I found a baby bird that fell from his nest. The thing is...?

Question

The problem is, is that the nest it came from is too small for all the baby birds. There's already three in a nest that is a bit smaller the a CD case. So if we put him pack in, I'm afraid that he would fall out again, this time with injuries.

What shold I do?

I put the bird back in it's nest, But when I checked on it a few hours later, a different baby bird was out off the nest.

Answer 1

You did the right thing by putting it back. The parents will not reject babies that have human scent- most birds can't smell.

If they are fully feathered (minus tail feathers), they are fledglings, and it is perfectly normal for them to be out of the nest. Don't worry, the parents will continue to care for them. If you have any cats, keep them inside for awhile.

If they are not fully feathered, it may be that the ones being pushed out are not as strong as the others. You can make a substitute nest out of a small tub and tissues, and put it near to the real nest and put the fallen baby in it. The parent birds will continue to care for it if they know where it is.

If it is injured, or if one falls and injures itself in the future, take it to a wildlife rehab center. This site http://www.wildlife-international.org/EN/public/emergency/emergencyrehab.html can help you to find one near you.

Answer 2

You did the right thing. Touching a baby bird DOES NOT cause the adults to abandon it. Birds cannot smell. People saying that are not educated about birds. It sounds to me like ths birds are fledging from the nest. Are they fully feathered? It must be their time to leave the nest, they do leave before they can fly and the parents will feed and care for them outside the nest until they can forage and fly on their own. It is getting really late in the breeding season so I don't think there would be too many young birds left in nests so that is why I think they must be older. IF the birds are mostly bald with lots of skin showing....do put it back in the nest again.

Answer 3

Are the baby's eyes open? Does he have some feathers? Does he look alert? If so, put him right back where you found him. The parents know where he is and will take care of him as best as possible.

Is he naked? Are his eyes still closed? Is he not capable of holding his head upright? Try putting the bird back in the nest.

The people who tell you that the parents can't smell are correct. Besides, why would a bird abandon a baby just because it smelled funny? Makes no sense at all. I know you say it's hard to fit it in, but most birds build the right size nest. Unless there is also a cowbird in it, which might explain why it fell out. If you see that one nestling is much bigger than the rest, that's what happened.

Answer 4

Your best chance is to just leave the baby bird alone. Although it does risk being eating by various other animals, the momma bird will continue to care for it and feed it along with the ones still in the nest for as long as it's needed. Birds can NOT smell human scent, so if momma is able, she will contine to care for it as much as she can. The bird could have been trying it's first flight and just wasn't quite ready, or it could have been pushed out of the nest from the growing brood, but nature has it's way and unfortunetely, there isn't much we can due to change it. Good luck to the baby!

Answer 5

It's a myth about the human scent thing.
We had a nest of three babies and two eggs on our gutter. My husband thought it was empty and knocked it down with the pressure washer. Boy was he surprised... anyhow, he comes and shows me and of course I get in a twirl over the whole thing.
After about two hours of wondering what the heck to do, we decided to just put the nest back and see what happened. That mama bird flew in and did not MOVE from that nest for a SOLID WEEK! It was the sweetest thing.
But back to your question...The other babies could have pushed him over because he was the weakest. They do that. Try putting him back, and put a little "safety net" of some sort underneath. That way if it happens again, you'll know to take him under your own wing. They don't usually take in song birds at local centers. Usually they just take wildlife such as hawks, owls, etc.
Good luck!
ps... that mama bird comes back now to the same nest every year.

Answer 6

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to prevent a future fall. Find a Nature Center in your area and let them know about the problem. They may be able to take the bird in and it may prosper. Put the baby in a little box (open if possible) and lay it on a little washcloth (soft). Just an aside: birds don't smell, so they can't be 'tainted' by human scent. Good luck.

Answer 7

If you touch a baby bird, then it is very likely that the mother wont want anything to do with it. Your best bet is too see what your local Audubon Society recommends. You should be able to find their number in the local phone book. They can help you to determine what kind of bird it is, how to feed and care for it, the amount of time that this requires, or direct you to a local individual or organization that does take in birds due to injury, abandonment, or other reasons. Good luck!

Answer 8

You could construct them another nest and place it near the old one. The parents will still come and continue to feed their young.
The scent thing is a myth. Birds are very good parenting their young and very seldom abandon them.

Sincerely, Audra
Avian Veterinary Assistant
http://starlingrescueandcare.bravehost.com

Answer 9

If you've touched him, he wouldn't be accepted back into the nest anyway...If you're not up to learning how to raise him yourself, why not contact someone at your local zoo?

Answer 10

i found a bird with a broken wing once and theres a center around here that took it and fixed it up cal a vet to see if theres one around you