Media
Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RSPB advice about
baby birds
It’s that time of
year when the south west RSPB Wildlife Enquiries Team receives lots of calls
from the well-meaning public about the cute helpless baby birds they have
discovered on the ground.
Morwenna Griffiths,
speaking for the RSPB South West, says, “It’s vital that people resist the urge
to intervene – this is a natural part of the bird’s development, so keep your
distance and step away.
“Just before baby
birds are ready to tentatively extend a wing, wiggle a tail feather and take
flight for the first time, they leave their nest, or “fledge” as it’s called.
Fledglings then spend a couple of days on the ground developing their final
flight feathers.
“The fledglings will
appear fully feathered and spend these days hopping around your garden in broad
daylight – hence why so many members of the public are convinced they need
rescuing.
“Another common fear
is that the fledgling has been deserted by its parents. However, fledglings are
extremely unlikely to be abandoned. They are probably off gathering food or more
likely hiding nearby with a beady eye on their young, waiting for you to back
away. Parents know best and are more than capable of looking after their
own.
“Removing a fledgling
from the wild significantly reduces its chances of long-term survival – so
please don’t ‘kidnap’ the baby bird. There are only a couple of situations when
the public should lend a friendly helping hand:
Immediate
Danger
“If the baby bird is
found on a busy road or path, it would then be advised to pick the bird up and
move it a short distance to a safer place - this must be within hearing distance
of where the fledgling was found. Similarly, if you discover your cat or dog
eyeing up a fledgling in your garden we recommend that you endeavour to keep
your domestic pet indoors for a couple of days – or at least around dawn and
dusk..
Injury
“If an injured
fledgling is discovered this should be reported immediately to the RSPCA on:
0300 1234 999
Sometimes local
vets treat wild birds for free, but please check with them
first.
Nestlings
“If a baby bird is
discovered on the ground that is either unfeathered or covered only in its
fluffy nestling down, it has likely fallen out of its cosy nest ahead of
schedule. Very occasionally it is possible to put these babies back in their
nest, but only if you are 100% positive of the nest it has fallen from and it’s
safe to do so.
“It is also important
to remember that sometimes a parent bird will intentionally eject a chick from
the nest if they sense it has an underlying health problem or is dying. It’s a
harsh truth to stomach, as humans we want to fix things, but sometimes we need
to allow the law of nature to run its full circle.
Adam Grogan, Senior
Scientific Officer for the RSPCA says: “Our wildlife centres care for more than
a thousand alleged ‘orphaned’ fledglings each year, picked up by well-meaning
people. Most of these birds are not orphans and would have had a better life in
the wild. Unless a baby bird is clearly a nestling, or is a fledgling that is
injured or in immediate danger it is best to leave them
alone.”
Ends
For further
information and to arrange an interview, please
contact:
Tony Whitehead, RSPB Press Officer,
01392 453754, 07872 414365
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