What Do I Do If I Find An Abandoned Nest?
Sometimes things like finding an abandoned nest happen, and then we realize how little we know about the beings around us. If there are eggs or chicks, the drama is even greater. We want to help and have no idea how to do that. Below, we’ll look at some guidelines on how best to act.
As in a parallel universe, the life of wild birds is completely different from ours. However, we need to understand a few things: the first is that the fact that the nest looks abandoned does not mean that it is. Do not rush to take any action. If you want to help, the first thing to do is watch.
How to distinguish an abandoned nest
There will rarely be eggs or chicks in an abandoned nest unless the mother has been attacked by a predator. Female birds do not leave the nest; they are probably just looking for food for themselves or their young. In general, maternal absence lasts no more than half an hour. After that time, you can already think that something happened.
The presence of foxes, cats or predators nearby could mean that the parents were attacked. Otherwise, birds will be nearby watching the nest constantly while searching for food. In this case, do not approach or touch the nest, eggs or chicks.
Bird eggs require a constant temperature. If you get too close to the nest, the mother will move away and the eggs will lose their vital heat. In the case of birds that make their nests on land, the vulnerability is even greater.
For these reasons, it is difficult to recognize an abandoned nest with the naked eye. It’s best not to go near areas where you know there may be nests; scaring the mother would be a tragedy for the eggs.
What do I do if I find it an abandoned nest?
If the abandoned nest has eggs, it is almost impossible to retrieve them. In that case, you can’t do anything. If there are puppies, maybe you can help them. In any case, it is important that you stay at a safe distance for a few minutes in order to confirm that the parents have not been able to return home.
It is common to find chicks far from their nests. After storms or windy days, the chicks may fall out of the nest. Even if it hasn’t rained or been windy, sometimes the little ones just go out and explore the world.
The fact of intervening in the life of birds would result, in the vast majority of cases, in great recklessness. In Europe, a campaign called ‘ Spring Alive’ has been created which advises people not to take the chicks if they find them outside their nests.
This campaign is based on informing what should be done if orphaned puppies are found. First, it is reported that these puppies, for the most part, are not orphaned or lost. They are simply learning to fly; if human beings come close, it could complicate the work of parents, who will delay in helping them for fear of the threat.
What to do if I find an abandoned baby bird?
In fact, the word would not be abandoned, but rather “lost”. If they have fallen from the nest and are very small, it is sometimes difficult for them to return home. In the city, these accidents are frequent with birds; the best thing would be to try to get them somewhere safe, away from cars, and where their parents can help them.
Once they are in a safe place, you can then confirm whether the parents are looking or not. If that’s not the case, taking them to an animal shelter would be the wisest thing to do. If you catch them, it is important to handle them with extreme delicacy, as their feathers can be very fragile.
The second point is feeding the puppies. In fact, biscuits or bread pieces are not recommended; they need special preparations that provide them with the nutrients they need. Third, it is preferable not to give them water, or to give them very small droplets. If water enters through the beak holes, they could get pneumonia.
Warmth is another essential requirement for keeping a small puppy alive. Toilet paper cut into strips can be a good option.
