Welcome to In the Back Yard where we have small thoughts about living alongside wildlife. Just a reminder upfront:
Most wildlife does not need rescuing.
Yet baby season comes around and hundreds of baby animals are kidnapped in the mistaken view that they are in trouble.
Today we look at what to do if you find a baby bird.
First of all, don’t mistake a baby bird on the ground as – in trouble.
If it is feathered and hopping around it is a Fledgling learning to fly and the parents are around.
Most baby birds on the ground are not abandoned.
If the baby is naked or mostly featherless - check surrounding trees or bushes for nests and return the bird to the nest.
If the nest is destroyed or you can’t reach it – make a nest.
Use a little berry container or a cardboard box – line it with dry grass and secure it in a tree close to drop site.
Stay away and watch from a distance to see if parents return to feed it.
If the baby bird is obviously injured, or caught by a cat or dog, or the parents do not return by dusk – the bird will need to be transported to a rehabber.
For transport put the bird in a well-ventilated box with a soft towel or paper cloth.
Keep the box in a warm, dark and quiet place.
Never feed a baby bird.
Feeding a baby bird – or any bird – is actually quite an art.
You have to know where the esophagus is – otherwise you are liable to choke and kill the bird.