With nesting season well underway, and lots of different advice going round. We thought we would do some research and put together a definitive guide. 

If you find a baby bird out of their nest, there are a few things you should look out for before you think of intervening. 

Is the bird injured in any way? For example, a hanging wing, or any visible wounds? 

If the answer is yes, then this is when you should intervene by attempting to get the bird to a wildlife sanctuary as soon as possible. Although it can be tempting to wish to help the baby bird yourselves, a professional is the best option in this situation and will ensure the best chances of survival. 

If the bird is not injured in any way, then the next step is to check if the bird is a nestling, or a fledgling. 

Nestlings are very young birds which have not yet developed feathers. They may not have any feathers, or just a fluffy down covering them, or even still have their eyes shut. In this case, you must attempt to place the bird back into its nest, which should be nearby. It is highly unlikely that a parent bird will reject their baby if it has human scent on them, but still, we recommend that you avoid touching the bird with your bare hands due to the risk of bird flu, and also passing on human diseases to the birds. And so wear gloves or use a rag where possible. If that is not possible, wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling the bird. 

Look around the area for where the bird’s nest may be and simply place it back in. If the nestling bird you have found is a Gull, it might be likely that the nest is up high on roofs etc. In this case, see if there is a possibility that you can reach it yourself to safely put the bird back, but remember that your safety is paramount. If you cannot reach the original nest site, place the bird in a makeshift nest and put it somewhere high up and out of harm’s way. Retreat from the nest and keep an eye on the bird to see if the parents are still feeding the bird. You may need to wait a couple of hours before they return. 

If the baby bird is covered in feathers and is out of the nest, then it is likely a fledgling. A lot of birds will leave the nest before they are able to fly, and so they look helpless, but this is completely normal. They will continue to be fed by the parents on the ground, and from here they will begin testing their wings and learn to fly. The only time you should intervene in this situation is to keep them out of unnatural harm’s way, such as them wandering near a road, or if a domesticated cat is nearby. If you are a cat owner yourself, please consider keeping your cats inside during nesting season, especially when the fledglings are most vulnerable; an hour after sunrise, and before sunset, and after heavy rain.