Is The Baby Really An Orphan?

Each year (especially in the spring), many people call us who have found a baby bird or mammal. People usually think the animal needs their help and want to bring it in. The well meaning individuals usually assume the babies are orphans.

Most babies are still under the watchful eye of their parents and are taken from them by people only tying to help. Unlike human babies, wild babies are not constantly watched by their parents and spend large amounts of time alone. (This is especially true of mammals.)

In most cases, wild animal babies should be left alone.


What If I Already Touched The Bird, Will The Mother Come Back?

People often believe this to be true and therefore think they need to keep the babies. This is simply NOT TRUE and is just an old wives tale. Birds in general have a very poor sense of smell (vultures are one exception) and will not mind the fact that you have handled them (but will be bothered by your presence by the babies).
 
If You Find A Real Orphan Bird

1) Get it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator AS SOON AS POSSIBLE; the longer the delay, the less chance it has of surviving. Vet clinics handle domestic animals and are not equipped to handle wildlife.

2) Keep the baby bird WARM and in a quiet, dark place until you can bring it in.

3) DO NOT give the baby bird any liquids (they get all they need from their food and vary often will inhale any liquid).

Baby Rabbits

Place the baby rabbits back in their nest and leave them there unless they are injured or if you KNOW that the mother has been killed. Many people just assume the mother is dead because they "have been watching the nest all day and have not seen the mom come back at all". This is normal. Female cottontails only come to feed their young early in the morning and at dusk. This decreases the chance of alerting predators to the nest's location.

When baby rabbits are about 5 inches long, they are totally on their own and away from their mother. These rabbits do not need to be brought in unless they are injured.


Always Remember The Following:

* A young animal's best chance for survival is to be raised by its natural mother. It is important to make every effort to try to return the young to its mother. ONLY after all efforts to reunite them have been exhaused should the orphan be removed from the wild. DO NOT try to raise the baby yourself.

* All birds (except Pigeons, European Starlings, and House Sparrows) and most mammals are protected by law and it is illegal to have them in your posssession without proper permits from federal and state government.

* Proper care and nutrition are crucial to the survival of the baby and any deficiency will more than likely cost the animal its life.

* Baby anilmals easily imprint onto whatever is feeding them and steps are needed to prevent this. An animal that is imprinted on people cannot be released back into the wild and usually must be destroyed.

****Get it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator AS SOON AS POSSIBLE; the longer the delay, the less chance it has of surviving. Vet clinics handle domestic animals and are not equipped to handle wildlife.