Are you sure it’s a baby bird?
Small adult migratory birds are often misidentified as baby birds. Please read our section on distinguishing baby birds from small sick or injured adult birds before proceeding.
Get the baby bird contained
To keep the baby bird safe while you figure out how to help them, put the bird in a small cardboard box (no cages) with a soft towel. Even when indoors, or on a warm day, babies can get cold and even hypothermic, so give them a heat source:
- a clean sock filled with dry, uncooked rice, and microwaved for one minute
- a plastic bottle from the recycling bin filled with hot tap water and wrapped in a tea towel or face cloth (secured to box so it doesn’t squish the baby)
- an electric heating pad set to “LOW” and placed under half of the box
- chemical hand warmers (e.g. Hot Paws) that stay warm for up to 8 hours
Do not give them any food or water – right now keeping them warm in a dark and quiet place is more important.
Cover the box with a lid or towel and put it in a dark, quiet spot, away from people and pets and read on for further instructions.
If the baby bird hops or runs really well and is difficult to catch, leave them alone but keep a close an eye. It might be a normal situation. Read on to find when you should or should not contain the bird.
Look at the pictures below. Choose the one that look MOST LIKE the baby bird you’ve found.
Nestling songbird
some feathers or naked, can’t hop or run, might “chirp” or open mouth to beg for food
Fledgling songbird
fully feathered (or almost!), short tail, hops or runs, might “chirp” or open mouth to beg for food
Baby dove or pigeon
yellow or white “hairs” covering body or poking through feathers, long beak with a big bump on it, might make a “peeping” sound
Baby hawk, owl, or falcon
white fluff or down (either all over body or poking through feathers), big yellow talons, hooked beak
Baby sandpiper or killdeer
covered in fluff or down, able to walk or run, long legs, no webbing on toes
