When To Help A Baby Bird, And When To Leave It Alone
Hatchling, nestling, fledgling? An expert and simple guide for determining if the bird you find in your yard needs your intervention.
By Vicki Croke
This baby sparrow, found on the ground, had no parents feeding him over an entire day, so he was placed with a rehabilitator. Photo: Christen Goguen.
There’s an old joke that goes:
Q: What’s the definition of a rescued wild animal?
A: Anything that couldn’t run faster than the well-intentioned human chasing it.
It’s not only funny (well, we think it is), it’s a good reminder of what NOT to do now during baby bird season.
This baby sparrow, found on the ground, was fed by his parents. He was flying in no time. Photo: Christen Goguen.
This is the time when you might just come across a little helpless looking chick on the ground and want to help. Generally, the advice is to leave the baby alone. As Mass Audubon says, “Most of the time it’s best to do nothing.”
But since it’s so hard to resist doing SOMETHING, the experts have some good advice and guidelines:
First, assess for injury. If the bird looks like it’s been attacked by a cat or other animal, for instance, you can call a wildlife rehabilitator in your area.
Yet another baby sparrow, found on the ground, was left alone–his parents knew where he was and fed him regularly. Photo: Christen Goguen.
Age plays an important role in figuring out what to do. Mass Audubon explains:
Determine Age
Baby birds go through three stages:
Hatchling (usually 0-3 days old). It hasn’t yet opened its eyes, and may have wisps of down on its body. It’s not ready to leave the nest.
Nestling (usually 3-13 days old). Its eyes are open, and its wing feathers may look like tubes because they’ve yet to break through their protective sheaths. It’s also not ready to leave the nest.
Fledgling (13-14 days old or older). This bird is fully feathered. Its wings and tail may be short, and it may not be a great flyer, but it can walk, hop, or flutter. It has left the nest, though its parents may be nearby, taking good care of it.
Help Hatchlings and Nestlings
If you find a hatchling or a nestling on the ground and you can see its nest, you should try to safely return it. Contrary to popular belief, birds do not have a well-developed sense of smell. Therefore, the parents won’t know if a young bird has been touched by people and will not abandon their young.
If there’s no nest, you can make one by fastening a small wicker basket (sides no higher than 4 inches) to a branch. Cut two pieces of wire to 18 inch lengths and thread them up through the bottom of the basket and down again. Line the basket with dry grass, and securely wire it to the top of a branch in the same tree or shrub as the nest. Place the bird inside the basket.
Cornell says most of the baby birds people find are fledglings:
These are young birds that have just left the nest, are still under the care of their parents, and do not need our help. Fledglings are feathered and capable of hopping or flitting, with toes that can tightly grip your finger or a twig. These youngsters are generally adorable and fluffy, with a tiny stub of a tail.
When fledglings leave their nest they rarely return, so even if you see the nest it’s not a good idea to put the bird back in—it will hop right back out. Usually there is no reason to intervene at all beyond putting the bird on a nearby perch out of harm’s way and keeping pets indoors. The parents may be attending to four or five young scattered in different directions, but they will return to care for the one you have found. You can watch from a distance to make sure the parents are returning to care for the fledgling.
49 Responses to “When To Help A Baby Bird, And When To Leave It Alone”
Good to know – especially as I watch the robin’s nest on my front porch!
I watched a Robyn take care of her babies & they all flew off but one, ….. I hope she flys away soon it seems like shes afraid but the moma bird keeps coming back to check on her , I hope everythings ok with the baby❤ I love bird watching .
Sounds wonderful to be able to observe the beginnings of a birds life.
Did the last baby bird eventually fly out of the nest ?We have one of three baby robins still in the nest that we can watch very well. It gets up on top of the nest and just stays there for hours…it is the 2d day -flutters and picks at its feathers. We only saw the mama feed it at dusk yesterday and none today. It was alone in nest at 10:00 last night. It is large, but not flying out like the other two. Does any one know what causes this ? And will it fly out on its own ?
Help. Thx.
I am watching the last little finch (of 5) perched at the edge of the nest in a planter on the porch. Seeing him just waiting & hoping the Mom will come & feed him. Meanwhile my heart aches. They have been coming back to nest for about 8 years. We get a new plant for them each year.
Very good to know. Thank you…again! And it makes me think of what might possibly make a story: why do we never see baby seagulls? Where are they!!?
They are on the roof terraces of our building. The nests can hardly be called nests, a few sticks, rocks, even a chicken bone randomly dropped in a spot.
Nice article to be shared with do-gooder friends!
When I was a kid a ruby-crowned kinglet made a nest in a spruce tree right outside our dining room window. One day we experienced a particularly severe downpour, and the tree was offering scant protection. My mother went out and tucked an open umbrella above the nest. I have long thought that her protective act probably visited enough stress on the mother bird to have been more harm than good, but now I’m wondering? Do baby birds ever drown in nests in heavy rain?
A mamma bird had 3 babies in a hanging plant in my porch over the days ive seen the mamma coming and going since we had a. Storm last night i haven’t seen her at all today ! What can i do ? They are in the nest with eyes open and mouths open help please
http://wildliferehabinfo.org
Tufts vet School in Groton has Wildlife rehab people. I’d call there
Same here, I had a robin lay 3 eggs one hatched and since yesterday I’ve not seen the mother.she Nest it on my porch.and I think she’s been scared off.😢 We’ve had so much company in and out kids in and out and I just don’t think she’s coming back…😢 I put a surveillance camera out and she has not been back all day long.I fed the baby bird she was starving! I mixed wet dog food and baby cereal the little bit of water and fed it just a little bit every 20 minutes. I read it’s from sunup to sundown every 20 minutes until they get older. It’s only about a week old. I’ve got my hands full if I can’t find Wildlife to come get it. but what am I supposed to do I can’t let it die.
How long has the Robin been gone? You did a good job feeding it every 20mins. Another substitute is wet cat food. If you think the mother is never coming back, put it in a cage, like a cat-carrier. If it is a nestling then get a bowl, cover it with newspapers and put the birdie in the bowl in the cage. Keep feeding it every 20mins. When it is a fledgling, it will try to leave even though it is not ready, open the cage in a enclosed room where it can’t get hurt, like a bathroom, so that it can learn to fly. let it go finally when you know it can fly well and that it can feed itself. Tips: when we rescued a baby bird, we named it and talked to it and loved it! Contrary to Internet advice we got attached to it and it thrived. We were its mother showing it love and that helped it not only survive but thrive, and in return it loved us back. Please post updates on how it’s doing! Hope this helps :)
Love this story
Poor fleglings just born yesterday or day before. Momma made the nest under the eaves and I can’t reach it. It’s stifling hot here right now. I put out a water bowl (she doesn’t seem to mind me sitting on the deck), but doesn’t look like she’s touched it. She does fly away and comes right back, but doesn’t look like she has food for them. They all appear stressed from the heat, even momma, with mouths wide open. Anything I can do?
It’s not a “flegling” when it just hatches, it’s a nestling…fledgling have full feathers and can flutter around…if it is featherless, it’s a nestling…please research on the web on how to care for them if you are going ot take the responsibliity of the care…once you start, please take it to release time…about 4-6 weeks times…
Hi annie. My little girl found a Hatchling 2days old i think. There is 2 nests under my garage eaves the nests r so close side by side and dried grass all in the middle i tried to find a opening for the nests and could not! there in there good…. ! So i left the baby bird in the middle… Will the momma bird move it back in the right nest????i hope it dos not get cold in the middle if left alone? I put a towle down for if the hatchling was to fall out again. That was at 5:00am i have looked and no babys fallin. I could here the hatchlings when momma or dad would go in but i dont no how the 1 i put back is 💖 hope its ok its so little like i said maybe just 2 days old
I have watched these doves lay 4 times. This pair has gotten big enough to fledge…then one died unexpectedly. The other baby fledged shortly after his sibling fell from the nest. Now it’s dark,cold and he’s sitting on my fence all alone. I’m worried about him. I’m guessing I should leave him be…as hard as it is…especially after watching the other baby die.
I didn’t know that birds don’t have a well-developed sense of smell. I had always heard that if you touched them in any way then the mother bird won’t care for them anymore. A couple years ago a couple baby ducks were hanging out in my yard. My children wanted to play with them, but I told them that the mother wouldn’t care for them if they touched them. Does the same thing apply to ducks as well?
If you touch a baby bird (ducks included) its mother will still take care of it.
Good info, we just found a fledgling in the back yard and were wanting to help it but we keep an eye out instead and keep dogs from backyard. Thanks again
Literally same exact situation for me. Found 2 fledglings, 1 flew away with Mom. I was scared that it was an orphan, but I read this article, so I’m just keeping an eye on it. Keeping dogs out of backyard as well!
Found a fledgling hopping around, learning to fly, but it was starting to snow. It was soaked so I dried it off and let it go. The parents were around and attended to it after I let it out, but it got too cold overnight and it didn’t make it. I know letting nature take its course is preferable, but I think I will keep it indoors overnight next time.
Man, I really need think before I act,rather than acting first and thinking later..lol. I found a fledgling(didn’t know it was even called that at the time, just learned that here on this site) hopping around in my newly planted garden. I was watering and almost sprayed it,when I seen it run hopping away trying to fly but just couldn’t I felt SOOO bad. I immediately swooped it up and put it in a bird cage I had sitting outside that I just finished cleaning for my tiels, when 2 birds dive bombed me..guessing mommy and daddy?.. Well anyways, I still brought it in for the night and syringe fed it water and specialty formula for birds. I’ve already found 2 others dead in the backyard and I just couldn’t bear finding another. But then I read this,and immediately let it go back in the yard. Mom and dad are still hanging around, they actually never left but what I want to know is if they will still help it/look after it/teach it after what I did?? I really hope so! Pls let me know ASAP cuz if not I will call a wildlife rehab near me. Thanks!
I just took one in because 2 starlings were pecking and attacking him, trying to pick him up, and I guess kill it. I couldn’t bear that, so I scooped him up and now have him indoors in a big crate with a towel fir warmth, some water, and some bird seed. I feed it with tweezers with some suet on it. I’m planning on letting him go once this rain stops. I just had to take him in because I did not want anything to happen to him. I get wildlife is wildlife, but nothing is getting eaten alive under my watch!! I’m hoping he’s strong enough to fly when I let him go free. He really is the cutest thing ever!!!
All good information. Me and my fiance found a fledgling stuck down below in a window well, so we scooped it out and let it go. But it ran near another window well just so I covered that well up with some cardboard to keep the fledgling from falling in again. He’s seems to want to stay on top of the cardboard so we’re just leaving him there. His parents are nearby, hopefully keeping an eye on him. Since it’s been raining tonight though, we left him some birdseed and a dry piece of sweatshirt close (the well has a roof over it) so hopefully he stays warm. And I left that basement window open, so hopefully he also gets a bit of heat from the house. I hope he survives and that his parents haven’t abandoned him.
May 24ish 2016-July 18, 2016
Branches too high for me to return or make nest for hatchling-nestling thrown from nest during high wind so took home. Thanks to advise from experienced humane society and especially CORNELL ORNITHOLOGY DEPARTMENT ,Bird, (once feathered, a grackle, yes, they too have purpose) bird fledged and after days of walking around with me in the grass and staying outside for several hours each day and out two separate nights (free to come and go)–hopefully learned enough skills to survive–in retrospect the last time she tried to come back was the hottest day of the summer–over 90 degrees and she looked more than distressed. Stools were purplish and watery, eating only berries?? A little shade, food, water and protection from neighboring hawk might have been called for but I left. I fear she may have tried to follow me to location she had not been before. She was a beauty and funny! Hopefully, she made it despite my poor last decision. I miss her antics. Thank you for your patience and expertise, Cornell. It has been an education!
Have a birdhouse in my yard, keeping an eye on them because twigs and bedding might have been too much for them as one appeared too close to falling out of opening. Come home, and two baby birds fell in grass under house. Placed them back inside gently, can I remove some twigs ? Mom and Dad are very attentive bringing bugs for feeding, babies as big as my thumb, feathered eyes closed not hopping yet…HELP? Also saw sparrow peering in house, babies are not sparrows…
Hi I have a problem with my bird box my dog has killed and ate a parent and ever since I hadn’t seen a parent so I looked in to check on them and I seen scratch marks from my dog and I called the rspca and they said take it in the house when we went to take it as soon as we moved the bird box an adult flew out but it was not like the bluetits that we had well it looked much darker but if it was a parent will it come back or not?
Good to know this information We have baby blue birds being fed by mom and dad. We love watching them so much. Should be flying out soon. 😊
And keep cats contained!!!!
I’m training a baby bird but its mother still giving it worms.
I was trimming my tall spiral bush late yesterday and noticed some plastic wire mesh hanging off the top and pulled it. Well to my surprise, a whole nest came out with 2 hatchlings. One rolled onto the grass. I put on gloves and put it back in the nest. I put the nest back. I kept worrying that the intervention may cause them to be abandoned. What do you think? I checked on them this morning and they are still alive. I haven’t ever seen any parents around but its not in an easy to watch spot and i have to get out a step ladder out to see inside. I don’t want to intervene again in fear of disrupting them but how long should i wait before trying to find them help? Like how long can they live without mom or dad? If they are only a couple days old then in reading here they should need food every 20 min.
Update:. I watched here and there and there was no mom. I had to leave during the day and got home around 4pm. Only one was alive. But to my surprise there was actually 3 birds in there and it must have been dead before I found the nest. I suspect that the nest was abandoned prior. So i took the hatchling in and gave water before i researched what to give it, but i didn’t drown it thank god. I brought it into the humane society to give to the wildlife rescue and they suggested wet cat food in the interim so thats what we gave it. Hope its doing well in their care.
I found a little fledgling on the ground in my backyard. It was flying at my feet chirping. I left it alone then came outside again right before dark and it was flying at my feet again. Seemed it was asking for help. It lookd healthy so I put it in a shoe box with some tissue. I am going to release it first thing in the morning. I figured the cats in the neighbourhood were going to get it so just for tonight in the shoebox and hopefully it makes it tomorrow when released. There was not even any twilight when I grabbed it.
We had a Robins nest on our porch for a while now and today when I got home the babies had left their nest. I removed the empty nest because we are having work done to our porch. I just went back outside 2 hours later and the 3 baby birds are perched where the nest was. I am devastated! Did I remove the nest too soon? I’ve read in so many places that the babies don’t return to the nest once they leave. Does anyone have any idea why this has happened?
We have a pigeon nest in our garden. The adults have been taking turns to look after the baby for 4 weeks. We haven’t seen either adult for over 24hrs now, that’s not to say they haven’t been back, we just haven’t seen them. However, we can see the baby in the nest. Seems quite healthy. Should we intervene?
I was cleaning and I knocked a baby birds nest out in the two babies fell down I can’t find one of them and I return the other one to the nest will the mama find the other baby
We had a new roof put on today, and the roofers found a nest in one of the soffets that needs to be replaced.
They were at our house from 6 am until 6 pm and the parents didn’t try to come back to the house until everyone was gone.
I went outside to gather trash and heard a baby bird crying.
At first I thought the sound was coming from the nest.
But as I got closer, I saw a hatchling on the ground under the hole in the soffet.
I picked up the baby and put her as far back and as close to the nest as I could get and then got out of there.
As we are supposed to get new gutters in the morning, I asked my Mom if I could move the car in a way that the roofers would need to ring our doorbell before they got to work.
I wanted to tell them to please be careful around the nest and to start far away from it to give the Mama bird a chance to feed them normally.
I went out to move the car – about an hour later – and heard baby birds screaming again.
3 birds had now fallen around 12+ feet onto a concrete driveway.
1 is not doing at all well.
Knowing that they had probably not been fed all day, I started tearing my bearded dragon’s superworms into pieces and sticking them into their mouths.
I also dipped my finger into water and let them swallow.
I need help!
It looks like the Mom tore up the nest and pushed the whole thing out of the hole in the soffet!
My son rescued a fledgling today from the pool. Water is like 60 and so was the air. We warmed it up and let it go. It flew from my son’s hands to a bush and bush to bush. Finally to a tree. We were concerned because we have a cat. We kept him in so hopefully it ok.
A house finch built a nest on my door wreath. Right night there are 4 little nestling babies. I keep watching through my window to see if mama bird returns to feed them. I’m sure she’s taking good care of them but it’s so hard not to want to “help” her out a bit.
We have a Baltimore Oriole nest and the babies have fledged except one. The parents have stopped feeding it and it is just chirping away. Should I intervene? Will itleave on its own or perish in the nest. I feel so bad for it!
PLEASE HELP! About three weeks ago we had storms. The next morning my husband was mowing the lawn and found a nest with three hatchlings on the ground (eyes just starting to open). Two were dead. The nest was basically destroyed. I scooped the bird up, put him in a shoe box with a paper towel nest. Did a little research on what to feed him. Dog kibble soaked in water. I then put it in my Magic Bullet with more water, dried meal worms and rice baby cereal. It’s three weeks later. He drinks water on his own, but for the life of me I can’t get him to eat on his own. He wants to be fed from the stick I used for 3 weeks. Still cries like a baby. I had an old bird cage that I’ve been keeping him…. mistake number one. I was getting very cold at night so I was bringing him in….. mistake number two. I do let him hop around our yard. He flies short distances, from bush to bush. I’ve had him 3 weeks, but he’s closer to 4 weeks. Oh yeah, he’s a common grackle. WHAT DO I DO? HELP? I’ve let myself get attached to this little guy and I’m afraid he’s imprinted on me. Should I just sit the cage in the yard with door open and food and water in it? How old should he be when I do this? PLEASE NO HATE REPLIES. Thank you all so much for your help.
I found a baby bird ( part fuzz, part feather) in the street, and tried to help him. It was in the high 90°’s, so I tried to give him water with a dropper. He wanted more, when I stopped, so I continued to give him more water.. The next thing I knew, he was falling over, and trying to flap, his mouth stayed wide, but he made no sound (his chirp was weak, when I found him, but he had a chirp). It appeared he may have had a seizure. Then he died. It was horrible, to see him struggle and suffer. I had no idea goes to help him. I buried him, in my garden. I’ve been crying all day. It’s my fault that poor baby is now gone. I thought water was a good thing, especially because he was in the street, and it was so hot out. I feel like I suffocated him with drops of water. Animal Control said the fall from the trees to the street, most likely killed him. My ladders don’t reach the lowest branches… I think 20 feet up…? Did I kill him? Or did the fall? =( I’m sick over this
I’m sure the heat killed him, not you! You probably made his last moments a bit more bearable.
I’m sure it wasn’t your fault. We do the best we can with what we’ve got. I found a baby bird just like the one you described yesterday and my 1st instinct was to give it water since it’s in the 100’s here. It recoiled before I could get any water into him. I’ve since learned that water is a no no. Their bodies can’t handle it and they get moisture from the foods they eat. I’ve been feeding puppy and kitten kibble soaked in water, some small pieces of hard boiled egg and diced live mealworms. Definitely a learning experience!
One robin fledgling is still in my yard somewhere I believe( I hear loud chirping). His nest mates fledged to my next door neighbors’ yard, so this one is alone. However, I can’t tell if a parent is tending to him because I’m not sure exactly where he is (there is heavy cover for him in several places) and I can’t spend a great deal of time watching for a parent. It’s a REAL WORRY not knowing if a parent brings him food. So can anyone tell me if it’s possible that he’s getting his own food? And if not, how long would it be before he’s able to do that. He fledged six days ago.
We found a fledgling… an owl just sitting in our yard. It was sleeping and didn’t do anything when we got close.
PLEASE HELP!
A nest fell into our frontyard because of heavy rain. When the rain stops I put it inside a basket and put it back to the tree. Then their parenst came and take good care of them. But then in the afternoon heavy rain began to pour again. Parents nowhere to be found. Im scared so i get the basket and let it dry again inside our house. But then i saw one of their parents came and look for them. I felt a little guilt and scared their parents might left them because i took their babies. So even if its raining heavily i put it back to the tree. Its very dark so i dont know if parents came back to protect them from rain. Will they survive? Will the parents still come back and protect them? Or is their possibility that they will die while raining? By the way the fledgling are chestnut mania.
A Mama bird has made her nest right outside of my front door on top of my porch light. The babies have hatched and are a couple of days old. I am worried that when they try to fly they are going to drop 7 ft onto cement.. then they will be right in front of my door. How are they going to learn to fly in front of my door??? At first I was happy that there was a nest now I am stressing about when they learn to fly. My question is: can I move the nest to a tree in front of my house? Then when they fall at least there is grass to soften the fall. Any help is greatly appreciate! TIA
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