VET COLUMN: What to do if you find a baby bird

We receive a lot of calls in the spring and summer months from members of the public concerned about baby birds they have found in their gardens.
Fledglings that are hopping around on the floor are fine to be left. They have left the nest and are usually still in the care of their parents who are usually close by watching or collecting food.
These are birds that have grown most of their feathers but don’t yet have the ability to fly.
If you find a fledgling please leave it alone unless it is injured.
If you notice any obvious injuries then call your local veterinary practice who will advise you further, in the meantime keep the bird in a warm well ventilated box somewhere quiet.
If you have any dogs or cats outside then please bring them in while there are baby birds hopping around in the garden. Most birds will spend a couple of days on the ground before they are ready to fly, this is completely normal.
Removing a baby bird from the wild is usually the worst thing for the bird; they stand a much better chance of survival in the wild with their parents than they do with human interference.
We often get these birds being brought in to us by well-meaning members of the community but this really isn’t in the best interests of the bird.
If you find a fledgling in a place of danger then it’s ok to pick them up and move them to a safer place but not too far away as their parents will still need to hear them.
If you find a baby bird that doesn’t have feathers or has very fluffy feathers (a nestling) and it has fallen out of its nest then you can try and put it back, but only if you are 100 per cent sure which nest it’s fallen from and if it looks healthy.
The mother will sometimes eject a baby from the nest if it’s unwell so she can concentrate on the other babies.
Birds’ nests are camouflaged so please be careful during the spring and summer when doing any building work or gardening so not to disturb or destroy these nests.
Baby birds and their nests are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which makes it an offence to intentionally take, damage or destroy a nest while that nest is in use or being built.
We hope you all enjoy watching the birds in your garden this spring and if you have any questions then please contact your veterinary practice or look online on the RSPCA website for more information.