Baby Birds Out of the Nest?

Found a baby bird? Wondering what to do?

When you come across a helpless-looking baby bird out of its nest, it’s hard to resist the overpowering urge to come to the rescue. But most of the time it’s best to do nothing. Many birds that people try to rescue are still being cared for by their parents and should be left alone.

Remember: Young birds face naturally tough odds. Only 30 percent of young songbirds survive their first year of life. This is nature’s way of maintaining population sizes that the environment can support.

Here’s a primer on when to take action for songbirds (baby ducks or geese require a different approach); when in doubt, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

Protect Baby Birds from Cats

While all birds are threatened by outdoor cats, baby birds are especially vulnerable. Birds should never be removed from the wild to protect them from cats or other predators. If there is a baby bird on the ground and a cat nearby, put the cat indoors until the bird is able to fly. If the cat belongs to a neighbor, ask the owner to remove the cat or, when the owner is not known, spray the cat with water to encourage it to leave the property.

Found a baby bird?

Wondering what to do?

Check out our infographic >