Orphaned Birds

A nestling is defined as a naked or down-covered baby bird. If a nestling is found on the ground, he should be put back in his nest. If the baby bird is cool to the touch, he should be gently warmed before placing him back in the nest. This can be accomplished by warming him gently in your hands or placing him on a water bottle that is hot to the touch, but not burning. The parents will not reject the baby because a human has touched him.

Baby ducks and geese are walked to water from the nest soon after hatching. If you find a duckling or gosling at the nest after the mother and siblings have left, please call (414) 431-6204 to speak with a Wildlife staff person.

If the bird’s nest has fallen down, the nest can sometimes be put back in place. A substitute nest can also be made from a berry basket or an empty, clean margarine tub with several holes punched in the bottom for drainage. The container needs to be wired in the location of the original nest and lined with some of the original nest material or dry grass if the nesting material has been lost. Once returned to the nest, the nestling should be watched or checked from a distance every 30 minutes to make sure his parents have returned. Be sure to watch from cover, preferably from inside your house, to avoid scaring the parents.

Fledgling songbirds are fully feathered. They leave the nest before they are able to fly and spend several days learning to fly on the ground. They are especially vulnerable to predator attacks at this time, but the parents continue to feed and defend their young bird during this stage. Parent birds may only stop for seconds before leaving to forage for more food. If you feel a fledgling bird you have found is in immediate danger, placing it in a bush or on a low tree branch will get it out of harm's way.

If the young bird you have found appears to be sick or injured, please contact the WHS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. If you have found a young owl, hawk, heron, duck or goose, please speak with our Wildlife Rehabilitation Center staff at (414) 431- 6204 for further advice.