The Pelican-- Baby Bird Season

By Kentia Kalanaki

Douglas Croft / Audubon Photography Awards 2012

Spring is one of my favorite birding seasons, what with migration, the nice weather, and the pretty plants showing their leaves and flowers! But along with all that comes another noteworthy occurrence- nesting and baby birds! Called “baby bird season” by some, spring and summer are when many birders will start seeing baby birds, in the nest or out. So, what should you do if you find a nest or a baby? Here’s a basic guide on what you should or shouldn’t do! 

Nests: If you find a nest, with or without a parent in it, make sure to keep your distance! You don’t want to make the parents uncomfortable, and even if you can’t see them in the nest they’re probably nearby waiting to come back. If you do happen to accidentally get close to a nest, just back away and give it space, the parents will come back eventually! Whatever you do, do NOT attempt to touch the nest, or remove any eggs or hatchlings! 

Baby Birds: To figure out what to do with a baby bird, you first have to understand the difference between nestlings and fledglings- nestlings are pretty helpless, mostly lacking feathers (they may have just fluff), and often have closed eyes. Fledglings, on the other hand, have feathers, are capable of hopping around, have open eyes, and can grip onto things more confidently (such as your finger, if you attempt to pick them up) 

• ​Nestlings: If you find a nestling on the ground and can see/reach its nest, then don’t hesitate to put it back in! The parents won’t abandon it just because you touched it (that’s just a myth), and it probably wouldn’t be able to survive otherwise. If you find a nestling and are unable to locate the nest nearby, then you can try to call a local rehab center, such as Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care (https://ltwc.org/). Find other local rehabilitators here: https://www.nevadaaudubon.org/contact-us.html. Keep in mind that veterinarians will not (and legally cannot) care for wild animals. 
• Fledglings: If you find a fledgling on the ground, don’t worry about it! You don’t need to put it back in the nest or anything, the parents are likely nearby and it’s fairly independent at this stage. If it’s near your property, just make sure that pets (such as cats) are kept indoors so the fledgling is safe! If it’s on a walkway/path where it could get trampled on accident, you can move it to a safer spot nearby.