RSPB and RSPCA advice: What to do if you see a baby bird out of the nest this spring

Peak ‘baby bird’ season is nearly here, and animal welfare and conservation charities are urging people to brush up on what to do if they find a chick out of the nest - to free up valuable time and resources.

During May and June last year, the busiest time for baby birds, the RSPCA received a whopping 30,865 hits to its baby bird advice webpage - nearly 500 people a day seeking guidance. On top of this, staff also received thousands of calls from concerned members of the public - the bulk of them during these same two months.

“It’s wonderful that so many people want to do the best for our wild birds, particularly if a baby bird has been found out of its nest,” RSPCA scientific officer Rebecca Machin said. “And it’s great that tens of thousands of people are following our online guidance on how to help - rather than calling us - as this is usually the best and fastest way to help them.”

In many cases there is no need to intervene, she said, but how old the youngster was played a big part in that. “But if action does need to be taken, then every time a wild animal is helped by the public it frees up our vital specialist rescuers to reach animals suffering heartbreaking cruelty and neglect, a job no other charity does,” she added.

Here is the RSPCA and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds’ (RSPB) advice on what you need to know, as ‘baby bird’ season kicks off:

Nestlings

Nestlings are very young babies with little to no feathers, and frequently have their eyes still closed. They won't survive for long outside the safety of the nest, so if you see one, you should try to put it back - so that its parents can keep caring for it.

The RSPCA says you should make sure it’s the right nest (a good way to tell is if there are other chicks in it which look similar, and are at the same stage of development). You should wear gloves if possible, and wash your hands afterwards to prevent the spread of diseases, like avian flu.

If you still have concerns about the nestling, you can visit this RSPCA webpage. It has more information about how to contact local vets or wildlife centres, who might be able to give you further advice on what to do.

Fledglings

If the baby bird you find has all or most of its feathers, it’s most likely a fledgling. Unlike the younger nestlings, you don’t need to put them back in their nests. In fact, the best thing you can do is leave them there.

RSPB spokesperson Emma Horton said that each year, the conservation charity received hundreds of calls about baby birds out of the nest. “But for most species of baby birds, providing they’re not sick or injured and are fully feathered, this is perfectly normal and it’s usually in their best interest to leave them be.

“This flightless period is a natural part of the bird’s development,” she continued. “Baby birds intentionally leave the nest before they can fly and may appear like they need rescuing. However, give it a few days to a week and they’ll have finished growing their final flight feathers and be on their way.”

Ms Horton said a common worry she heard was that the baby bird was not being fed by the parents. “Parents invest heavily in their young and it is very rare for them to abandon fledglings. Usually parents are nearby and may even be waiting for people to leave before they feel safe to come back with the youngster’s next meal.”

Catching the babies and removing them from the area could even be deadly. “Birds take far better care of their young than humans can, and taking baby birds into captivity unnecessarily can dramatically reduce their chances of long-term survival.”

If you do spot a fledgling in your garden , leave it be and monitor it from a distance for at least two hours, keeping your pets away from them. You’ll usually see the parents nearby within this timeframe. If the baby is in harm’s way, you should move them to a sheltered spot nearby.

If you have already confined a healthy fledgling, you may still be able to return them to their parents, the RSPB says, by putting them back where you found them.

What about if the bird is hurt or in danger?

If the baby bird is visibly sick or injured, or has been orphaned (meaning you either know the parents have been killed, or have observed the baby for a number of hours and haven’t seen them) then you should contact a local wildlife rehabilitation centre or vet as soon as possible. These chicks will need specialist care and rehabilitation to survive, the RSPCA says.

There are links which can help you track down your closest wildlife centre here, or vet practice here. You may be asked to gently move the bird into a box to contain it, or even transport it if you are able, as many of these centres have limited staff and resources - and a lot of birds needing help. The person you talk to should be able to advise you on how to do this safely.

What about other kinds of birds?

The RSPCA says this advice applies to most garden birds. However, the British Isles are home to a diverse array of wild bird species, from corvids to waterfowl, many of which have different best practice methods for their care.

The animal welfare charity has also published plenty of advice for other kinds of birds on its website. Here are some of these pages: Ducks, geese and swans; swallows, martins and swifts; birds of prey; gulls; and crows, rooks, ravens, magpies and jays.

Amber Allott is NationalWorld’s environment and sustainability specialist, covering all things green - from climate to conservation. If you liked this article you can follow Amber on X (Twitter) here and sign up for the free daily NationalWorld Today newsletter here - with Amber bringing you the UK's most important, pressing, weird and wonderful environmental stories every Tuesday.