Always take a moment to observe a bird before deciding to intervene. Do not hesitate to phone the Center if you have a question. Some situations that warrant rescue and contacting a licensed rehabilitator:
- A bird that has an obvious injury and is too weak to fly off
- A bird a cat has contacted whether you see an injury or not. The bird needs to be treated with antibiotics
- A bird on the road or roadside that does not fly off when approached. Often there is no obvious external injury, but the bird needs to be treated.
- A bird with flies or ants on it
- An Altricial nestling (sparse down or no feathers at hatching) on the ground. Wrap in a tissue or cloth and keep warm. If not injured and seems active, can be placed back in the nest.
- Duckling or gosling with no mother in sight. Immediately place in a box or container with a towel. Do not put in water. Keep warm. (See Ducklings/Precocial Young)
- A bird that has flown into a window and is stunned. Put bird in a box immediately and see instructions about window collisions
Get a box large enough for the bird to comfortably rest. Put a cloth on the bottom. Gently pick up the bird, place it on the cloth, make sure it is resting on its stomach, not on its back, and cover the box. Let it rest. Do not open the box, but listen for the bird getting active. If it only suffered a minor concussion, it should fully recover within 1 to 2 hours. When you hear it getting active you can take the box outside, open the top, and let the bird fly out on its own power. If the bird takes more than 2 hours to recover, you see an obvious injury, or it cannot fly, please contact us by phone. (See Preventing Problems: Windows)
Your safety as well as the bird’s is important. Call for advice. General recommendations are to put a box over the bird first. In an emergency a towel, blanket, or jacket could be dropped over the bird to initially contain it. Avoid handling with your bare hands. If you are able to contain the bird in a box, have a cloth on the bottom to cushion and prevent from sliding during transport. Make sure the box is covered. A wild bird must never be put in a wire cage where it is likely to injure itself on the wire.
Never attempt to grab a raptor (hawk, owl), heron, or other potentially dangerous bird. Phone for assistance.
Please talk with a licensed rehabilitator. There is a lot of misinformation online about what to feed a bird, so always contact someone who is trained and licensed for the species. Also, if a young bird is cool to the touch, it will not be able to digest food. People often drown a young bird by giving it liquids. Consult an expert.
If the nest is still intact, find a basket just slightly larger than the nest. Secure the basket with wire in the tree or bush as close to where it was as possible. Make sure it is stable. Put the nest with young in the basket. Watch from a distance to see the parents return.