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Baby Birds: Part 1

© Terrie Murray

At this time of year, one of the questions we hear most often is what to do with a baby bird you find on the ground. The best thing you can do is get the bird to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator as quickly as possible, because the bird might need antibiotics and specialized treatment that you can't provide at home. In order to do that, you need to do some research now so that you know who to call and where to go.

Wildlife rehabilitators are towards the top of my list of unsung heros. Most of them work for free, with some of the larger facilities operating by membership or donation funds. They take in baby birds, window-strike birds, cat-caught birds, birds injured by the too-vigorous attentions of children and wildlife of all varieties. They are prepared to answer the door at 2:00 in the afternoon or 2:00 in the morning in order to accept and care for a new patient. And the ultimate goal of all wildlife rehabilitators is returning a healthy, self-sufficient animal or bird to the wild, not to keep it caged. But how do you find them in your neighborhood? And why can't you care for the birds yourself?

In the first place, the International Migratory Bird Act makes it illegal for you to have a wild bird in your care if you're not a licensed rehabilitator. The Act is seldom enforced if all you're doing is watching over a window-stunned bird or transporting a more seriously injured bird into the hands of a licensed care facility. But more importantly, despite your best intentions, the bird will have a better chance of survival if provided with the care of a professional rehabilitator. There are several ways to find the ones in your community, and you should identify them now and have phone numbers and addresses available before you need them. The sooner you can get an injured or sick bird to a care facility, the better its chances for recovery. To find them, contact your state Division of Natural Resources or Fish and Wildlife. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (in Canada contact the Canadian Wildlife Service, part of Environment Canada) may also have a regional office in your area. You can also call the National Wildlife Rehabilitator's Association (NWRA) Head Office in St. Cloud, Minnesota at (320) 259-4086. NWRA has members in every state and parts of Canada. Your local Audubon Society, SPCA, Humane Society, veterinarian, sheriff's office or police station may also be able to direct you to a wildlife care facility near you. Once you've identified your nearest care facility, consider volunteering. There are so few opportunities to work with wildlife closely, and volunteers are always desperately needed.

The copyright of the article Baby Birds: Part 1 in Birdwatching is owned by Terrie Murray. Permission to republish Baby Birds: Part 1 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.