23/10/2026
Found a baby bird? Pause before you pick it up!
A young bird on the ground isn’t always orphaned. Many feathered youngsters, called fledglings, spend time hopping around while learning to fly, with their parents nearby feeding and protecting them. Taking them away can separate a healthy baby from the care it needs.
- Fully feathered, alert and hopping? Give it space, keep pets away and watch from a distance so its parents feel safe to return.
- In immediate danger? If safe, move it just a short distance into nearby shelter, keeping it close to where you found it.
- Injured, weak, barely feathered, or caught by a cat or dog? Contact a vet or wildlife rescue for advice. Birds caught by pets need assessment even without visible wounds.
Unsure? Call us at Swan Vet Hospital before bringing it in, so we can help you decide what to do.
Sometimes the kindest help is giving their parents room to parent, and leaving the bird alone.