cedar waxwing fledgling

It is Baby Bird Season

Here are some tips to help them survive

Please don’t rescue unless rescuing is needed…

Just like with baby mammals, we encourage rescuers who find a baby bird to get the animal out of immediate danger, then call CFW for advice before taking further action. If the bird is cold, put it next to a hot water bottle or zip-lock bag filled with warm water and wrapped in a towel. Please don't try to feed the bird! Birds can easily go a couple hours and even overnight without food, and the wrong foods do more harm than good.

Often birds found on the ground are fledglings: "teenage" birds who have grown feathers and tails but haven't mastered flying yet. Many of them fall out of the nest when their first flying lesson doesn't go as well as they had hoped. Unlike mammal moms, birds can't carry their babies back to the nest, so parents will patiently feed the slower learners on the ground for hours or even days until they get the hang of things. Unfortunately, the ground can be a very dangerous place for a little bird who can't fly! The best thing to do is keep dogs and cats away, and give the fledgling some time. If you can't protect them on the ground, try to put them back in the nest or on a branch - choose a branch very nearby so mom can still find them, but far enough up to avoid prowling kitties.

Nestlings (little fluffy birds that don't have real feather yet) sometimes fall out of the nest too, and they should always be put back in the nest. It is a myth that birds reject a baby that has been handled by humans - most birds have almost no sense of smell, and like the rest of us, their parental instincts are stronger than their fears of the unknown. If you can't find or reach the nest, call CFW for some advice on making a replacement nest. A bird who is injured, cold, known to be orphaned, or who has been seen in the mouth of a cat or dog needs to get to a rehabilitator for help.

You can also help baby birds by keeping cats inside through the summer baby season, and by delaying tree work and limb removal until October.

And thanks for helping - our rescue work is only possible because of our many watchful ambassadors willing to capture and transport animals in need of assistance!


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