…I found a baby bird on the ground that can’t fly

The first step is to determine whether the baby still belongs in its nest, or whether it is normal for it to be on the ground. Altricial birds that still need to be in their nest are known as “nestlings.” Once the babies are developed enough, they leave the nest and spend up to ten days on the ground while their parents continue to care for them. At this stage they do not need to be in the nest and are known as fledglings.

I have found a nestling baby bird. Click here for more.


If the baby is a fledgling….

It is perfectly normal and a necessary stage of development for a fledgling bird to be on the ground not able to fly. The parents feed them frequently and care for them on the ground or in the branches of trees or other structures until they can fly. They are more vulnerable at this time, but need to stay where they can receive their parents care as long as they show no signs of illness or injury. If you are concerned about the baby, you may place it in a bush or on a low tree branch very close to where you found it. Do not worry if you have touched the baby. Parents WILL accept babies that have been handled by humans (though try to avoid handling anyway to minimize the bird’s stress levels).

I don’t see any parent birds. How can I tell if they are still caring for the baby? Click here for a method.

You can also help fledglings survive by keeping cats indoors and dogs on a leash until the fledglings learn to fly. Click here for more information on cats indoors.

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