What to Do if You Find a Baby Bird

---

• Avoid feeding the bird. Baby birds have specific dietary needs, and offering the wrong food or water could harm them.
• They need a specialized diet that should only be provided by wildlife rehabilitators or bird rescue organizations.

• Don’t pick it up immediately. If the bird is hopping around and appears healthy, it may just be learning to fly.
• Parent birds are often nearby, watching over the baby and feeding it.

• Keep your animals indoors to avoid frightening or harming the bird. Predatory pets like cats and dogs can pose a threat to vulnerable baby birds.

Warmth is crucial. If the bird seems cold or unresponsive, it may need help regulating its body temperature.

Steps to keep the bird warm:

1. Place a heating pad set to low beneath the outside bottom of the box.
 

• Maintain an ideal temperature of:
   
• 98°F for a featherless bird
   
• 94°F for a feathered bird
   

2. Line the inside of the covered box with a paper towel
 

3. Add a balled-up washcloth and/or wadded toilet paper for comfort and support

You can also do this if you don't have a heating pad:

1.  Use a sock with rice: Heat a sock filled with rice in the microwave (about 30 seconds) and place it next to the bird. This will help provide warmth without overheating. 

*You can monitor the ambient temperature with a meat thermometer. The birds belly should be warm to the touch in the palm of your hand.

• Observe from a distance: If you don’t see the parent bird returning, you can carefully monitor the bird from afar, but don’t rush to intervene unless necessary.

 *The CDC has issued a statement declaring that bird flu is rarely transmitted from birds to people. However, we highly recommend washing your hands after coming into contact with any wildlife. *

• If you believe the bird is injured or abandoned, it’s best to contact us at (314)-665-2184. We have the expertise to care for the bird properly.
• Never try to raise or rehabilitate a baby bird on your own without professional guidance.