone. They will give you the proper course of action to take for that particular animal.
If, however, you are unable to reach a rehabilitation center for advice, a good rule of thumb is to wear appropriate clothing and safety equipment. use common sense: if the animal has teeth (like raccoons, opossums), a sharp beak or talons (like hawks), wear gloves and eye protection. Place an injured animal in a covered box (with air holes punched in it), and keep it in a warm, QUIET place. Do not try to administer first aid, offer food or water to the animal, and avoid lifting the lid to check on its condition. The less it sees of you, the less stress it will experience, and the better its chances for recovery will be. Call a rescue/rehabilitation center or, if you're traveling, deliver it to the nearest rehabilitation center, Fish & Wildlife office, or police station. In most cases, these people will be able to direct the animal to an appropriate rehabilitator.
Remember, most species of birds are protected and therefore it is not
legal to keep them unless you are licensed to do so. Beyond the
legalities, these animals require specialized care and diets to grow up
healthy and strong. It's important to turn them over to an experienced
person as soon as possible.
In most areas, Wildlife Rehabilitation is governed by Fish & Wildlife or Wild Game agencies. Although some areas do not have established shelters for wild animals, there are rehabilitation individuals who provide home care. Again, Fish & Wildlife offices, humane societies, animal control agenies, and often state or local police will be able to provide you with phone numbers and/or addresses.
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