Raising A Wild Baby Bird

This site is family safe. However, the information herein is intended for adult use.

Perhaps you have found a chick that has fallen out of its nest in the past. Or maybe you will in the future. Do you know what you are supposed to do in such a situation? I myself have raised a baby house sparrow that fell out of its nest. Things turned out alright despite some major mistakes that I had made. I am no expert whatsoever, but given that information is hard to obtain, I will relay my experiences and what I have learned in order that certain errors are not repeated by other care takers. These pages are quite long since I want to be absolutely clear and as detailed as possible.

No matter what, it is very strongly advised that you seek professional help by contacting a professional wildlife rehabilitation center. In North America, it is against the law to hold wild birds for any length of time, and for any reason. Use this link to find a rehabilitator in or near your community: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm This link does not contain all professional rehabilitation centers though. Check your local yellow pages, or ask a veterinarian, animal shelter, or wildlife officer, to see if they may know of a center near you.

Be aware that for the non-professional, the chances of survival for the chick are extremely low. On top of this, there are other benefits that a professional bird rehabilitator can offer that cannot be offered in the home: Complete nutrition, medical assistance, proper housing, and proper pre-release care. My intention in offering this site is to help those who simply have no other choice but to care for the birds themselves, and to provide emergency instructions for those who have just rescued a young orphan. It is not a replacement for the expert care that would be given at a wildlife rehabilitation center.

As stated above, my own experience is with a European House Sparrow, but I have received much information regarding other species, so most, if not all of the information is applicable to the smaller species of birds (songbirds, also known as Passerines).

For ducks, grouse, partridge, shore birds such as killdeer, sand pipers, etc., and other wild fowl, whose young are able to see, walk, and feed themselves immediately after hatching, please refer to the 'Precocial Chicks' page.

The information on this site is totally unsuitable for raising owls, raptors, herons and egrets, gulls, terns, etc. They have different and much more specific care needs, and you should call ANYONE that could help (Rehabilitator, Vet, Wildlife Officer, even the zoo!)

I also want to mention that this site is for the benefit of people who are capable of following instructions, and have at least a general sense of a wild animals needs. In offering this site, I have unfortunately dealt with some people that thought that "their way" was better, though the unfortunate bird died in the end. If you are confident that you can do this, and have patience and a willingness to learn, then by all means use this site as necessary. If you cannot follow the directions of this site, then please admit this to yourself, and ask a friend, family member, or anyone else that may be capable to care for the bird for you. Of course, in either respect, I'll expect that you looked into finding a professional rehabilitator around you.

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Before continuing onto the rest of this site, here are some golden rules about dealing with baby birds. Click on the sentences to go to the page that explains the rule more thoroughly.

- Before rescuing a bird, evaluate the situation to see if he really needs rescuing.

- No water should ever be given to nestlings.

- Using gloves and/or washing hands thoroughly before and after dealing with wild birds is a must.

- Any food offered to the bird should be warm, not hot or cold, and should have a good consistency, not too firm or runny.

- Do not feed earthworms to young birds.

- Parent birds will not abandon their chicks because you touched them.

- Do not overly fuss with the bird. See to their needs, feed them, but let them have plenty of rest in a quiet stress free area. (no link for this rule)

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This web site is not intended to replace the expert care that is only available by professional rehabilitators. The use of this web site is only intended for those where the option of bringing an orphaned bird to a rehabilitator is not possible. By raising a wild bird yourself, you greatly diminish it's chances for survival. Please check this link for a rehabilitation center in your community: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm. If none are listed near you, call a local animal shelter, veterinarian, or wildlife office/agent for information on local rescue centers. Thank you.

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Last updated:05/10/2006