Tips for containing sick, injured, or orphaned baby birds

As with all wild animals, direct handling of baby birds should be kept to a minimum. Although human handling will NOT cause parent birds to reject their babies, handling is stressful for baby birds. As wild animals do not always react visibly to stress in the same way that domestic animals do, it is easy to assume that wild animals are comfortable in our presence if they are not crying out or attempting escape. Wild animals are so vulnerable to the effects of stress that it can seriously compromise their health – staff and volunteers at Wildlife Rehabilitation centres know too well that babies that have been touched or cuddled by the people that find them frequently go into a state of shock and die shortly after admission to the centre.

To contain a baby bird, use a soft piece of material free of strings, such as a pillowcase, tea towel, or even lightweight shirt. Corner the bird and quickly place the material overtop of it, including the bird’s head. Once their eyes are completely covered, birds will not attempt to fly or move away. Once covered, scoop the bird up by placing your hands on both sides of the body (over the wings) and place in a box. If the baby is smaller than your hand, you may pick it up with a one-handed bander’s grip: place your palm over the bird’s back with your index finger and thumb on one side of the body and your other three fingers on the other side – the bird’s head should rest comfortably between your index and second finger. Place the baby in a box with air holes and a closed lid. If the baby cannot stand up, click here for further instructions.

If the baby appears has sharp thick talons and a hooked beak (as a bird of prey would), or a spear-like beak significantly longer than the baby’s head (as a heron would), it is best to not handle the baby at all to avoid injury. Place a cardboard box upside down over top of the bird. Gently shimmy a flat piece of cardboard or a towel underneath the box, then slowly right the box so that the baby is upright inside of it.

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