Rescue Situation or Not? How to Tell

A summary of our rescue tips can be downloaded HERE.

Sometimes deciding whether a wild bird needs help can be tricky. Use the tips below to decide the best course of action. If you need more advice call us at (330) 591-7300 between the hours of 8:00am and 6pm. We may not answer the phone if our hands are full but we’ll return your call as quickly as possible! Please don’t email us about a bird that needs help – we won’t get the message as quickly. If you find an injured bird after business hours place it in a cardboard box with air holes in the top and keep it in a quiet, dark location. Do not try to force feed or give it water. Contact the center during business hours for further advice. What to do with baby birds that do not appear injured. Baby birds are best raised by their parents. If you find a healthy nestling but cannot return it to its nest it’s easy to make new living quarters. We received a video from a good Samaritan who found a healthy robin nestling but could not restore it to the out-of-reach nest. She made a new one by lining a small basket with grass, placing the baby in it and hanging it below the original nest. Baby got hungry, made a ruckus, and mom appeared regularly with carry-out! The parents tended both nests. We’re super proud of this ingenious lady for helping keep the family together! Hints for providing replacement nests are listed below under Take Them Back To The Nest. Click here to see the video of Mom feeding her baby in its new accommodations.

What you may see		What to do
Babies
Signs of injuries such as bleeding, eye injuries or broken wings	→	CONTACT A LICENSED REHAB CENTER For more information see Signs of Injuries, under Adult Birds below.

Hatchlings (few or no feathers, pink bodies and eyes closed) on the ground Photo courtesy of KathysKritters. Photo courtesy of Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition.	→	Take Them Back to the Nest! Return them to their nest, then place the nest in a tree. Their best chance of survival is with their parents who will teach them the skills necessary to thrive as wild birds. If the nest is damaged you can make an artificial nest. Punch holes in the bottom of a clean butter tub. Punch a hole on each side of the tub. Add grass for bedding. Place the babies in the nest. Hang the “nest” from a branch close to the trunk of the tree. The parents will respond to the babies’ calls and return to their families. If one parent seems to be missing, do not assume the babies are orphans. The remaining parent can successfully raise them.

Nestling (feathers and eyes open) songbirds on the ground. Photo courtesy of KathysKritters.	→	Take Them Back to the Nest! The best chance of survival for these babies is to return them to their nest and the nest to a tree. Their parents will find them and continue raising them until they are able to survive on their own. If the nest is damaged, you can make an artificial nest by following the instructions above. If these babies are injured or you cannot restore the nest, CONTACT A LICENSED REHAB CENTER.

Fledgling songbirds (feathered) out of the nest On the ground hopping, walking, or calling Perched and capable of short flights No obvious injuries or danger Robin Fledgling MRC	→	DO NOT INTERVENE These young birds are not abandoned. Just like toddlers, they are off exploring their world. Their parents are close by but often out of sight. Unless these birds are obviously injured, LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!!! They are still dependent on their parents to teach them survival skills such as danger awareness, foraging for food and migration routes. If the fledglings are injured, CONTACT A LICENSED REHAB CENTER.

Nestling hawks, owls and other raptors on the ground Hawk Nestlings MRC Photo courtesy of Pam Winegar. naturetime.wordpress.com	→	Take Them Back to the Nest! Nestling hawks and owls can be blown to the ground if their nests are dislodged during spring storms. Even if the nestlings avoid injuries from the fall, their chances of survival are poor unless they can be returned to their nests and parents. Since raptors generally nest 20 feet or more from the ground returning the nestlings to intact nests can be daunting. Constructing a nest alternative and replacing it in a tree is also a challenge. Most owls nest in holes so nestlings can be replaced if it is accessible. If you cannot restore the nestlings to their nest or if they are injured, CONTACT A LICENSED REHAB CENTER.

Fledgling hawks, owls and other raptors. Photo courtesy of Mike Yip. vancouverislandbirds.com Great Horned Owl Fledgling MRC	→	When to Intervene Due to their small size raptor fledglings such as kestrels and screech owls are at risk when on the ground. If they have no injuries they should be placed on the branch of a tree such as a pine. The parents will respond to their calls and resume care. CONTACT A LICENSED REHAB CENTER if they are injured. When Not to Intervene Larger fledglings, such as Great Horned Owls, are often seen on the ground because they are too big to fit into their nests. Like toddlers, fledglings are very curious about their environment and are off exploring their world. Their parents remain close but out of sight. Unless you see obvious injuries LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!

European Starlings & English Sparrows European Starling Nestlings English Sparrow	→	Do Not Intervene! These species are aggressive invaders that are displacing many of our native song birds. Most rehabilitation centers, including the MRC, will not accept them.

Adult Birds
Signs of Injuries. Eye Injuries Wing Injury Photo courtesy of Carl Palazzolo, DVM Long Beach Animal Hospital	→	CONTACT A LICENSED REHAB CENTER Common injuries include: Bleeding Swelling Eyes closed (except for hatchlings) No sustained flight – hopping only Unable to stand, falling over Drooping or dragging a wing or leg Common causes of injuries Window collisions. Learn how to prevent them. Predator attacks. Keep cats and dogs indoors or on leashes Car collisions Fake Injuries Some birds pretend to be injured to lure predators away from their young. It is important to watch the adult bird to determine if the injury is real or a fake. See Fake (deception) Injuries below for more information.

Trapped birds For more information on the effect of traps on birds as well as other wildlife please visit Wyoming Untrapped.	→	CONTACT A LICENSED REHAB CENTER IMMEDIATELY! This is an emergency situation that requires help from an experienced facility. Do not attempt to remove the bird from the trap without assistance. If the bird escapes during the rescue, its chances of surviving its injuries are very poor. Trap injuries are almost always severe enough to prevent a bird from hunting or eating any prey they may find. The result is a slow, painful death from starvation.

Fake (deception) Injuries Photo courtesy of DA Perrucci. thefrogandpenguinn.blogspot.com	→	DO NOT INTERVENE Some birds protect their nests and young from predators by faking an injury like a broken wing. This behavior distracts the predator from the babies, and allows the parent to lure the predator away from the nest. These displays are only seen during breeding season, and can be distinguished from actual injuries by watching the bird. It will move farther and farther from the nest or young, and once it feels the danger is past, will fly away normally.

Mantling Photo courtesy of The Modern Apprentice	→	DO NOT INTERVENE At first glance mantling may appear to be an injury. It is not. It is a feeding behavior displayed by many raptors after a successful hunt. The characteristics of mantling that distinguish it from an injury include: Wings outstretched Ducking down to pick at its food Quick peaks over shoulder Staying on ground Dragging food on ground with one foot Watching a raptor (from afar) enjoy its hard won meal is a very special sight.

Swans	→	Trumpeter and Tundra Swans Trumpeter swans are native to Ohio. Tundra swans are seen in Ohio during spring and fall migrations. CONTACT A LICENSED REHAB CENTER if you find an injured Trumpeter or Tundra swan. Mute Swans All sightings of mute swans, healthy or injured, need to be reported to the Ohio DNR at 1-800-945-3543. Mute swans are an aggressive invasive species that are displacing our native wildlife and destroying our wetlands.

Remember: Wild animals raise their babies very differently than humans. It takes patience to find out if a baby is really abandoned. For your safety and the bird’s please contact the Center at (330) 591-7300 between the hours of 8:00am and 6:00pm before attempting to handle or transport any wild bird.

Watch from a distance or from inside a house, preferably with binoculars, to see if a bird needs help. If you can describe an injury or behavior it will help us evaluate the bird’s situation and provide further assistance or advice. If you can safely take a picture of the bird and text it to us it will help as well.

Caution: Do not handle any wild bird without gloves. They don’t know you’re just trying to help. We can advise you on handling an injured bird if necessary. Never give food or water to an injured animal. An inappropriate diet or internal injuries can make feedings fatal. Additional information for handling and transporting injured birds can be found here.

Get State & Federal Guidelines about rescuing wildlife. Here you will find the type of birds the Center can help as well as where to get help for the others. The Center cannot accept any mammals.
Go to our contact information page to find a licensed rehabilitator in northeastern Ohio.
Visit the ODNR website for a statewide contact list of licensed rehabilitators.