Advice: - If You Find Fledgling Birds, Leave Them Alone!

Well.........Good morning to all you people who REALLY think I am going to have an influence on this big wide world..so sorry for the sacasm....but you people have really upset me..... I don't have to be thick to realise this was bumped for my benifit.....you know people.... I am just 1 lady who has a heart and cares and will not see 4 chicks taken right outside my front door IF I can save them.....this nest was not 6 inches away from my door handle.in full view and obviously very easy picking.........as we all now know.....as 4 chicks went down to 1.. Yes Lucky was his/her name and lucky by nature....and I would most certainly do it all over again. I contacted my vet........who then inturn gave my phone number to a lady who has rescued all sorts of offspring over many years for the RSPCA .and anyone who takes tiny babes/chicks to her.. When I told her what was going on......( and lets be precise here.I DID email the RSPB straight away asking for advice on the 10th May).....so here is the problem...have I had a reply yet ??????? no............... she actually told me she would of done exactly the same thing,and she envied our set up.......she does not have any release flights/aviary's we do........ Yes nature is very cruel sometimes...but there was no need for these chicks to die ...3 did.....1 didn't.and yes.....nobody should take chicks from nests........... We all know it happens world wide......and it happens in tree's bushes etc...and they are out of our control............but beside a front door..........this was a most unusual place and ...had it been a safe haven........well covered etc........then obviously we/I would NOT of intervened at all. What has really bothered me about this whole topic is this..... JUST 1 BIRD HAD A FOLLOWING and I had a very good tip from 1 member and it worked for a while............do you all really think I came on here to start a war.......to change anybody's views on what to do if anyone had a chick needing help?? and what happened......the thread was locked.......why????????? no one person was telling/giving me advice........they were all genuinly interested and cared about what was going on for 1 small chick....... How very sad I feel, I have no problem with advice from anyone at all if its fair and I am able to apply it........but I will not see anything die unnecessarily.and if the truth was known many poeple would do the same.which is why the question is asked on here I see quite a few times. Lucky is alive and free,healthy and has been flying around and all we can hope is he/she finds a mate. I have nothing more really to add now apart from the fact that we are not inexperianced people where birds or animals are concerned,having had animals all our lives.......and we have had avairy's for 11 years so do have the means etc to try and make a differance and we think we have in this instance. Sue and LUCKY........

Hi Birdlady1 - this thread was bumped to give everyone visiting the site the general advice with regards to fledglings - it was not a targeted attack at anyone - what's done is done now but it needs to be made clear that it is not advisable - we're pleased that lucky was away safely this morning BUT it is not something that we encourage.

We are extremely busy here at the moment and if something is urgent we would suggest that you don't email us as we have a large backlog that our small team work through as best we can - we receive hundreds of emails every day - if you have an urgent request you are advised to call us - anyone calling us would have been given the same advice.

Unfortunately, nature is cruel and these things happen in the wild - it's only because the nest was by your door that you were aware of the goings on - that tale is repeated up and down the country without us ever being aware of it and millions of fledglings do still survive without our intervention.

birdlady1 said:

Well.........Good morning to all you people who REALLY think I am going to have an influence on this big wide world..so sorry for the sacasm....but you people have really upset me..... I don't have to be thick to realise this was bumped for my benifit.....you know people

Hi birdlady,

I don't know how to respond to your words, but please let me personally assure you the advice is not bumped for your benefit nor was it aimed at anyone person.

The welfare of the fledglings was my main concern first and foremost. I have many years of experience, but I certainly don't know it all!

I have shared my knowledge at all levels with hundreds of people and I have never intentionally set out to upset anyone.

I was merely highlighting the issues regarding fledged birds NOT NESTLINGS and I am some what surprised if this has upset you and why you think this post was aimed at you?

I admire what you did, wether I agree or not is a different matter.

And I must stress that I don't sit in judgement of anyones actions to protect any form of wildlife.

My main concern was the  increase in the number of posts asking for advice about abandoned fledglings, what these members don't realise the adults birds are there and just can't be seen. Also I think there is a lack of knowledge that people don't realise that fledglings wings are not fully developed when they leave the nest, hence the reason they hop around for several days before they can fly.

It is the good intentions that those people have that can have depremental consequences, picking up and moving fledglings away from the adult birds results in higher mortalities.

The advice which I stated is the RSPB's advice.

Regards Buzzard

Buzzard said:

Well.........Good morning to all you people who REALLY think I am going to have an influence on this big wide world..so sorry for the sacasm....but you people have really upset me..... I don't have to be thick to realise this was bumped for my benifit.....you know people

Hi birdlady,

I don't know how to respond to your words, but please let me personally assure you the advice is not bumped for for your benefit nor was it aimed at anyone person.

The welfare of the fledglings was my main concern first and foremost.

I was merely highlighting the issues regarding fledged birds NOT NESTLINGS and I am some what surprised if this has upset you?

I admire what you did, wether I agree or not is a different matter.

And I must stress that I don't sit in judgement of anyones actions to protect any wildlife.

My main concern was the  increase in the number of posts asking for advice about abandoned fledglings, when they don't realise the adults birds are there and the lack of knowledge that people don't realise that fledglings wings are not fully developed, hence the reason they hop around for several days.

It is the good intentions that those people have that can have depremental consequences, picking up and moving fledglings away from the adult birds results in higher mortalities.

The advice which I stated is the RSPB's advice.

Regards Buzzard

 

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Hello......you know what.......I take your point........BUT ...if there are many people asking qs with ref to trying to save young birds.......then why can't the RSPB have a more helpfull answer to feeding etc IF it is quite clear that the parents are not around........especially if you can see it is so obvious that a bird in a gutter/roadside will be squished.......like someone on here stated..........why not a helping statement something like........

"We at the RSPB do not advice anyone to try and hand rear any chicks/fledglings unless this is the absolute LAST attempt to save its/their lives..........and should this be the only way then we advice this............." and have a list of foods to try. 

I am sure the RSPB would be better thought of..........

 

yes rules are there  and especially for any animal/bird.....who cannot speak for themselves....but they have a right to a life too.........and if some kind person is willing to give it a try...IF this is the very last resort..then I really cannot see where the harm is in that I am afraid.

Regards.

THANKYOU FOR READING

SUE and LUCKY..just call me    Mrs Early Bird.....x

Our house operate's  soley for our animals and birds......Love me love my animals........

 

Our advice on fledglings is on the website here - it states that birds dependent on humans for survival, should be passed on to an expert rehabilitator.

The RSPB does not run bird hospitals or a rescue service. The RSPCA (England and Wales), SSPCA(Scotland) and USPCA (Northern Ireland) are the national charities that help and advise on sick and injured birds and animals.Tiggywinkles and the Swan Sanctuary also take in wild birds in need of care.

By putting information on what foods to offer to fledglings, it may suggest that anyone who finds a young bird and asseses, rightly or wrongly, that it needs their help,  should take it in and offer it the range of food that the RSPB suggests - this is not what we want to encourage. Every situation is different, so to put general advice on what to feed fledglings would give the impression that it's ok for the layman to do so, whenever they came across a young bird.

There are also issues with communication - can Lucky communicate with members of his own species? Does he recognise the song or call of his own species? Can he respond to that? Does he know what a Mistle thrush warning him that there's a hawk overhead or a cat nearby sounds like? Can he attract/respond to a potential partner? These are all vital things that he'll need to survive long-term, which he would have learned from his parents.

Fledglings should be left where they are, in the care of their parents. Removal of a fledgling from the wild will cut its chances of long-term survival to a small fraction, and should only be done as a very last resort. OK, you did well to raise Lucky to a stage where it can be released, but this was an extreme case and not something we want everyone to attempt. More often than not, it doesn't end well. .

The RSPB is not a welfare organistaion - if you need information on how to care for orphaned birds you should contact the organisations listed above.

Highlighting the issue again, as there is quite a few more new posts asking for advice!

Buzzard

Perhaps the techie guys could put a little banner  up with a short statement on the main forum page which can then be seen by all instead of having to go to the trouble of bumping this thread to the top of the list each time.

Would this be possible? just an idea.

Hi Kezmo

Good idea - I am all for that too! {thumbs up}

I think what you mean is a 'sticky' post where the 'said' post remains at the top of a Forums.  This is so that people can read and the post in question is locked so no-one can answer.

It is more for general viewing only.

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Unknown said:

Perhaps the techie guys could put a little banner  up with a short statement on the main forum page which can then be seen by all instead of having to go to the trouble of bumping this thread to the top of the list each time.

Would this be possible? just an idea.

Thats a great idea Kathy.

Im sure if they can they will.

Cheers

AL

Tis done....thanks for all your input everyone