What to Do if You Find a Baby Bird on the Ground

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A guide to safely helping fallen baby birds (and whether you need to)

Co-authored by Roger J. Lederer, PhD and Amy Bobinger, BA

Last Updated: May 21, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Should you help?
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• Helping Hatchlings & Nestlings
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• Helping Fledglings
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• Helping Injured & Abandoned Birds
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• FAQs
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• Video
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• Expert Interview

|Show more |Show less

When you see a baby bird survive after falling from the nest, your first instinct may be to help it. In most cases, the bird is actually fine, and intervening could do more harm than good. However, there are a few instances when baby birds need help, like when they’re too young to have feathers or if they’re injured or orphaned. We talked to ornithologist Roger J. Lederer, Ph.D and bird specialist Jeff Jones to help you determine whether a bird needs help and, if so, what you should do next.

What to Do If You Find a Baby Bird on the Ground

If the bird has feathers and can walk, hop, or grip your finger with its foot, it’s a fledgling. Move it to a safe location if needed, but otherwise, leave it alone. If a baby bird doesn’t have feathers yet, place it back into its nest. Contact a wildlife rehabilitation center if any baby bird is injured or orphaned.

Steps

Section 1 of 5:

Evaluating Whether to Help the Baby Bird

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   Call a wildlife rehab center if you see visible signs of injury or illness. Look for signs of injury on the bird, like blood, cuts, punctures, or broken limbs. Also, notice whether the bird is shivering or making low noises, which can indicate that it’s in distress.

   • Look around the area, as well. Unfortunately, if a predator attacked the nest or the nest was damaged in some other way, the baby bird’s parents may have been killed. This is an emergency, even if the baby bird wasn’t injured.
   • If you see any signs of injury or illness, or if the bird is orphaned: Jump to our section on how to help an injured, orphaned, or abandoned bird.
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   Help if it’s a nestling or hatchling, but leave healthy fledglings alone. If the baby bird isn’t injured, the best way to help it will depend a lot on how old it is. Here are some signs that can help you estimate the bird’s age:

   • Hatchling (0–3 days old): Hatchlings have no feathers, thin down, or very early feathers. Their eyes are closed, and they can’t make their own body heat.
   • Nestling (3-13 days old): Nestlings are just starting to develop feathers—usually spiky pin feathers. Their eyes may be opened, but they can’t stand, hop, walk, or grip things with their feet. Nestlings often wiggle their way out of their nests. If you find a hatchling or nestling, jump to our section on how to help.
   • Fledgling (14+ days old): A fledgling is older than a nestling and will usually have lots of feathers on their bodies, but their tail and wings will usually be shorter than an adult’s. Fledglings are encouraged or even pushed out of the nest by their parents. They will usually spend 2–5 days on the ground before learning to fly, and they usually won’t return to the nest once they leave. If the bird you found is a fledgling, jump to our section on how to help.
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Section 2 of 5:

How to Help a Healthy Hatchling or Nestling

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   Put the baby bird back into its nest if you can find it. If you find a hatchling or nestling on the ground, you can usually find a nest nearby. If you see a nest, carefully pick up the baby bird and put it back in the nest.

   • It is a myth that the smell of humans will cause the parents to reject the baby bird—birds don’t use their sense of smell to identify their young. The baby bird should be nurtured and fed by the parents once you put it back in the nest.
   • Wear gloves when you handle the baby bird. Even though your scent won’t cause the mother bird to reject the baby, wearing gloves will help protect you from disease, parasites, and injury.
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   Make a hanging nest if the bird’s parents are near but the nest is destroyed. Poke drainage holes in the bottom of a small basket, or use a berry container or plant pot that already has holes. Line the bottom of the container with grass, leaves, or shredded paper. Place a stick at an angle in the bottom of the nest for the parents to perch on, then hang the nest from a branch in a safe place, away from predators and out of direct sunlight.

   • This temporary nest will give the baby bird a home until it’s ready to leave the nest for good.
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   Wait a few hours for the parents to return, and call for help if they don’t. After you return the baby bird to its nest, watch to see if the bird’s parents return. Just be sure to watch from a safe distance—if you’re too close, the bird’s parents may get spooked and stay away.

   • Keep in mind that the bird’s parents may only visit the nest briefly, so they may be feeding the baby bird even if you don’t see them return.
   • If you’re sure the bird’s parents haven’t returned after a few hours: You may need to contact a wildlife rehabilitation center. Jump to our section on how to help an abandoned bird for more information on what to do next.
   EXPERT TIP

   

   Jeff Jones

   Bird Specialist

   Jeff Jones is a Bird Specialist based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the writer of BirdOculars, a website dedicated to helping people become better birders. He has over 18 years of experience and specializes in feeding birds and wildlife. Jeff experiments to find ways to encourage birds he wants to study and his website helps others to do the same.

   

   Jeff Jones
   Bird Specialist

   Before you attempt to rescue an abandoned bird, make sure it’s actually abandoned. Many young birds are left alone by their parents on purpose in between feedings. This helps avoid drawing attention to the babies.
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Section 3 of 5:

Helping a Healthy Fledgling

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   Leave the fledgling alone if it is healthy and safe. Lederer says, “If you see a fledgling out of its nest, leave it alone. It most likely jumped from its nest, which is natural, and it’s probably being cared for by its parents.”

   • Lederer adds, “Baby birds rarely fall from their nests. They leave because it’s getting too crowded and because they are old enough. But because they can’t fly, their parents stay nearby to feed them.”
   • The parents may have several babies scattered in different directions, but they will return frequently to check on each fledgling.
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   Move the fledgling to a safe location if it’s in harm’s way. If the baby bird is in an unsafe spot, like on a sidewalk, near a road, close to other animals, or in direct sunlight, move it to a safe spot. For instance, you might carefully place it under a nearby bush or in a shady spot under a tree.

   • Don’t move the fledgling too far—its parents will return to the spot where they last saw it.
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   Do not try to feed the fledgling. Birds have specific and unique diets, and giving them the wrong food can be fatal. They can also aspirate the food (breathe it in) if they’re not fed properly. And, giving the bird water could be a drowning hazard.

   • If the parents don’t return within two hours to feed the fledgling: Contact a local wildlife rehabilitation center. Keep in mind that they receive numerous calls about fledgling birds around the same time each year, and they’ll likely advise you to leave the bird alone unless it’s clearly sick or injured.
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   Keep pets indoors for about a week so the bird can safely learn to fly. Curious cats and dogs can pose a danger to baby birds. Create a safe spot by keeping your pets inside for the next week or so to avoid unintentional injury.

   • If you do need to take your pet outside, put them on a harness or leash.
   • If there’s an animal in the area that doesn’t belong to you, try contacting its owner and asking if they’ll bring the pet indoors.
   • If neighborhood cats are curious about the baby bird and no one will bring them inside, spray them with water so they’ll leave the area.
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Section 4 of 5:

Helping Injured, Orphaned, or Abandoned Baby Birds

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   Contact your local wildlife center. Once you’ve established that a baby bird is sick, injured, orphaned, or abandoned, reach out to your local wildlife center. They’ll be able to give you specific instructions on caring for that type of bird, as well as resources for what to do next. Locate the nearest wildlife center by contacting:

   • Your state wildlife agency
   • A local wildlife rescue organization
   • An animal shelter or rescue in your area
   • A local veterinarian who specializes in wildlife or exotic animals
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   Describe the condition of the baby bird. Once you get in touch with a wildlife rehabilitation center, describe the bird’s symptoms and whether it’s a hatchling, nestling, or fledgling. Let them know any additional details, like if you found the parents nearby, the nest was damaged, or you suspect an animal attack.

   • Also note where you found the baby bird—the wildlife center may use this information when they release the bird later.
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   Place the baby bird into a cardboard box lined with a soft cloth. The rehabilitation center will give you specific instructions for how to transport the bird. In general, the safest way to transport it will be to gently place the bird in a cardboard box lined with a cloth. Bunch up the cloth to create a makeshift nest in the center of the box, then carefully place the bird into the nest. Be sure its legs are tucked under its body.

   • Don’t use terry cloth (like a towel) in the box—the bird can get tangled up in the fibers.
   • Bring the baby bird to the nearest rehabilitation center for treatment as soon as possible so it can be treated and released back into the wild.
   • Wash your hands after handling the bird.
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   Place the box in a quiet, dark space if you have to keep the bird overnight. If it’s too late to bring the bird to the wildlife center right away, close the box and put the bird in a quiet place. Keep it somewhere like a spare room or a bathroom, away from children or pets, and turn off any TVs or radios in the room. Limit your contact with the baby bird to avoid causing it stress.

   • If the bird is shivering, warm it up by putting one end of the cardboard box on a heating pad set to low. Or, wrap a warm rice sock or warm water bottle in a towel and place it into the box near the baby bird.
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   Do not feed the baby bird. Every species of bird requires a specific diet, so avoid making the bird more ill or weak by giving it food it should not eat. When a bird is injured, it will use all its energy to fight shock and the injury. Do not force it to devote its energy to eating as well.

   • Also avoid giving the bird water—it can potentially drown the bird.
   • If the rehabilitation center needs you to feed the bird, they will give you specific instructions on what and how to feed it.
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   Do not try to keep and raise a baby bird. Though you may be tempted to keep the baby bird and treat it yourself or keep it as a pet, the baby bird is considered a wild animal. It is illegal to keep a wild animal in your home. Also, keeping the bird will often result in its death.
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Section 5 of 5:

FAQs: Helping Baby Birds

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1. 1
   How long will a fledgling stay on the ground? Fledglings usually hop around the ground or on low branches for several days before learning to fly. During this time, their parents are typically close—even if you can’t see them.
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   Will a mother bird pick up a baby that fell out of the nest? No, mother birds can not lift their young. If a hatchling or nestling has fallen out of the nest, you can help save it by putting it back in. Fledglings usually do not return to the nest after leaving.
3. 3
   Can baby birds survive after falling out of the nest? A hatchling or nestling can survive falling out of the nest if it’s put back right away. They can not keep themselves warm, so acting fast is critical. Fledglings falling out of the nest is an important step in their development.
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   Can you touch a baby bird that fell out of its nest? Yes, if you find a hatchling or nestling that fell out of its nest, it’s fine to carefully lift it back into the nest. It’s a myth that touching a baby bird will cause its parents to reject it.
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   How long can a baby bird survive without its mother? Baby birds need frequent feedings, and missing even a few feedings (or being fed the wrong food) can impair their development or may even be fatal. If you think a baby bird was orphaned or abandoned, contact a wildlife rescuer right away.
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