Have you found a sick or injured bird?

It should be kept in mind that the majority of baby birds found outside the nest are not in distress or in need of help. It is not unusual for a baby bird to leave the nest before it is fully capable of flight. This is true of many of our common species, e.g. Blackbird and Robin. Unless you have experience of caring for birds, taking a baby bird in to care may often reduce its chances of survival; the majority of hand-reared baby birds do not survive. This is not a decision to be taken lightly, and should only be done where you are absolutely certain that the chick has been abandoned.

If you encounter a baby bird out in the open, moving it to a safer location with some cover may help its chances. If the chick is very young (with few or no feathers) and you know where the nest is, the best thing to do is to pop the chick back in and let the parents continue to care for it. Do not stay in the vicinity as you may frighten off the adult birds and cause unnecessary stress to the chicks.

Wild Bird First Aid

We would highly recommend the excellent Irish Wildlife Matters website, an online wildlife first aid resource with full details of what to do, whom you should contact and details of vets and wildlife rehabilitators who will be able to help.