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Sick, injured and baby birds |
Baby birds
It is common in spring and summer to find a young bird sitting on the ground or hopping about without any parents visible. This is perfectly normal. The parents are probably away collecting food, or they may be watching nearby. The young of most familiar garden birds fledge once they are fully feathered, but before they are able to fly, and spend a day or two on the ground before their feather development is complete. Tawny owl chicks are mobile at a very early age, and can be seen climbing in and around their nest tree before they are even half grown. If you find a fledgling or a young owl, the best thing is to leave it where it is. What if the bird is in danger?If the bird is on a busy path or other dangerous or exposed location, it makes sense to pick it up and move it a short distance to a safer place. The bird must remain within hearing reach of where it was found so its parents can find it. Handling a young bird does not cause its parents to abandon it. UK birds have a poor sense of smell and do not respond to human smell in the same way as mammals. Fledglings should be left where they are, in the care of their own parents. Removal of a fledgling from the wild will cut its chances of long-term survival to a small fraction, and should only be done as a last resort. Can I put it back in its nest?If the young bird is unfeathered or covered in fluffy down (a nestling) and has obviously fallen out of the nest by accident, it may be possible to put it back. If this cannot be done, the chick is dependent on humans for survival, and it should be passed on to an expert rehabilitator. Last modified: 23 August 2006 |
Flower borders in front of RSPB The Lodge reserve, Bedfordshire - Andy Hay (rspb-images.com, Ref: 1999_0503_009 )
Family Birdwatching through living room window - Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)
Nestbox on tree, RSPB Wood of Cree reserve - Andy Hay (rspb-images.com, Ref: D_2006_11968_0009 )