When Do You Know If
Bird Rescue
Is Necessary?
Finding a baby bird on the ground is a dilemma . . . what to do!, what to do! Should you pick it up and rescue it? Or leave it be? Here are some general guidelines to
decide if bird rescue is necessary:
• If the baby is feathered and hopping around the best course would be to leave it alone. Many birds leave their nest (fledge) before they can fly. Chances are good that the parents are nearby and watching over it. By interfering you may lessen it's chances for survival. Try to rein in your parental instinct and walk away a little distance and watch. You may see the parents
rush to the baby and then you'll be assured everything is okay and "bird rescue" isn't necessary.
• If you find a featherless baby that has obviously fallen out of it's nest, the best thing to do is simply put it back. If you find a whole nest that has fallen from a tree try to replace the nest as near to
it's original location as possible. It's very likely that the parents will return. Again, bird rescue won't be necessary.
• If you find it necessary to pick up a baby bird to replace it in the nest don't be concerned about human contact. The parent birds will not reject or attack the baby if you have touched it.
• If you find a baby bird that is obviously injured or you can't replace it in the nest for some reason, this is what to do. Initial bird rescue: First, put it in a dark, secure box or paper bag lined with soft tissue. Provide ventilation. The darkness will calm the bird and help relieve its stress. Keep children and pets away. Do not attempt to give it food or water as that can do irreparable harm or cause death.
Second stage bird rescue: Contact your local wildlife rehabilitator for emergency treatment. Visit bird rescue for some help finding a rehabilitator in your area. It is against the law to keep native wildlife even if it is injured. Wildlife rehabilitators are trained and licensed to care for our native birds and animals.
• If you cannot locate a rehabilitator contact your local veterinarian. At the very least they should provide someone that will be of help, or they may care for the bird themselves. Do not keep the baby bird. It is against the law to keep native wildlife in captivity. If the bird is injured it will need professional help.
The same guideline is true if you find an injured adult bird. In some cases, an adult might look injured or dead, but is actually just stunned or perhaps unconscious. This is common for birds that hit windows, but not hard enough to be killed. If you find such a bird, and it is breathing without difficulty, place it in a dark box as described above. Give it time to recover on its own and then release it. If the bird has recovered it will fly away when uncovered, so be sure you take the box outside before you release it. Release the bird in a quiet place away from pets and children. If the bird has obviously been injured call your local wildlife rehabilitator as described above.

Bird Rescue - You've Found a Wild Bird! What Should You Do?

BrokenWing’s Comment:
Thank you very much for your kind caring intentions towards the little one in need of help.
I admire you reaching out to help the little ones that can’t help themselves.
You shine so brightly within my eyes.
Peace
BrokenWing.

Arty, I have seen this often and it always worries me. How do the parents protect the baby if it can't fly and can't get back to the nest?

When a baby doesn't do so well during fledge and ends up grounded the parents stay close by encouraging the little one to fly and protect if needed.
We have a tree in our front yard, I have hung several bird houses, for wrens and sparrows.
One day I sat and watched a little one during fledge and the baby sparrow ended up grounded, Both parents were very persistent, they even coaxed the little one to jump his/her way to some bushes near by, it took most of the day but they were able to get there baby fledged.
Also one day I heard a baby chirp and thought I was going to find a baby on the ground, well I saw a Robin and began to get close, I noticed it was a baby and the next thing I saw was angry parents bombing me, and the baby could fly, but not very far.
There is a 24 hr time period where a baby can be placed back into the nest.
This basically applies to all wildlife.