Minnesota Valley Humane Society

BABY BIRDS
If you find a baby bird on the ground with no feathers, or a baby bird with visible bare skin between the feathers, warm the baby by gently holding it between your hands. The baby bird may have fallen out of the nest or the entire nest may have fallen from the tree. Try to find the nest. If the nest is found, put the nest in a small plastic bowl-shaped container with several drainage holes punched in the bottom, place the baby bird inside, and attach it to the tree as high as you can reach.

If the nest is still in the tree, try to return the baby to the nest. If you can’t find the nest but know the parents are around, punch several holes in the bottom of a margarine tub and put grass and leaves in the tub to create a nest. Place the baby in this makeshift nest and attach it to the tree as far up from the ground as possible.

Finding a baby bird that is fully feathered and hopping around on the ground means that you have probably found a fledgling. Leave it alone. Fledgling birds leave the nest a week or two before they are able to fly. The parents are probably still caring for it. Go inside the house or remain far away from the bird and try to observe for several hours to ensure that parents are attending the young fledgling. If no parent birds come around for several hours or if the fledgling appears to have been injured by a cat or dog, seek assistance from a wildlife rehabilitator or facility.

BABY BUNNIES
Finding a nest of unattended baby rabbits doesn’t necessarily mean they are orphaned and it is usually best to just leave the nest alone. Mother rabbits will return to a nest that humans or pets have touched provided the nest hasn’t been destroyed. Mother rabbits visit their young for feedings only at dawn and dusk, so you usually never see the parent. If you’ve disturbed a bunny nest, place all material back in the nest and snuggle the baby bunnies down inside of it. Place two 6-inch-long sticks in an X pattern over the nest and leave it alone until the next day. If the sticks appear to have been moved the next day, the mother rabbit has returned to feed her babies. If the sticks are still in place the babies are probably orphaned and need to be taken to a wildlife rehabilitator. Bunnies that appear to be extremely thin and dehydrated or have bugs with them in the nest probably need help sooner.

Young bunnies will leave the area at 3 - 5 weeks of age. Small bunnies with eyes open and fully furred found outside of the nest and hopping around on their own are not a concern. Bunnies leave the nest at an early age and are very capable of taking care of themselves.

SQUIRRELS
Squirrels usually produce 2 litters of babies per year— in spring and late summer. Sometimes a nest falls from the tree or is accidentally knocked down by tree trimmers. If the babies appear fat and healthy, try to keep humans and pets away for several hours to allow the mother to retrieve them. Never leave the babies outside over night. If the mother has not been sighted and they appear to be thin, starved, and dehydrated, they are probably orphaned and need to be taken to a wildlife rehabilitator. Keep them warm in a safe place until help can be contacted.

Squirrels can be discouraged from nesting in attics and eaves by keeping building exteriors in good repair. It is better to encourage squirrels to evacuate buildings on their own than to live trap and remove them if there is a possibility that babies will be left behind. To encourage voluntary evacuation from the building, use loud radios tuned to talk shows, very bright lights shining in area, and rags stuffed into open cans and soaked with either ammonia or commercial rodent repellent. Hopefully, they will find the situation offensive and will relocate on their own.

DUCKS and GEESE
Once a duck or goose is nesting it cannot be disturbed. You cannot relocate a duck or goose nest and successfully get the mother to roost. The nesting phase lasts only 30 days and the law prohibits disruption of a nest site. All migratory birds are protected by federal law.

Ducklings wandering around without a mother in sight are probably orphaned and should be taken to a wildlife rehabilitator. Obviously, ducklings gathered around a dead adult also need help. If you observe birds or waterfowl nests being disturbed or harassed, the incident should be reported to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Enforcement.

RACCOONS
In spring, a raccoon in your fireplace chimney, attic or garage usually means babies are there, also. To encourage the raccoon family to relocate, place a radio turned to a talk station (music won’t work) in the attic, garage, or fireplace (with damper closed). The volume should be kept as high as is tolerable by family and neighbors. Leave the radio on 24 hours a day for possibly as long as three days. The female needs time to find another den and move her babies, which she will only do at night.

Do not live trap and relocate the adult raccoon, as you will be leaving babies behind. Once you are certain all members of the family are gone, cap the chimney or repair the hole that allowed access. If you suspect baby raccoons are truly orphaned, contact a wildlife rehabilitator or facility for advice.

RAPTORS (Birds of Prey)
Kind-hearted people commonly find young raptors (hawks, owls, falcons, eagles) out of their nest before they can fly (or fly well) and think they are orphaned. Most often, these babies are being taken care of by their parents and should be left alone. However, once in a while a young raptor is in need of help. What signs should you look for? If a young raptor is out of its nest and is still covered with white downy feathers or acts weak (nonresponsive, eyes half closed) or injured, it may need help. Leave the bird where you found it and contact The Raptor Center at (612) 624-4745 for advice. The best thing you can do to help a young raptor is to keep it out in the wild.

If you need additional advice from licensed wildlife rehabilitators or facilities, look under *wildlife* in your telephone book, contact your local humane organization, veterinarian, nature centers, or DNR office.

The information for this MVHS Fact Sheet was supplied by Wildlife Rehabilitation and Release, Inc
P.O. Box 28127, Crystal, MN 55428 (612)822-7058

Return to General Fact Sheets Page