What To Do When Finding a Baby Songbird

Certain birds can be renested easier than others. Doves have the best chance of being renested but grackle kids should always be rescued. Adult grackles will call out the entire Grackle National Guard to scream at anyone who comes close to a fallen youngster but they have little interest in taking care of a baby on the ground.

Sometimes the parent bird is trying to care for the baby on the ground but that can be dangerous because of predators. Getting the baby back to the nest is the ideal solution if the parents are still around. If the nest is destroyed, a natural fiber basket filled with dried grass will also work if hung in a protected place. Think "nest size" when making a selection...no laundry baskets, please. Plus the nest needs drainage in case it rains so plastic containers and cardboard boxes will not work. Also consider the protection the nest needs...it may look like a shady spot but will the afternoon sun hit it directly and bake the baby inside?

Wire or tie the nest to the branch so it won't blow out again during the next wind storm. Watch from a distance to make sure the parent returns to care for the baby. If the baby is very young and alone after dark, it needs to be rescued.

Never leave a compromised bird on the ground outside!

Keeping it on a heat source is essential...a heating pad (low setting), gel pack, or you can use a plastic water, milk, or orange juice container filled with hot water from the tap. If the bird is cold, it MUST have a heat source to get warm.  Wrapping it in a towel or blanker or putting it in a warm room will NOT help.  Don't put the bird in the sun as it will get dehydrated.

Keep all orphaned and injured wildlife warm with a heat source even in the middle of summer!

If the baby songbird is warm, alert, and opening his mouth for food, chop up a hard boiled egg and feed small pieces.  Soaked kitten kibble can also be used. A good quality kitten food such as Science Diet or Iams is best.  Most baby birds need to be fed often throughout the day (sometimes every 15 miutes for newly hatched birds) but they don't need to be fed at night.   Baby doves and pigeons don't gape for food.  Mash up hard boiled egg yolk with water and feed drops along the outside of the bill.  Strained chicken baby food (Gerber's, Beechnut) can also be used for temporary care.

Never squirt water down a bird's throat; instead put a drop of water along the outside of the beak and allow the bird to swallow on his own.

Baby birds need the right diet to grow strong and  healthy- these foods are for  temporary care only!

Precocial baby birds take longer to hatch but once they do, they're ready to follow mom (and sometimes dad) away from the nest.  They can walk, swim (ducklings), and eat on their own.  They're covered with soft down but still  need to huddle under their parents for warmth for at least the first week.

These babies are very fragile...do not handle any more then necessary.  They also eat on their own...do not try to force food or water into their mouths.

Keep extra warm (heating pad on medium).  Finely crumble a hard boiled egg or shave the top of a broccoli  floret for temporary food. Water needs to be in a SMALL jar lid with pebbles on the bottom; when these birds get wet, they crash fast.