…you found a nestling?
In short First check for feathers: a feathered fledgling on the ground is normal, a naked chick is not.
Should you step in?
Mostly no. Fledglings that have left the nest but cannot yet fly spend a few days on the ground, and their parents feed them.
When is help needed?
If the chick is naked or downy and has fallen from the nest, if it is injured, if the nest is destroyed, or a cat is nearby and cannot be kept away.
What you must never do
Do not give water with a pipette — it gets into the airways. Do not feed bread, milk or porridge. Do not take a healthy fledgling “into care”.
When to contact us
If the nest is out of reach, if the chick is injured, or if you cannot tell a fledgling from a fallen nestling.
A real rescue
A honey buzzard after shelling: found concussed on city streets, returned to the wild after rehabilitation.
See all the stories