Birds, Mammals and Wildlife Gardening – Nestlings

Life as a baby bird is often short, nasty and brutal. Birds have evolved different strategies to maximise the survival of their offspring. While songbirds emerge from their eggs in a blind, naked state, and are quite unable to do anything for themselves for several weeks, other species – primarily ducks, waders and gamebirds – are ready to swim and feed themselves from hatching day. Ground-dwelling birds need to be able to fend and feed for themselves, because newly-hatched chicks are popular prey items for many predators.

Many birds are in such a hurry to leave their nests that they don’t wait until they can fly properly. Young blackbirds regularly depart before being able to fly, though they are capable of hiding themselves from predators. Tawny owlets do the same and can sometimes be found on the ground, apparently abandoned, but their sharp talons make them expert tree-climbers and they are usually just trying to get a parent to turn up with some food!

While it’s tempting to ‘rescue’ a baby bird - here are some things to bear in mind:

• Adult birds are much more skilled at looking after their offspring than humans will ever be and most of the time the bird’s parents are nearby, waiting for you to leave the area.
• If the bird is in a vulnerable position (in the middle of the pavement for example), it’s fine to move it somewhere safe nearby, preferably perhaps from the ground into a bush or tree where cats won’t see it, but try to handle it as little as possible.
• Watch from a safe distance to see what happens. If it genuinely has been abandoned call the RSPCA but try to avoid interference wherever possible. It really is best to leave baby birds alone.

Birds, mammals and wildlife gardening nest photograph by lisaschaos, used under a creative commons attribution licence

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