Before you help or pick up a young bird or nestling found on the ground, make sure that you follow these simple steps:
1. Don’t assume that the bird found on the ground has been “orphaned” by the parent bird. Most young birds on the ground have not been orphaned. A parent will not typically leave their young on their own. Usually the parent bird is nearby watching over their young and providing them with food. This may even be the case if a cat or dog has caught the bird.
2. If you have determined that the parent bird is not nearby and the young bird has fallen from the nest, put the young bird back into the nest. The parent birds will not be able to get the young bird back into the nest. The parent birds will NOT reject the young bird if it has been handled by humans. A good bird book can be very helpful in determining what type of young bird needs help.
3. If the entire nest is found on the ground, put the young birds back into the nest and place the nest into the tree where it was found as soon as possible. Secure the nest to the tree with wire cloth or a small wire basket if necessary.
4. If the entire tree branch with the nest has fallen off of the tree, try to reattach the branch to the tree. You may want to use wire or rope to tie it to the tree. Try to keep the branch tied to the tree until the birds have hatched.
5. If the nest has been damaged by the fall or by water, try to build a new nest for the young birds. To build a nest, use wire or a small wire basket and use dry grass and leaves as a filler. Put the young birds into the nest and place it back in the tree. Do not use cardboard or wood to made the nest because they can harbor moisture and mold. Also, make sure that you try to return the young birds as quickly as possible to the original location.
6. To help prevent fallen nests and orphaned birds, place nesting boxes around your yard to encourage birds to make homes inside them. Nesting boxes can be secured to a tree or a post and are harder to blow away in a storm.