Page 22 - Hand rearing birds second

Baby Bird Basics 3

when chicks hatch, they leap into the water, cannot get out, and eventually drown. Often all that is
needed is to place a ramp that allows chicks to exit the water.
Altricial chicks hatch blind, naked, helpless, and completely dependent on the parents for
every aspect of care. The family is dependent on the nest site remaining safely hidden from
predators until the chicks grow up, which is generally a short few weeks. If a chick is found,
check it for injuries; look for blood, asymmetrical limbs, parasites, and other problems. If
these are found, the chick will need captive care. Fallen, uninjured chicks may be replaced in
the nest if its location is known. Always check to make sure that the chicks in the nest are of
the same species as the chick being replaced, although some chicks may be days older or
younger. If the whole nest structure has fallen and the chicks appear uninjured, the nest can
be replaced by placing it in a larger wicker basket (or other container with drainage holes) that
is attached to the tree as close as possible to its former location. Choose the location such that
the nest is high enough to be safe from predators and not in direct sunlight. Nests that have
been replaced should be monitored from a distance to ensure that the parents return to feed
the chicks. If it is near dark and the parents have little daylight in which to find the new nest,
bring the chicks inside and provide warmth overnight before re‐nesting them in the morning.
Unfeathered altricial chicks too young to be outside the nest that are unable to be reunited
with parents will need hand‐rearing. It is a myth that humans having handled a chick will
cause a parent bird to reject it or abandon its nest. Persistent disturbance, however, can cause
nest abandonment.
Altricial chicks normally have periods of time when they are fully feathered and old enough to
begin exploring their environment, but are not yet able to fly away from danger. These older chicks
are still cared for by the parents, but no longer require moment‐to‐moment attention. Chicks of
this age group are at high risk for capture by domestic pet predators or kidnapping by well‐inten-
tioned people. If chicks of this description are in an area, keep dogs and cats inside for the few days
it will take the birds to become fully flighted. Monitor such chicks from a distance to watch for
parental attention. The parents will usually visit the chick frequently for feedings. These chicks
quickly finish growing flight feathers and soon will be able to follow the parent in flight while
learning to be proficient at foraging and other skills.
Parents of certain species may “dive bomb” humans or pets in an effort to save their young from
perceived or real predation. The best thing to do in this circumstance is to allow the birds privacy
to finish raising their young, which should be over within a few weeks. It may be seen as a hardship
to vacate one’s backyard for a short period of time, but bear in mind that one’s backyard may be the
only habitat the birds have. They cannot move and finish raising their chicks elsewhere. It also
may be against federal, state, provincial, or other laws to remove migratory bird nests or chicks, as
many species have legal protections.
If a person observing from a distance has not seen a parent visit a suspected orphaned chick
within an hour or more of continuous observation, the chick may be in need of care. If the parents
are known to have been killed or injured, the chicks should be rescued, because they will starve
without parental support.
The Humane Society of the United States has a webpage with links to each state’s listings of
permitted rehabilitation groups at https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how‐find‐wildlife‐
rehabilitator. The International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) maintains a website that
provides answers to frequently asked questions about orphaned chicks and other wildlife issues at
https://theiwrc.org/resources/emergency, and includes contact information for organizations both
outside and inside North America.