Should you try it?

When should you attempt it?

Reuniting a lost baby bird with its parents is obviously the very best outcome we can hope for, and in some cases, it can be accomplished. However, it takes the help of an experienced rehabilitator to make sure it is done right.

Often, a baby who has fallen from its nest is injured, cold, dehydrated, or otherwise compromised, and this is not necessarily visible to the untrained individual. If a compromised baby is returned to the nest, it will most likely not survive. Careful screening is necessary to determine which babies are candidates for re-nesting, and this is where you need the help of someone with experience. Please disregard instructions to leave the baby alone if it "Looks Healthy". Even trained rehabilitators can not assess the health of a bird without thoroughly examining it

If you see a baby on the ground and can capture it without difficuly, the absolute best choice is to take it to a rehabilitator immediately. If the baby is healthy, we can attempt to reunite it with the parents if the circumstances are right. Most observers will not be able to adequately determine the presence or severity of physical conditions.

Here are some of the most common considerations in assessing baby birds:

cold
dehydration/starvation
weakness
broken bones
open wounds
presence of flies/maggots
parasites

Please visit WildlifeRehabber.com's Baby Bird Renesting Instructions for a step by step guide to assessing baby birds, and instructions on how to renest. We thoroughly believe that any baby that is free of any compromising conditions (that has been thoroughly screened), that is in a safe location, and is being actively cared for and fed by its parents should not be kidnapped. However twenty years of experience has taught us that the overwhelming majority of birds found by the public require intervention, and that most individuals aren't in a position to devote the amount of time and attention to ensure the baby is healthy and successfully reunited with its parents. When in doubt, rescue!