What To Do If You See A Baby Bird In Your MN Yard

This is the month of baby birds. I remember as a child, my cousins and I would play outside at my Grandparents' home during our summer vacation, and often we would find a baby bird in the grass and try to save it. If I knew then what I know now, we would have left the baby bird alone. The Minnesota Nongame Wildlife Program says that if you find a baby bird, you should leave it alone.

Baby birds are hatching right now, and the parents are watching over them carefully. But one of the necessary steps in life is to teach their chicks how to fly. If you see a baby bird in the yard and are tempted to help it, you should leave it alone.

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NESTLING AND FLEDGLING- THERE IS A DIFFERENCE

First, there is a difference between a 'nestling' and a 'fledgling.' The parents of that baby bird are probably nearby, keeping a close eye on their infant. If the baby is in the grass, it doesn't mean the parents have abandoned it. They are probably searching for food to help feed it, and keeping an eye out for predators. Fledglings are still being watched over by their parents, but might not have quite got the hang of flying yet, but have the feathers to fly, and they can hop around. They typically have a little, tiny, and cute tail as well.

WHEN IT'S OKAY TO HELP

There are times when the baby bird isn't capable of flying, and in this case, yes...it should be put back in its nest if possible. These baby birds are called 'Nestlings.'  These babies probably fell out of their nest, so you should be able to find the nest somewhere close by.

It's key that you don't touch the Nestling with your bare hands. If you want to help, make sure you put on gloves or wash your hands first, and then carefully and quickly return the Nestling to its nest. You don't need to be hanging around and waiting for a peck on the back for doing a good deed.

WHAT IF THE NEST HAS FALLEN OUT OF THE TREE?

What if the nest has fallen out of the tree and is destroyed? The good news is that birds will return to their young if a human has touched it, and if you can rebuild the nest for them and put it back in the tree, they will come back to their young.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND AN INJURED BIRD

If you find that the baby is indeed hurt, then the best thing to do is to find a wildlife rehabilitator to take in the baby bird, as it may need emergency care. The DNR in Minnesota doesn't have the staff to do this alone. Your best bet is to try and find a permitted Wildlife Rehabilitator by clicking HERE.