I Found A Baby Bird….now what?

Its mid-May.  This time of year, the volume of birds migrating north is just about peaking.  Accordingly, your feeders have plenty of visitors, the morning air is filled with the sounds of singing birds and, yes, bird nests are popping up everywhere.  In trees, bushes, hanging flower pots, and garage eaves. I recently heard of a Carolina Wren making a nest inside a coiled-up garden hose hanging from the side of a home.  While most birds remain within their nest until its time and eventually ‘fledge’, some do leave the nest a little unexpectedly or prematurely.  Not surprising, this time of year can generate many posts (and guidance) on social media asking “I found a baby bird in my yard – what do I do?”.  Hopefully I will give you some very basic guidance on what you should do in the event you find a baby bird.

In the event you find a ‘baby bird’, the first step is to determine if the bird is a fledgling or a nestling bird (assuming it is not injured).  If it is a fledgling, determine if it is in a safe area.  If it is not (on the street, on a path or walkway or near domestic animals), you can gently pick up the bird and place it close by to a safe area (near a bush, tree or grass).  Don’t worry about touching the bird.  Most birds do not have a strong sense of smell and will not abandon the bird if it was touched by human hands.

Part of the developmental process for baby birds is to ‘fledge’ the nest in an attempt to fly.  These are much different than nestlings.  Fledged birds are more mobile, are nearly fully feathered and will grasp onto a twig or your finger.  Fledged birds, as part of the maturation process, have left the nest to become self-sufficient and learn to fly.  Generally, it is not necessary to put the fledged bird back into the nest as it will likely just hop back out.  Another thing to keep in mind is that while the bird might look like it needs your help, chances are the nest it fledged from as well as the parents are likely nearby and still tending to the young bird. As much as your parental urges dictate, do NOT attempt to provide food or water to a healthy fledgling.  This can, in many cases, cause more problems.  Depending on species, it can take some fledglings up to 10 days to learn how to fly. 

This leads us to our other bird – the nestling.  If the bird you found has very little feathers, perhaps pink in color, not mobile (it cannot walk or hobble), it is likely a nestling.  This can happen for a variety of reasons (where the bird is separated from the nest).  Strong storms and winds can dislodge nests from trees.  Nests can also be damaged by predators evicting the parents and the nestlings – and in some cases, an over rambunctious nestling can evict itself.  In any case, if you come across a nestling, do a quick search in the immediate area for a nest.  If you find the nest, gently put the nestling back inside the nest. Once you do, observe the nest from a distance to see if the parents rejoin the nestling. 

There may be those instances where you cannot locate the nest or the nest has been completely destroyed.  In this case, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, you can create and build a nest and place it in a safe nearby location in an attempt to get the parents to move in and continue to care for the young bird.  Again, once you put the nestling in the nest, take a few moments to see if the parents rejoin. 

However, if the parents do not rejoin the nest (two hours is a good time to observe), or if the bird (either nestling or fledgling) is injured, it might be time to call a wildlife rehabilitator.  There are many wildlife rehabilitators within North Carolina and several in Western North Carolina.  The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (www.ncwildlife.org) has a great interactive webpage that will help you find a wide variety of wildlife rehabbers that not only includes birds but mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fox.   Another great resource is the Appalachian Wildlife Refuge (www.appalachianwild.org). 

It is important to recognize that this time of year, most all wildlife rehabilitation centers are very busy and it’s quite possible, because of sheer volume, they won’t be able to assume control of your bird. 

Finally, there are many resources to assist you in the event you come across an injured animal, or bird (nestling or fledgling).  For birds, great resources include the NC Audubon, Wild Birds Unlimited, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the Transylvania County Bird Club.  While the Transylvania County Bird Club can provide you some guidance, they are not licensed rehabbers and cannot assume control of a bird.  Please refer to those well-trained specialist and rehabbers listed in the resources above. Be careful of those well-meaning – but not accurate recommendations from social media.  Seek out the guidance and advice from licensed rehabbers and other professional bird authorities.

You can join the Transylvania County Bird Club on one of our numerous bird walks throughout Transylvania County. All our walks are free, and everyone is welcome.  It’s a great way to connect with your neighbors, form friendships and enjoy nature.