Kids
Wild Babies What would you do if you were walking along and came across a nest in the ground full of baby bunnies? Or perhaps a little bird hiding in the grass or a baby squirrel lying on the ground? What you would probably WANT to do is pick them up, cuddle them, and maybe even take them home to try to take care of them yourself. But it is so important to know what is best for these babies! Baby wildlife belongs in nature and does best when raised by their parents. Here are some tips on how to make sure we can keep wild babies safe!
52
Discover CONCORD
Birds
Just like humans, birds go through stages of development. One of the most vulnerable stages of development in the bird lifecycle is the fledgling stage. This is the stage we wildlife rehabilitators get the most calls about. Babies at this stage are fully feathered and able to hop. During this stage, the baby bird is too big for the nest but not yet old enough to fly or be on its own. So, the baby bird fledges, meaning they jump out of the nest and instinctively hop to the nearest underbrush or hide in the grass. From there, they have a special chirp that their parents can hear from far away, and their parents will feed them on the ground until they are old enough to fly away. Many people assume baby birds at this stage of development are in trouble because they are not able to fly. This is not true! If it is in a safe area, the best thing you can do if you see a fledgling is simply leave it there. Sometimes, fledglings won’t hide very well, though. If the baby bird is out in the open, move it to the nearest hiding spot, such as under a nearby bush. The parents will find their baby. Just like with bunnies, it is a myth that the mother bird will smell humans on her baby and reject it. The other stages of development for birds are hatchling (a baby that has just hatched) and nestling (a baby that is meant to be in the nest). If you see a hatchling or a nestling on the ground, they need help! The best thing you can do is call your local wildlife rehabilitator for instruction. Sometimes we can help you re-nest the baby. Other times, we can instruct you how to nail a box to the side of the tree it fell from and make sure the mother is feeding it. What you should never ever do is try to raise a baby bird yourself.
| 2022 Guide to the Great Outdoors
BY ASHLEY MAKRIDAKIS
