SPCA warns against mistakenly taking baby birds away from parents
MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION) The SPCA Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center is issuing a warning about mistakenly taking baby birds away from their parents and sharing tips about what to do if you find one.
The center said it is currently caring for 160 wild patients, and 30 of them are baby birds. They said many of the birds that come in around this time are fledglings that are mistakenly taken away from their parents.
According to the SPCA, the fledgling process is part of a bird's development, and though sometimes it may look as if it is injured, downy feathers and parents nearby tend to mean that it is healthy.
If you find a baby bird on the ground with few or no feathers, the SPCA suggests looking for the nest and trying to place it back inside. The SPCA said it is a myth that the baby will be rejected by the parents if you touch them. After putting the bird back in the nest, you can watch from a distance to see if the parents return. If they do not return or if the bird is injured, you are asked to call the SPCA Wildlife Center for Help.
Because the birds have specialized diets, the SPCA says you should not try to feed it yourself.
If a baby bird found on the ground already has feathers and can hop but not fly, it is most likely a fledgling. The SPCA said they can be as large as the parents, but they usually still have some downy feathers. They say these birds are sometimes mistaken for having a broken wing, and if you think a fledgling may be injured, the SPCA suggests taking time to watch it. If it is a fledgling, the SPCA says you will eventually see its parents helping it.
To help, the SPCA suggests leaving fledglings with their parents because what people see is often a natural part of the bird growing.
To prevent injuries, the organization suggests keeping cats indoors. They said many baby birds rescued this year were caught by cats, and most of them did not survive their injuries.
If you see an injured animal or have questions or concerns, you are asked to contact the SPCA Wildlife Center.
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