Look, I spent three hours grooming my fur into a perfect ceremonial puff for this state visit. Bart and I show up ready for a Shogun-level fashion moment and the Emperor rolls up like he’s going to a Brussels business lunch. My bad. Even emperors ghost tradition sometimes. 🇯🇵🐈🇧🇪
Grumpy face, a li’l scruffy, standing or hopping and fully feathered? Yup, that’s a fledgling. Unless they’re injured or in danger, you can usually let them be.
A fledgling is a bird who’s just left the nest. They don’t fly much at first, but this is normal. If they can stand or hop and are covered in feathers, they’re likely fine. Their parents are usually nearby foraging for food to feed them. If you’re not sure, wait and watch from a distance to see if the parents show up.
If a fledgling is in a road or other dangerous spot, it’s OK to move them to a safer place nearby but only a few feet away! A fledgling is still dependent on their parents, and the parents must be able to find them.
**Note: Pigeons are the exception. Pigeons stay in the nest a long 4 weeks and look almost like adults when they fledge. Usually if a pigeon looks too young to be out of the nest (short wings, short tail, fuzzy head), they are.**
If you’re not sure, send us a photo or contact your local wildlife rehabber.
Does that young bird need your help? If they're fully feathered and able to stand or hop, that's a fledgling, and they're usually fine without help. Their parents are nearby and taking care of them.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there, but especially the ones who raised this robin and this house finch so magnificently, but then lost them for reasons unknown. We’re doing our best to fill in for their missing parents, who are no doubt busy raising others from the nest.
If you find a scruffy-looking young bird who is alert and standing or hopping, that bird is probably a fledgling (a bird who has just left the nest) and is likely not in need of help. Being on the ground is normal for the first few days out of the nest. A fledgling's parents will be nearby and foraging to feed their child. If you’re not sure, observe from a distance. Usually a parent will quickly show up with food for the little one.
If the bird is injured or has very few feathers (a nestling), that’s when you can jump in to rescue. But please ask a wildlife rehabber if you’re not sure. And never give food or water to a rescued bird. We know it’s tempting, but this one act can be so harmful.
Mothers everywhere, we salute you!
📷: @tristanahigg