Found an injured swan, duck or goose – what to do?
What to do now
- Keep your distance and watch: is a wing drooping, is it limping, is line hanging from its beak or wrapped around a leg?
- Note the exact location, take a photo, call a wild bird rescue, a wildlife rescue centre or us.
- If the bird is sitting on a road or railway track: police 110. If it is frozen into the ice or drifting helplessly in the water: fire brigade 112.
- If a duck or duckling can be picked up safely: lay a cloth over it, put it in a box with air holes, keep it dark and quiet.
Please do not
- Do not pull on fishing line and do not remove a hook yourself – that tears the gullet and stomach.
- Do not go onto the ice or into the water. Every year people put their own lives at risk in rescue attempts like this.
- Do not try to catch a swan on your own: it defends itself with powerful wing beats.
- Do not feed bread. It fills without nourishing and spoils the water.
- Do not touch dead water birds; report them to the veterinary office (Veterinäramt) – because of avian influenza.
Who helps
Wild bird rescues and wildlife rescue centres; in danger, police (110) or fire brigade (112) – or report the bird to us with location and photo.
Report an emergency Animal rescue near you
Frequent questions
A mother duck is crossing the road with her ducklings.
Do not catch them: the mother flies off and the ducklings are left alone. Warn traffic, accompany the family at a distance, call the police if traffic is heavy.
A duckling is alone – where is the mother?
First watch from a distance: if it calls loudly, the mother usually answers soon. If none is in sight after half an hour, the duckling needs warmth and a rescue centre. It will not survive alone.
Related
This page gives general advice. It replaces neither a vet nor legal advice.
More guides
- Wild animal foundFound a wild animal – who helps?
- Finding an emergency vetEmergency vet – how to find one at night and at the weekend
- Hedgehog foundFound a hedgehog – what to do?
- Bird foundFound a young or injured bird – what to do?
- Dog foundFound a stray dog – what to do?
- Cat turned upA cat has turned up or been found – what to do?
- Pet run awayDog or cat has run away – what to do?
- Collision with wildlifeCollision with wildlife: deer or wild boar hit – what to do?
- Dog in a hot carDog in a hot car – what to do?
- Report animal crueltyReporting animal cruelty or neglect – how does it work?
- Poison bait foundFound poison bait – and what if the dog has already eaten some?
- Injured pigeonFound an injured pigeon – what to do?
- Fawn foundFound a fawn or young wild animal – what to do?
- Squirrel foundFound a squirrel – what to do?
- Bat foundFound a bat – what to do?
- Young hare foundFound a young hare or wild rabbit – 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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