Finding a baby bird

Spring / Summer is always a lovely time of year for all the baby animals, however, it can be a really tricky to know when a young animal needs your help.

We always receive a fair few fledglings here, and although we are more than happy to care for them, most would have been better put out of harms way and left for their parents to take care of.

Baby birds will leave the nest before they can fly properly and it’s not unusual to see them on the ground looking as if they have been abandoned, but the parents WILL be nearby encouraging them to look for food and teaching them how to fly.

If you find a fledgling and you feel it would be in danger if left on the ground, see if you can pop it in a box and if it’s in your garden, peg the box to your washing line and normally the parents will come down and feed it. If the bird is very young i.e. has no feathers and its eyes are shut – it may have fallen out of the nest so again if possible it would be good to try an put it back in the nest if you can see it and are able to do so safely. A mother bird will not abandon a baby if a human has touched it.

If the bird is injured contact the RSPCA and they will give you some advice on what to do next.