Baby bird fell out of nest - Anything I can do?

[ShelbyMay]

I was on my way to work this morning and noticed a baby bird sitting in the road. Several cars passed in that lane before I could turn around and get back there, but I guess it was just lucky enough to stay between their tires. It was alert (although one eye was more closed than the other) and definitely alive. I didn't see any injuries -- at least, no blood. I scooped it up and looked for the nearest nest, but could not locate one. I heard a bird in a nearby tree, saw that it was carrying a worm in its mouth, and thought maybe it was the mother. There was a big flowerpot at the base of that tree, so I put the baby bird in there and had to leave for work. It was just sitting there when I left.

I know the answer is probably that I am too much of a softy and should have just left the bird to die a quick death in the street -- That's what my husband would say, anyway. If I go back later and the bird is still in the flower pot (It's just a couple of buildings down from our office), is there ANYTHING I can do for it?

(Yes, I did wash my hands thoroughly with hot water and antibacterial soap. :) )

ETA: Found this info and hoping this is the case:
FLEDGLINGS People often see baby birds that are partially feathered sitting on the ground below a tree and automatically assume that they fell out of the nest and need to be helped. At this stage in a birds development, they are considered "fledglings". Fledglings NORMALLY will jump or fall out of the nest. This is their "flight training" stage. The mother bird will then continue feeding the bird on the ground until the bird is able to fly (usually only takes a few days). Unless injured, these birds should be left where they are. Efforts should be made to keep cats, dogs, and curious children away from the bird so the mother can continue to feed it.

[villanelle75]

I'm hesitant to post this becausze I know it isn't what you want to hear and because I'm not 100% certian, but I've always heard that once the smell of a person gets on the baby bird, the mother will abandon it. Agian I have no idea if that is really true, or if it is one of those made up things to try an dkeep kids from touching baby birds and picking up germs.

If you go back today and the bird is still down their, perhaps you coudl call animal control or soemthign to ask for advice?

[Vegastrtle]

This is a link to a local museum that deals with this sort of thing. I didn't read the whole page, but it looks like you should find something useful.

http://www.wildlife-museum.org/

[Chimichanga]

If it's still there, you may want to call the county humane society. They will have a better idea of how to handle the situation.

[ShelbyMay]

Okay, looks like I've done everything I can. I bet the mother bird will see the baby where I left it and take care of whatever needs to be done.

(BTW, the links I looked at said that the warning about birds rejecting babies because of human scent is an old wive's tale. I hope that's true!)

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

Do you know what kind of bird it is? You might be able to find a rescue group to take care of it.

A couple years ago, I found a baby sandhill crane in a storm drain in the middle of my office building's parking lot. I managed to get it out, and my sister looked up wildlife rescue groups and found a person who would take it. The woman was already caring for five more fledglings of the same kind when I brought over the one I found.

[wendalah]

We had a bunch of little fledglings sitting around on our driveway at our old apartment. I panicked and took them to the vet--they told me that the birds were supposed to be out of the nest, and that I should simply move them to a safer place (so cars won't run over them). The mother will call for them and they will answer so she can find them. They also told me that the mom won't abandon them because I touched them.

So, it sounds like you did the right thing by simply moving the little guy to a place where he won't get squashed :)

[ShelbyMay]

I went back on my lunch break and the baby bird was no where in sight -- Hopefully that means he's somewhere safer!

ETA: He was some kind of sparrow or robin or something brown.

[karlatta]

I've always heard that once the smell of a person gets on the baby bird, the mother will abandon it.

According to the wildlife rehab center where we've taken abandoned and injured wildlife, mother birds will not abandon their young. Their sense of smell isn't good enough to tell that you've touched them.

[AirForceLove]

We had this happen in our backyard last summer. When DH and I were doing yard work we found a baby bird still alive making all sorts of noise. We also found a dead one right around the same place. Hearing the story that birds will abandon their young if they have a human smell on them, DH got a box and some gloves, climed the tree, and put it back in its nest. It seemed to have worked. :D

We also have, I think they are called Coo-Coo birds, they will invade a nest and push the young out of it. This is what DH told me at least. We think that is what happend since we found the other dead bird.

To say the least, I was happy that we were able to save one bird.

[artist]

It sounds like you did what you could, and now there is nothing else you can do as the bird is not there. Let's hope that means it got helped!

I guess if I were in that situation, maybe I'd try to move the bird to a safer spot (and try to avoid touching it so it's mom wouldn't later abandon it) and then also trying calling vets and animal/bird rescue type places to see what I should do about it.

No, you're not too much of a softy! I like people way more when I find out they love animals as much as I do! One of my best friends once found an injured bird and since she had no driver's license at the time, she took a cab (and paid $80 for the cab fare on her credit card!!!) and took the bird to the raptor center or whoever it is that helps birds. So, I think that is the most dramatic animal story I've heard, but I so love my friend for doing that! The same friend was recently really sad and upset that she recently drove by (did not hit, but drove by) a cat in the street in downtown. She stopped the car in the busy traffic, scooped up the cat who she thought at first might still be alive, and carried the cat to the curb. People were honking at her, but she ignored them. I think the cat either died in her arms or maybe was already dead. She left the cat (who looked like a well fed domesticated cat) on the curb in case the owner lived nearby and would be looking for the cat. My friend was really sad and upset about this. I told her that as painful as it is, she was meant to find this cat because she is the senstive animal lover who would care enough to do something. It sucks, but I think those of us who are overly sensitive and love animals ALWAYS are the ones to find half dead birds, cats, etc.

[AirForceLove]

It sounds like you did what you could, and now there is nothing else you can do as the bird is not there. Let's hope that means it got helped!

I guess if I were in that situation, maybe I'd try to move the bird to a safer spot (and try to avoid touching it so it's mom wouldn't later abandon it) and then also trying calling vets and animal/bird rescue type places to see what I should do about it.

No, you're not too much of a softy! I like people way more when I find out they love animals as much as I do! One of my best friends once found an injured bird and since she had no driver's license at the time, she took a cab (and paid $80 for the cab fare on her credit card!!!) and took the bird to the raptor center or whoever it is that helps birds. So, I think that is the most dramatic animal story I've heard, but I so love my friend for doing that! The same friend was recently really sad and upset that she recently drove by (did not hit, but drove by) a cat in the street in downtown. She stopped the car in the busy traffic, scooped up the cat who she thought at first might still be alive, and carried the cat to the curb. People were honking at her, but she ignored them. I think the cat either died in her arms or maybe was already dead. She left the cat (who looked like a well fed domesticated cat) on the curb in case the owner lived nearby and would be looking for the cat. My friend was really sad and upset about this. I told her that as painful as it is, she was meant to find this cat because she is the senstive animal lover who would care enough to do something. It sucks, but I think those of us who are overly sensitive and love animals ALWAYS are the ones to find half dead birds, cats, etc.

What a touching story. Your friend sounds like a wonderful person!

[artist]

What a touching story. Your friend sounds like a wonderful person!


Oh, she really is a sweetheart! She and her DH in addition to now having a baby also have a big dog, 2 cats, and at one point in time some birds. She is not just nurturing to animals, but a really sweet person to other people too! She's one of the kindest people I know and also one of the funniest!

[mimieliza]

I hope your baby bird ended up okay. You probably saved its life by taking it out of the road.

If your local area has an Audubon Society, they may be able to take in abandoned baby birds or wounded birds. When I was young, I often rescued wounded birds that my cat had injured. They almost always died very soon, but once a robin survived, and started to get better, and was eating and drinking and hopping around his box. My mom and I took it to the Audubon Society, which had a facility for birds in recovery. They took the robin to stay there until it healed enough to be released into the bird sanctuary. It was pretty cool. :)