In the third course, my teacher found what she thought was an abandoned infant bird on the school grounds. She asked if someone in the class would care for information technology, and days later on, the European Starling I named Bluego (for a reason I wish I remembered) was living in a cardboard box in my bedroom, padded with fake spider web left over from Halloween. As a child, I was thrilled to be on my way toward becoming a wild fauna rescuer, merely years afterwards I wondered if it was the right affair to exercise.

As I've learned, it probably wasn't. Like the vast majority of baby birds that people encounter, Bluego was a weeks-old fledgling—not a newly born nestling. And this distinction is critical, wild animals rehabbers say, considering well-nigh fledglings don't need to exist rescued. "Eighty percent of infant birds that come in have basically just been kidnapped," says Melanie Furr, education managing director at the Atlanta Audubon Gild and a licensed volunteer at Atlanta Wild Animal Rescue Endeavour. "They need to exist taken back."

Wandering from the nest is exactly what fledglings—which are only learning to fly—are supposed to do, she says. It's a normal part of a bird's development, and though these chicks might appear abandoned, they're likely under surveillance by their parents nearby. Of course, there is a chance that they could be injured, sick, or in danger, so there are some cases where a fledgling might require assistance.

Nestlings, on the other mitt, are almost always in need of rescue. Whether they fell or got pushed from their nest, they're " not prepare to go off into the world," s ays Rita McMahon, Co-Founder and Director of the Wild Bird Fund, a nonprofit animal rehab heart in New York . How to help them, though, tin vary.

To know when yous should arbitrate—and how yous can help if needed—ask yourself the questions below.

Is the bird a nestling or fledgling?

When you come up beyond a rogue baby, first determine its historic period, McMahon says.And in that location's 1 obvious sign: feathers. While fledglings are larger and covered almost completely in down and feathers, nestlings are pocket-sized and typically naked—or with only a few fluffs. In other words, i looks like an bad-mannered young bird, and the other kind of looks like a pink little conflicting. Y'all can besides distinguish historic period by movement: fledglings tin can hop, whereas nestlings might simply drag themselves on the ground by their blank wings.

If you've found ahealthy fledgling:  "Walk abroad from the bird," McMahon says. Rescuing good for you fledglings is not only unnecessary, but it can be detrimental to their development. When raised by paw, she says, babies might confuse humans as their parents (not unlike the geese in the movie Fly Away Home). If that happens,"they don't know how to be a bird," McMahon says.

American Robin nestlings. Tom Warren/Audubon Photography Awards

If you've plant a nestling: Help. Outset, look for the baby's nest in the nearby bushes or trees; if you find it, merely put the chick back and the parents volition resume care. And don't worry near touching the bird: The idea that once y'all've touched a baby bird it will be rejected is non true, says Susan Elbin, director of conservation and science at New York City Audubon."Birds take a sense of smell, but it's not very well developed," Elbin says. "They're not going to carelessness their chick."

If the nest is nowhere to be found or simply out of reach, merely craft one yourself, Furr says. Find a pocket-sized container, similar a strawberry basket, and load it with a scrap of T-shirt or some straw—anything dry out will practice. Gently place the youngling inside, and affix the artificial nest in a tree close to where the bird was found. "You want to become it as high up equally possible," Furr says.

Once you've returned the bird to a nest—whether existent or bootleg—keep an eye out for the parents. If they don't render inside an hour,call a wild animals rehabilitation eye.

Is the bird sick, wounded, or at risk?

Whether you come across a fledgling or nestling, it's important to appraise whether the bird needs medical aid or is in danger.

Often, it'due south clear when the bird is in demand of urgent care—if the cat dragged information technology in, that's a certain sign. Other times the signals are more subtle: Though information technology's a fledgling, it tin can't stand or hop normally. The feathers might exist wet though it'due south not raining, indicating discharge or an illness that inhibits the production of preening oils. Or perhaps information technology'southward surrounded by flies, which might signal an open wound.

During hot summer months, dehydration is too common, McMahon says. "Their belly is like a prune, wrinkled, shriveled and suck in," she says.

If you think you've found a sick or wounded fledgling or nestling, telephone call a rehabber, state wildlife agency, or veterinary immediately. If it's after hours, take the baby to a safe and warm location, Furr says, such as a closed box with air holes and a heating pad below it. And even if your parental instincts boot in, don't feed the baby, she says.

"People have good intentions and think the baby bird is going to starve," Furr says. "Only a lot of times it ends upwards doing more than harm than good."

At Atlanta Wild Animate being Rescue Effort, she's seen babies with food in their lungs from improper feeding. But if the chick is just kept in a dark place, its metabolism will slow down, she says, leaving plenty of fourth dimension for professional rehabbers to swoop in for a rescue.

You might also come beyond a fledgling or nestling that'due south non injured, just at risk—such as from a prowling cat or man feet. Here's an easy fix: "Put it in a bush," Elbin says. In other words, hide the chick or put it in a place that'southward out of reach or out of the way.

And after all this, if you're still not sure if the bird needs help or what to exercise, earlier doing anything, call your local wild fauna rehabilitation center. Helping animals—and preventing fledgling kidnappings—is what they do.

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