How to Care for a Fledgling if the Mom Leaves

Last Updated: September 16, 2021 References Approved

A fledgling is a baby bird that has just left its nest. If you come upon a fledgling, chances are it is perfectly fine and does not need assistance. However, if you are convinced that you have found a fledgling that does need assistance, there are some things that can be done to help it. Above all, special care needs to be taken to make sure the bird can be released back into the wild once it is old enough and strong enough to care for itself.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Assessing Whether a Fledgling Needs Help

1
Figure out if the bird is a nestling or a fledgling.^{[1]
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Research source} A fledgling is a young bird that has all of its feathers, has left its nest of its own will, but its parents still feed and care for it. This is a normal phase of bird life that humans often misunderstand, as most fledglings that humans come across don't actually need our help.
- A nestling, on the other hand, should not be out of the nest yet. A nestling does not have all of its feathers and can't stand up or perch yet. If you have found a nestling, instead of a fledgling, it is more likely to need your help.
2
Leave the bird alone, unless the bird is in immediate danger, for instance if it is exposed to predators or traffic. It's normal for fledglings to be out of the nest and on the ground. In fact, the parents will still feed it when it is on the ground. If the bird is in danger on the ground, however, place it in a tree and out of harms way. At the fledgling developmental stage it should be able to perch, so place it on the branch of a bush a bit off the ground.
- If the bird is in your backyard, keep your cats or dogs inside.
- Be aware that if the bird is very young and has no feathers, it is a nestling and it probably won't survive out of the nest.
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3
Don't touch a fledgling unless you are positive that it needs help.^{[2]
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Research source} Leave the bird alone and watch it for awhile from a distance. Pay attention to bird noises and other birds around. Chances are that the fledglings parents will return to it within the hour.^{[3]
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Research source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Moving a Fledgling

1
Make sure to wash your hands before and after you handle the bird. Not doing so could result in transmission of H5N1, or bird flu, as well as spreading germs or bacteria to the baby bird. Of course, if the bird is in dire danger, pick up the bird with a towel or with a light touch and then wash your hands thoroughly after.
2
Move a fledgling, or nestling, out of harms way.^{[4]
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Research source} If you find a fledgling on a path or near a predator, you can move it a small distance from the danger. Use a paper towel or rag to lightly grab the bird and move it. Just make sure to be gentle and to make contact as quick as possible.
3
Place a nestling back in its nest. Because a nestling is not supposed to be out of a nest, it's important to get it back into that warm, safe place. Look around the area you found the bird before picking it up. Look for bird parents or other babies to get an idea of where the nest might be.
- If you can't find the nestlings nest, make it a new one.^{[5]
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  Research source} Get a small basket or box, fill it with soft bedding, such as paper towels, and place it, with the nestling in it, near where you found the bird, except above the ground for safety. You want the parents to easily find the bird but predators not to.
- Birds have a very limited sense of smell, so a parent bird will most likely continue to feed a baby bird even if you pick it up and your smell get on it a little bit.^{[6]
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  Research source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Keeping a Fledgling Alive

1
Contact a local wildlife rehab or forestry center as quickly as possible. The goal is to get the bird into the hands of experts as soon as possible. See if they are willing to take in the bird. While organizations like this may not have room for every common species, they may have the facilities to raise orphaned fledglings of rare or endangered species.
- If no wildlife rehabilitator is available in your area and you are on your own, you may be able to contact a national or state level organization that can give you help.^{[7]
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  Trustworthy Source
  The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  Research lab of Cornell University dedicated to interpreting and conserving the Earth's biological diversity through research and education about birds
  Go to source}
2
Obtain a cage or container to put the bird in. Make sure the fledgling cannot escape or injure itself in the cage. The bird should have plenty of room and should be placed in a warm and safe room away from predators.
- Cover the bottom of the cage with soft padding. Make sure it is in a warm and calm space.
- Do NOT put a dish of water in the cage. Baby birds get all the water they need from the food they eat. A bowl of water is just a hazard that the bird might drown in.
3
Figure out what type of bird the fledgling is. Before you care for the bird you will need to know what kind of bird it is and what it needs to survive. Different types of birds have different diets, so you should find out what the bird eats before you feed it. Note that feeding the incorrect food can cause the bird serious illness.
- If you can't identify the bird off the top of your head, look at a book of birds that live in your area.
- Look up the bird type online to identify the bird and to see how to take care of it properly.
4
Figure out what to feed the bird. It is incredibly important to feed a baby bird the right food. Some species eat mainly fruit and insects whilst others can be fed only special formula. This depends highly on what kind of bird you have and how old it is.
- Once you've identified your bird, protein eating birds can be fed a mixture of baby bird food blended with meal or earth worms. Fruit eaters can be fed crushed fresh native berries like blueberries, blackberries,and raspberries in addition to baby bird formula.
- Most pet stores carry baby bird formula mix.
5
Feed the bird. Once you figure out the fledglings nutritional needs, you can use a small baby spoon or straw with the end cut like a scoop and gently feed the bird the mashed up mixture. If you have a needle-less syringe that can be used instead of the spoon, but only small amounts allowing the bird to swallow well.
- Taking on the responsibility of feeding the bird is a big one. You will need to feed the bird very often, even throughout the night.^{[8]
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  Research source} In some locations, you even need an ok from local wildlife authorities to raise a wild bird yourself.
- Keep in mind that pet and bird stores can help you find a local wildlife rehabilitator and can help you figure out how to properly feed a fledgling.
- You can gently massage the birds throat (crop) when it's swallowing the mixture and keep it warm.
- Don't force feed the bird, this will result in getting bitten and the bird being overfed. Only force feed if the bird is a fledgling and doesn't accept you as a source of food yet.
- Don't try to open it's mouth, it will bite. If you do, wear thin gloves so that no skin tissue is damaged.
6
Prepare to release the bird. Keep handling to a minimum if you wish to release the bird one day. If the bird imprints on you, or sees you as its species, it will not fear humans and will not survive in the wild.

Warnings

Wash your hands before and after touching the bird.

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Don't let any pets get to the bird. If you have a cat, keep the cage up high so the cage won't be messed with.

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