Wild Side Wild Side (July 21, 2004)

Tips from Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA wildlife supervisor Rebecca Allen

Rebecca Allen answers questions about living with wildlife. E-mail her at rallen@PeninsulaHumaneSociety.org or call 340-7022, ext. 340.

Q. We've recently seen a few baby birds on the ground who appear to be struggling. Should we place them back in the nest, bring them to your center, or leave them be?

A. In general, people are too caring! Bet you didn't expect that from the humane society's wildlife expert. What I mean is that we often receive baby birds that could either have been left alone or gently placed back into their nests.

It's an old wives' tale that animals will reject babies who have been handled by us humans. Not true. Most likely, the fledglings you see on the ground are there under parents' supervision. It's a normal development stage. They need to learn how to get by on their own ... to get their wings.

That said, if you have a curious dog or cat nearby, by all means, take the fledgling out of harm's way. If you can't find the nest, our doors are open. We have volunteers who feed the babies around the clock until they are strong enough to make it on their own.

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