Each year as we enter the nesting season, we receive numerous phone calls from concerned customers who have found young birds and are unsure of what do next. Often, these young birds may not need help at all. Many fledglings spend time on the ground after leaving the nest, learning to fly and find food. This can sometimes be mistaken for a bird that has fallen out the nest early or a sick or injured bird.
As fans of birds we are always eager to help if we think a bird is seemingly in need, but the best thing to do if you find a bird you suspect may need help is to just observe the bird. Is it a fledgling that is mostly feathered? Or, is it a nestling that has very few feathers and may not have its eyes open yet? Unless a fledgling is showing signs of injury or is in immediate danger of predation the bird should be left alone. They are doing exactly what they need to be doing. If you find a nestling, there are a few different steps you can take before deciding to take it out of its environment and to a rehabilitator. Those steps and much more information can be found in this article on Audubon.org “When you should and should not rescue baby birds”
Our friends at Harmony Wildlife Rehabilitation also have a great website with lots of information on how to help wildlife. While researching this blog post I learned about young rabbits on their page on how to help baby rabbits.