What to Do for Baby Birds

By Rosemary Conroy on Friday, May 23, 2003.

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Have you ever wondered what to do it you find a baby bird or an injured bird? Rosemary covers the do's and don'ts of bird care.

Something Wild: What To Do When You Find A Baby Bird
Air date: 5/23/03

Welcome to this week’s edition of Something Wild.

I’m Rosemary Conroy for the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.

This is the time of year when we often get asked about what if you find a baby bird. The best answer is always put it back in the nest, if at all possible.

Baby birds are tough to handle — and I don’t just mean emotionally. If they are still naked and blind, there just isn’t much hope for successfully raising them yourself.

Because of their special needs, even the most dedicated human care rarely suffices at this vulnerable stage.

If you find a feathered baby bird, you have likely come upon a fledgling, and its parents are probably nearby. Just a like a toddler’s first steps, a bird’s first flaps can be quite clumsy. But even on the ground, the chick’s parents will continue to care for it — if it is left undisturbed.

The best way to help that chick survive is to keep your pets inside and leave it alone. Place it in a shrub or branch of a tree if it seems in danger.

Now, if you find an injured bird, especially a larger one, do call a wildlife rehabilitator. Carefully move it to a quiet, safe place. Do not feed it or give it water, which believe it or not, can harm the animal. The rehabber will have specific instructions that you should follow. You can find a rehab center in your phone book or by calling your local nature center.

The hard truth is, for every baby bird hatched this summer, only 50% will survive. And only half of those again will make it until next summer. That’s how it goes with most wild creatures.

It may seem sad or unfair, but keep the big picture in mind: each death usually ends up sustaining another life.

Something Wild is a joint production of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, NHPR, and the Audubon Society of New Hampshire.

For Something Wild, I’m Rosemary Conroy.