Found a young or injured bird – what to do?
A feathered young bird hopping on the ground and begging is almost never abandoned: it left the nest on purpose and its parents keep feeding it. A naked nestling needs help – and so does every injured bird.
Look first
- Feathered, hopping, gaping beak: a fledgling. It is being cared for – leave it alone.
- Naked or only fluffy, cannot stand: a nestling. It belongs back in the nest.
- Drooping wing, blood, lying on its side, brought in by a cat: injured – it needs help.
What to do now
- Fledgling in danger (road, cat): put it in a bush a few metres away – no further, its parents must be able to hear it.
- Nestling: carefully put it back in the nest. Birds cannot smell humans; the parents will accept it again.
- Injured bird: put it in a box with air holes and a towel, close the lid and place it somewhere quiet and warm.
- After it has flown into a window, open the box outside after one to two hours. If it does not fly off: get help.
- Call a wild bird rescue, a veterinary practice or us.
Please do not
- Do not drip water into its beak – the bird can choke on it.
- Do not feed it, and certainly not bread, milk or earthworms.
- Do not keep it “to observe it”. Wild birds may only be taken in temporarily for care.
- After a cat bite, do not wait, even if you see nothing: without antibiotics the bird usually dies within days.
Who helps
Wild bird rescues and rescue centres, veterinary practices – or our emergency report with location.
Report an emergency Animal rescue near you
Frequent questions
The nest is out of reach or destroyed.
A small basket or bowl lined with kitchen paper, hung as close to the old spot as possible and protected from rain, is often accepted by the parents. Otherwise: call a wild bird rescue.
How do I know the fledgling is really abandoned?
If no adult bird comes near for more than two hours while you watch from a good distance – or if the bird is listless, cold or injured.
Related
This page gives general advice. It replaces neither a vet nor legal advice.
More guides
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- Dog in a hot carDog in a hot car – what to do?
- Report animal crueltyReporting animal cruelty or neglect – how does it work?
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- Fawn foundFound a fawn or young wild animal – what to do?
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- Young hare foundFound a young hare or wild rabbit – what to do?
- Injured swan or duckFound an injured swan, duck or goose – what to do?
- Cat hit by a carCat hit by a car or found at the roadside – what to do?
- Abandoned animal foundFound an abandoned animal – what to do?
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