I found a Baby Bird. What do I do?

Make sure the baby is truly orphaned.

• Is it injured?
• Is it cold?
• Is it dehydrated?
• Does its abdomen appear overly wrinkled or paperish-white?
• Does its abdomen and eyes appear sunken-in?
• Is it lethargic, inactive, or uninterested in its surroundings?
• Was it handled by a dog or cat/did you find it near a dog or cat?
• Are there dead siblings/parents near-by?
• Is it a naked or partially feathered baby bird?
• Are there flies around the baby?
• Is it in imminent danger?
• Have you spoken with a rehabilitator, and attempted to renest/reunite but have not seen the parents in over 2 to 4 hours?

If you answered yes to ANY of these questions, take the following steps:

• Place the baby in a softly-lined covered box with ventilation.
• Place the box in a warm, dark quiet indoor location away from all humans and pets.
• If you have a heating pad, put the container with the bird on the edge of the heating pad and turn it on low. You may need to add layers of facial tissues in the container to get a gentle heat effect. Too much heat is as bad as not enough. In a pinch a pop bottle or water bottle with hot water can also be used and wrapped in a t-shirt material and put in with the baby. Do not use towels for bedding. The weave is too loose. It comes undone easily and the threads can wrap around legs, wings and necks with dire consequences.
• Do Not attempt to give it food or water, no matter how much it begs! The baby may appear hungry, but feeding a weakened animal or providing the wrong diet could cause irreversible complications that could further compromise the baby's condition.
• Contact a wildlife rehabilitator immediately for instructions on attempting to renest or reunite the baby with its parents. You can get their number by calling your local animal shelters, animal control, or the Ministry of Natural Resources.