What to do in an emergency - Garden Birds

A young, bare looking bird has fallen out of its nest. What should I do?

With gloves try to get the bird back into its nest as the parents will usually accept it. If not, it must be kept warm and quiet and brought in as soon as possible for feeding. Do not try to feed it yourself as - it is easy to suffocate young birds with chunks of food that are too big for it to handle. Young birds are fed every few minutes so do not wait for too long before seeking help!

There is a fledged youngster on the ground - but it looks too young to fly. Can I help it?

It will depend on the type of bird. If you are having trouble identifying it, call local experts for help.

Finches and Dunnocks

Should be left alone and observed from a distance. The parents should visit them at least every hour or so. They should only be brought in if orphaned or abandoned with no parental contact for 3-4 hours or in imminent danger from a cat.

Small & Speckled

Robins separate their young, park them under bushes and feed them regularly. If there is no danger from cats, leave them alone and observe from a distance, to make sure the parents are still around. It may take some time to see if all is well, as the youngsters are well camouflaged.

Blue Tits & Great-tits

Are sometimes seen alone in bushes. Parents separate broods for safety once fledged, and make the rounds, feeding them in turn. If found on the ground, put in a dense bush or hedge nearby and watch from a distance to see if the parents come with food.

Blackbird / Thrush

Youngsters may have fallen from a perch or not be good enough at flying to get back into a tree. They spend a lot of time on the ground as they feed on worms, snails and bugs so need to be observed to make sure they can escape a predator and are being looked after by a parent.

Crow Family

Youngsters leave the nest when fledged and are looked after on the ground by attentive parents for several days, until able to fly properly. They should not be "rescued" if the parents are still around. A lot of their time is spent on the ground, learning to find food and they can hop up into bushes to get away from predators.

My cat has brought in a bird. What should I do?

Keep the bird quiet and dark and get it to your local rescue centre as soon as possible if there is any skin damage and/or a visible puncture wound. It will need antibiotics, as infection is very quick to spread. If the only damage is shock and the bird seems to be mainly intact, without too many lost feathers, place it in a dark, ventilated box for at least a couple of hours, to get over the shock. It is important to get it into a dark, quiet place, so that it can rest properly and have a chance of recovery. After 2-3 hours, open the box in the garden and see if it will fly off. If nearly ready, try another hour of rest and offer it water in a small pot. If it still doesn't fly, take it to your local rescue centre for a check-up and feeding.

A bird has flown into my window and seems stunned. Should I just leave it?

The bird is probably concussed. Place it in a dark, ventilated box, such as shoe box with holes punched in it, and keep it quiet for at least 2 hours. Check on its progress and if it seems to be improved, try opening the box in their garden. If the bird is not quite ready to fly, try keeping it dark for another two hours but do not try to release it if it is almost dusk.