What you will do if you see an Injured or Orphaned Bird

Finding a bird (adult or chick) that is ill, injured, or orphaned to help is one of the most praised things you can do. Helping others is in our human nature, but how can we make sure that we don't end up doing more harm than good? Observe these crucial instructions.

Harmed birds

Numerous factors can cause adult songbirds to get hurt or ill. The most frequent causes include being attacked by house cats, being struck by cars, being thrown out of a window, contracting bacterial and viral infections from bird feeders, and many others.

The following describe an adult songbird in need:

Without moving, lying on the ground
Not take off when approached
Simple to pick up
Fluffed-up feathers to an extreme
Closed, squinting, crusted, weeping, swollen, bleeding, weeping eyes
Indications of bleeding or wounds
A limb that is obviously wounded (such as a dangling leg or a wing that is drooping or hanging)
Tries to fly but is unable

To properly care for an injured bird, place it in a cardboard box with a lid or a towel on top, and then keep the box in a cool, secure location. When damaged, birds easily experience shock and frequently pass away as a result. A bird that has hit a window but is still alive could just need some time to come to, then it might be able to fly away.

Never attempt to force feed or water the bird. Take the bird outside and check to see if it can fly away every fifteen minutes by opening the box. After a few hours, if it is still there, you can try to locate a nearby wildlife rehabilitator. To find a wildlife rehabilitator by county, click here.

The website for Wildlife International also features a global database of rehabilitators, which can include other institutions in your area.

Orphaned Chickens

Young songbirds are frequently "bird-napped" by well-meaning individuals who think something is amiss when nothing is actually wrong. We DO NOT want chicks to be taken away from their parents unless they are sick, injured, or truly orphaned since no one can raise a baby bird better than the bird's parents.

The first thing to do if you think you have found an orphaned bird is to make sure it is truly orphaned.

NESTLINGS & HATCHLINGS

Young birds called hatchlings and nestlings must stay in their nests to survive.

Hatchlings either lack feathers, have thin down, or are in the early stages of developing feathers. For at least the first week or so after hatching, their eyes are closed (varies with species). They can't generate their own body heat, therefore the mother bird must keep them warm.

Nestlings often have the beginning of feathers all over their body by the time they are two weeks old (varies with species). On their wings, they have the earliest stages of flight feathers. While they are still unable to stand, hop, or walk, they are more mobile in the nest. When the older nestlings are moving around inside or starting to perch, they may occasionally fall out of the nest.

A certified wildlife rehabilitator should be contacted if a hatchling or nestling is discovered on the ground. In a tiny Tupperware container or other similar round dish, thoroughly lined with layers of toilet paper to keep the baby bird from contacting the container itself, you can prepare a temporary nest for the chick while you wait for further instructions.

FLEDGLINGS

Many baby birds may still have some down and short tail and wing feathers when they first fledge and leave the nest. However, when fledglings are discovered on the ground, they frequently DO NOT require human assistance.

Did you know that a large number of songbird species develop their wings on the ground? Now that they have left the nest, they can sit up straight, perch, and even hop or flutter briefly. Although the baby bird looks to be alone on the ground, its parents are actually nearby in the trees and frequently visit it to feed it, anything from many times an hour to once or twice every two hours. In order to defend itself, the newborn would frequently hide in the grass or by low shrubs. Many songbirds are in this posture naturally, therefore there is probably no need to intervene.

Healthy fledglings have the following traits:

Crystal-clear eyes
Able to stand, flutter, hop, and jump
Alarm call heard and parent observed in a nearby tree