It's that time of year again when we come across young birds , fledglings on the ground and always get asked what to do so thought I would create this post using the RSPBs advice so we can quickly and easily share it with others to avoid as much human intervention as possible!
BABY GARDEN BIRDS
Nestlings (baby birds without feathers) should not be out of the nest and will need help. Where possible they should be returned to their nest (make sure it’s the right one!), you can find further advice on the RSPCA website here.
But, if you ever find a garden bird fledgling (fully feathered baby bird) on the ground, if they’re not sick or injured they’re usually best left alone.
They intentionally leave the nest before they can fly, and their parents are usually nearby and still caring for them. Parents may even be waiting for people to leave before they return to their young. It’s normal for fledglings to be on the ground between a few days to a week or so whilst they finish growing their flight feathers.
During this time, please keep people and pets away, and leave the fledgling undisturbed and in the care of their parents. Remember that birds take far better care of their young than humans can. Taking baby birds into captivity can dramatically reduce their chances of long-term survival.
If they’re in a position of danger, fledglings can be moved to a nearby sheltered, safe place such as under a hedge. They still need to be within hearing range of where they were found, as parents often use calls to locate their young. Watch the fledglings from a distance until you have seen the parents find them.
Exceptions to the rule
Whilst this is the general rule for garden birds, it’s important to be aware that it doesn’t apply to all species of birds. For example, feathered Swift chicks/nestlings are often confused for garden bird fledglings but should not be out of the nest and if they are on the ground will need help. Please see the next section for advice on what to do for some commonly encountered species which are exceptions to the rule.
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/if-you-find-an-injured-bird#baby-garden-birds
Would be nice if RSPB could pin such helpful info to top of page so makes it easier to find during the breeding season
(Pardon the Scottish Accent)
PLEASE BE AWARE:
THIS COMMUNITY IS CLOSING DOWN ON 1ST OF JULY 2025
Would be good if a MOD pinned this post.....
I agree that it should be a pinned post, could Adam help with this?
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
i don't think Adam has been online, although he had seen this post when I posted it originally, perhaps its not something they wanna pin..who knows
Hi, I did try to pin this post but the functionality ('prioritise at top of list') does not appear to work as expected, and this seems to be the case for others who have previously raised this issue with the platform provider. I'm happy to try something else if you've any suggestions, because this would be a great post to make sticky, but it is currently set to be at the top yet isn't appearing there!
Thanks Adam always appreciate your efforts
Linda257 said:It's that time of year again when we come across young birds , fledglings on the ground and always get asked what to do so thought I would create this post using the RSPBs advice so we can quickly and easily share it with others to avoid as much human intervention as possible! BABY GARDEN BIRDS Nestlings (baby birds without feathers) should not be out of the nest and will need help. Where possible they should be returned to their nest (make sure it’s the right one!), you can find further advice on the RSPCA website here. But, if you ever find a garden bird fledgling (fully feathered baby bird) on the ground, if they’re not sick or injured they’re usually best left alone. They intentionally leave the nest before they can fly, and their parents are usually nearby and still caring for them. Parents may even be waiting for people to leave before they return to their young. It’s normal for fledglings to be on the ground between a few days to a week or so whilst they finish growing their flight feathers. During this time, please keep people and pets away, and leave the fledgling undisturbed and in the care of their parents. Remember that birds take far better care of their young than humans can. Taking baby birds into captivity can dramatically reduce their chances of long-term survival. If they’re in a position of danger, fledglings can be moved to a nearby sheltered, safe place such as under a hedge. They still need to be within hearing range of where they were found, as parents often use calls to locate their young. Watch the fledglings from a distance until you have seen the parents find them. Exceptions to the rule Whilst this is the general rule for garden birds, it’s important to be aware that it doesn’t apply to all species of birds. For example, feathered Swift chicks/nestlings are often confused for garden bird fledglings but should not be out of the nest and if they are on the ground will need help. Please see the next section for advice on what to do for some commonly encountered species which are exceptions to the rule. https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/if-you-find-an-injured-bird#baby-garden-birds Would be nice if RSPB could pin such helpful info to top of
Would be nice if RSPB could pin such helpful info to top of
Ok!!!! as I cannot delete my bump previous page. EDIT Yay! between Adam and Stealthy the deleted have gone.Thank you.
This is really helpful - particularly now! thank you very much.
....advice incls ducklings.....
As I said, incl ducklings!
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