Pet Talk with Vicki Davis

Very young baby birds (nestlings) have no feathers, and they cannot perch or feed themselves. They need their parents to take care of them and keep them warm. If you find a very young baby bird, look nearby for its nest. Put the bird back in its nest as soon as possible. Birds have a poorly developed sense of smell and do not reject their young after human handling. However, this doesn't mean that a bird would not abandon a nest site that is constantly being disturbed by humans.

As baby birds get older, they grow body feathers and are able to perch, hop, and fly short distances. These birds are called fledglings. They leave their nests to learn how to fly and find food. Their parents are still taking care of them and are usually watching from a nearby tree. If you find a baby bird that has feathers and is able to hop around, do not pick it up or touch it, the mother is probably nearby. If it is in immediate danger gently place it nearby under a low bush.

Do not try to raise the bird yourself. It is illegal to keep wild birds without a wildlife rehabilitation license. Always remember, a young bird's best chance for survival is to be raised by its natural mother. It is important to make every effort to try to return the young to its mother. Only after all efforts to reunite them have failed should the orphan be removed from the wild and transferred to a wildlife rehabilitator.

Once you have determined that the bird you found is truly orphaned or injured, and that cannot be returned to its parents, you must work quickly to place it in the care of a licensed rehabilitator. Your goal is to keep the bird in a warm and quiet place. Gently place it in a box (with a lid and several holes poked in it) lined with a clean soft cloth shaped like a nest. Do not try to feed the them or give water. Call your local Humane Society, state wildlife agency or veterinarian immediately. They can refer you to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator who can provide proper care for the animal.

Enjoy your pets,
Vicki Davis