Santa Barbara Aububon Society I Found a Baby Bird! What should I do? (See below for REAL injured baby birds!) Every spring well meaning people find "orphaned" baby birds and take them home or to wildlife rescue centers. Most of these babies are actually still under the watchful eye of their parents and do not need rescuing. Birds do a much better job at raising their own young than we can ever do. We lack the ability to teach baby birds many survival skills such as where and when to find food, which predators to look out for, and safe places to spend the night. In addition, very young baby birds must be fed every 15-20 minutes - from about sunrise to 10 pm!

If you find a NESTLING (a featherless or near-featherless baby bird) on the ground, the best thing you can do is to make every effort to place the bird back in its nest. It is a myth that parents will not take their babies back because they will smell human scent on them. With rare exceptions, birds have a poor sense of smell and will gladly take their babies back. If the nest cannot be reached for some reason, the following works very well: make a "makeshift" nest out of a clean Cool-Whip container or margarine dish. Make holes in the bottom of it to allow for water drainage. Line the bowl with paper towels. Then tack the artificial nest back up in the tree as close to the original nest as possible. Finally, place the baby bird(s) into this and leave. The parents will usually come back in a short time and will feed the babies in it just like it was the original nest. Often, you will see the mother going back and forth between "nests", feeding both sets of babies.

If you find a FLEDGLING (a baby bird partially or mostly feathered), most often it is best to leave it alone. At this stage of development, as "fledglings" they will NORMALLY jump or fall out of their nest. This is part of their "flight training." The mother bird will continue to feed the bird on the ground until it is able to fly (within a few days). Unless injured or immediately threatened, such birds should be left where they are. Every effort, however, should be made to keep cats, dogs, and curious children away from them so that parents can feel safe to continue feeding them. However, if the bird is injured, please DO take it to the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network or call them at 805-966-9005.

What Should I Do If I Find a Real Orphaned or Injured Baby Bird?

If you find a REAL orphan or INJURED baby bird, or if you're not sure, call Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network at 805-966-9005 ASAP. The longer the delay, the less chance a baby has of surviving. After hours you may call Pacific Emergency Pet Clinic at 805-682-5120.

1. Keep the baby bird WARM and in a quiet, dark place until you can bring it in. (A small cardboard box works well.)

2. Resist the temptation to give the baby food or water. Unless you are absolutely certain of the species, you may inadvertently damage or kill the bird. What's good for one species can actually kill another, as some birds strictly eat seeds, others only insects. Most baby birds, until they are on their own, get all their liquids from the food presented by their parents. Because they are not used to drinking, giving them water can result in the bird accidentally inhaling water. Feeding the wrong foods can stunt or damage their growth, or at the least make them sick.

Thank you for your care and concern!

More information can be found at Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network.

Website information contacts:
Chapter office address:
5679 Hollister Ave., Suite 5b
Goleta, CA 93117
805-964-1468
Chapter email: audubon@rain.org
Website by:
Technical Specialties
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Updated: September 19, 2003