| What to do if you find baby birds | |
If orphan
is NOT injured, all attempts should be made to return it to the parents.
Handling it will NOT keep the parents from returning to it. Birds have
a very poor sense of smell. The following advice is meant as a guideline
only. Please do not take unneccessary risks to yourself or your family.
The Falcon Batchelor Bird of Prey Center at the Miami Science Museum is
available at 305-646-4440 to help you with this process, if we are unavailable,
please leave a message and be patient. We will return your call as soon
as possible. Babies without
adult feathers (fuzzy or prickly looking)should be returned to the nest
if possible, or placed in a basket or other open container with sides
(with holes in the bottom for drainage) in the tree. Bread ties work great
to secure it to the branch, just make sure to cut any loose ends to prevent
injury or entanglement. Watch at a distance to see if the parents return
to care for it. *Please note, some birds are cavity
dwellers, and the nest may be a hole in an old rotten tree. Very
young birds with little or no feathers have no ability to regulate their
body temperature, and should be watched carefully. If no parent has shown
up within an hour, they should be removed and transferred to a rehabilitation
facility immediately. Babies that
can fly, or almost fully feathered should be returned to a high branch
in their tree or a nearby tree, or placed in dense thick bushes for cover,
provided they are in no danger from predators.These birds are called branchers
or fledglings. While their feathers are developing and they are strengthening
their muscles, it is common for them to hop, or take short test flights.
It shows a lot of kindness to rescue them from a dangerous situation,
for example, the road or a neighbor's cat. However, if they are not injured
or in immediate danger , they should be returned to the parent to allow
their natural progression to becoming an adult. Again, you should watch
from a distance to ensure the parent is returning. Injured orphan birds or if a nest cannot be located should be placed in a box with ventilation and transported to your local wildlife center as soon as possible. Please, please do NOT feed baby birds anything without guidance from a wildlife professional. The wrong diet can kill a baby bird, and liquids can easily enter their trachea or windpipe during feeding. If you must keep overnight, please keep in a WARM, dark place away from pets or children until you are able to transport. A heating pad underneath on HALF of the box on low can provide heat. Transport it to your local wildlife rehabilitator or call in the morning as soon as possible. Thinking of raising it yourself? Raising wildlife at home is not only illegal, but it also robs the animal of the natural life it was intended to live. Why? When baby animals are raised in isolation from their own kind, they become maladjusted or "imprinted" on people. Because they lack regular interaction from their own species, they do not learn the important social skills necessary to find a mate or raise young in the wild. Furthermore, they have little or no fear of humans or other domestic animals, a characteristic which can land them in a whole heap of trouble. Releasing an imprinted animal into the wild can be dangerous for the animal and also for humans. Yes you can feed it the right food and raise it to be an adult. But do you know how to teach it to be a bird? Don't let the kindness of your gesture to rescue that baby be in vain. Love your wildlife by turning it over to a wildlife rehabilitator. If you have found a baby bird of prey (raptor) please call 305-322-8887. To return to the Miami Science Museum Wildlife Center click here |
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