By Denys Hemen

House finch nest found with nests intact are prime candidates for re-nesting.

Each spring CWC gets hundreds of calls from the public regarding baby birds that have fallen from the nest. This can be a very stressful moment for everyone. Seeing a baby bird appearing “helpless” on the ground can induce panic. Being on the phone with the person who sees this baby bird on the ground can be even more panic inducing! So, stay calm and follow these guidelines if you encounter young birds on the ground.

Baby birds seem very delicate, vulnerable, and begging for your help, but not all of them need our attention. Some are fledglings and don’t need any assistance at all. These birds can perch, have most of their feathers, and some can even fly a little bit. It’s natural for most songbirds in our area to leave the nest before they can fly. Having 4 or 5 large baby birds in one nest is a sitting target for a predator. So, they disperse before they can even fly sometimes. This is a way of hedging their bets against a predator taking out an entire generation. If there are no injuries, it is best to leave these birds alone and let the parents continue doing their job. Keep pets and children away. And never, ever, ever leave your cat outside. Of course, if there are injuries to the bird, give us a call.

These fledgling Northern Mockingbirds would not need assistance if found uninjured.

Sometimes baby birds can use a hand. This is the case when the bird is a nestling or a hatchling. These birds are generally helpless. They are not very mobile, do not have their adult feathers yet, and are unable to perch. If the entire nest has fallen and you see the nesting material next to the baby birds, you can put the birds and the nest up someplace high in a tree closest to where you found them. The nest will likely need some extra support like a shallow Tupperware with lots of holes for drainage or a plastic berry clamshell. Be sure that whatever you use is about the same size as the nest. Form the nesting materials into a bowl shape inside your container. Now attach it to a sheltered limb by using some twist ties, wire, zip ties, or twine. Avoid using tape because the adult birds and the babies can get stuck to any exposed adhesive. Once the artificial nest is firmly attached to a nice shaded, unexposed limb you can carefully place the baby birds back in. Keep an eye out for signs of the parents returning to the nest but stay back as far as possible. Give it a couple of hours. If they do not come back, call CWC!

If you find one or two babies on the ground, but no nesting material, it is not advisable to try to create an artificial nest. For these animals, the original nest may still be in place. The parent is unable to sit on both the original and the artificial nest, leaving the babies out in the cold. Look carefully above you because the original nest can be very small and hidden in the tree. If you are able to locate it, the babies can be picked up and placed back in the nest. Be sure to check for any obvious injuries before doing this. Keep an eye on the area from afar for parental activity. If you see no activity for 2 hours or if the fallen babies have obvious injuries, call CWC.

Following all these steps can help more babies stay with their mothers in nature and avoid an unnecessary trip to a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Thank you for reading and please do not be a bird burglar.