Bird’s the Word
April 4, 2016
We are blessed in Minnesota to enjoy a wide variety of songbirds in our ecosystem, and spring is the time when nests are built, eggs are laid, and babies are born all over our shared landscape. So what happens if you find a baby bird in your yard? What if your dog or cat interacts with it? Today, I will help you make confident and accurate decisions when trying to help wild bird babies.
So you found a baby songbird, now what? First and foremost, if you can see that the bird is visibly injured, or if your dog or cat has bitten the bird, contact a Wildlife Rehabilitator and follow their instructions. If they determine that the bird should be transported to them, follow their instructions.
If the bird is uninjured, determine what life stage it is in. Many people are unaware that fledgling baby birds jump out of the next before they can fly. Their parents continue to feed the babies on the ground, so their being there is completely okay! If a bird is feathered and can grip firmly to perch on a branch or your finger, it is likely safe to be out of the nest and you should leave it alone as long as it is not visibly hurt. If the bird is not safe from pets or people in its current location, move it to a nearby branch or bush.
But what if the baby is not feathered and/or cannot grip firmly to perch? The best case scenario is to return the bird to its original nest. If there is
more than one baby bird and they are featherless, they must be in the same nest so bother can brood them to keep them warm. When returning them to their nest, be quiet and quick, so as not to scare the babies in the nest which may cause them to jump.
If the nest is destroyed or cannot be found, you can prepare a substitute. Follow these steps:
- Keep the baby bird(s) in a warm, quite, dark place while you are preparing their substitute nest. Keeping them warm and as free from stress as possible is critical to their health. DO NOT feed them anything.
- Find a container as close to the size of their original nest as possible. Recycled butter tubs, yogurt containers, or small wicker containers are good options.
- Poke holes in the bottom to let rain water drain.
- If possible, but the original nest material in the container. Otherwise, line the nest in natural materials like straw, grass, hay, dry leaves, etc.
- Hang the make-shift nest as close to the original nest location as possible. Place safely away from direct sun, rain and overhead predators.
- Once ready, place the birds gently in the nest and leave the area and observe from a distance. If possible watch continuously to see if mom returns – may take up to two ours. If you do not see mom return after full 2 hours, call a local wildlife rehabilitator.
If you can’t stay to observe, here are a few signs of the mother safely returning:
- Are the babies chirping and begging for food when you peer in? This is a good sign, orphaned birds are cold and quiet.
- Is there fresh feces present? This is an indication that they have been recently fed.
- Is there a bulge on the right side of their neck(s)? If so, their crop is full and they have been fed.
If, at any time along the way, you are unsure when interacting with a potentially injured or threatened wild songbird (or any animal for that matter) contact your local rehabilitator. Our local rehabilitator is the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota, located in Roseville. Their number is 651-486-9453.
Written by: Brianna Blackmon