People often call me and say "I found a baby bird on the ground, what can I do to help it?" More often than not, the "baby" bird is a fledgling, a fully feathered, ready-to-leave-the-nest young bird (see photo below). Fledglings are often found on the ground but this does not mean that they are lost or abandoned. If you find a bird which is fully feathered, but the feathers look "young," as in fluffy and downy, and the bird does not seem to be afraid of you and trying to fly away, gently pick it up and place it on a low branch of nearby shrub or tree. This will offer the young bird with some protection from predators, and will likely be all the help this young bird needs.
A 20 day-old Eastern Bluebird, ready to leave the nest.
Notice the difference in quality of feathers between this young bird and the adult pictured below.
If you find an undeveloped, lightly feathered bird out of the nest, (see photo below) look around to see where it may have come from. If you find the nest, set it gently back into the nest. If you can not find a nest, Cornell Lab of Ornithology suggests placing the bird in a berry basket, with some grass lining it, and hang it in a tree near where you found it. It is highly likely that the parent birds have watched what you are doing and will come tend to the bird as soon as you leave. This has been my experience.
11 day-old Tree Swallow nestling
This bird is too young to leave the nest.
If you happen to find a bird on the ground which appears to have injuries, such as puncture wounds from a cat attack, please call a local rehabilitation center for instructions as soon as possible.
You can find a listing of local rehabbers here:
pawr.com
As tempting as it may be, it is not a good idea to try to take care of a young bird yourself. You should be aware that doing so will likely have a sad ending. Additionally, it is illegal to do, except for certified rehab specialists.
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