Raising A Baby Bird

Handraised birds should never simply be thrust outside once they learn to fly. Read this page to learn how to prepare a fledgling for the challenges of the outside world.

Once a bird has fledged, stop using a heating pad and immediately set up a cage for him. By this time, the feathers will protect him from heat loss. Leave a towel over 1/2 the cage to make it a little less drafty.

Also at this time, you might also want to start putting a bin of seeds in his cage, or other food that your bird requires. My sparrow started taking seeds a few days after he fledged, although only when I was not looking. He still preferred the formula and the attention he got with it. Do not give up the formula entirely. Again, simply extend the time in between the feedings. Some birds still want their parents to feed them weeks after they have fledged and learned about natural adult foods, so depriving them totally is a little heartless. Nonetheless, be assured that after a week, if you cannot be there to feed your bird, he will manage for himself.

At this time, also add a water bin. Use the type you can hook onto the inside of the cage. Do not use a bowl or dish that the bird can step into. If the bird is constantly walking in the water, it will be unsanitary to drink, and he could become ill either from drinking the water, or even just by stepping in it. I never noticed my bird ever actually drinking from his water bin, but it should be available just in case.

Now onto the great outdoors. This is the most painful process, but it must be done. Be aware that the following birds are not protected by the Wildlife Protection Act (in both Canada and the U.S.), and may be kept as pets if desired in some areas: European House Sparrow, Starling, Pigeons(Rock Doves), European Tree Sparrows, any Parrots or Parakeets, European Goldfinch. In other words, any introduced or non-native bird is not covered by the Wildlife Protection Act. Nonetheless, I recommend that you call your local authority and have this confirmed, as laws can differ from state to state or province to province. To be blunt about it, even raising the wild chick you found is not legal without a permit anywhere in North America.

What many people do not realize is that fledglings should never be released immediately. There is a period which in the rehab profession is called the 'hard pen' time. Young birds are often still cared for by their parents after they have learned to fly. As well, they need to exercise their wings for a good while before they will be able to fly strongly and quickly enough to avoid many dangers. The hard pen time varies greatly from species to species, averaging somewhere around a month, but for some can last for 3 months! Review the 'Species Info.' page for information on how long to keep individual species before releasing them.

When your bird has fledged, bring him outside in his cage every day to the same location so that he becomes adjusted to the new environment. Remain with him at first to increase his confidence. Most likely you will be using a cage that is far too small for your bird to exercise in properly, so a few hours a day of indoor flight are recommended.

Outdoor aviaries are also recommended, however, they must be large to allow the proper flight skills to develop. Frankly, they should be at least 6 to 10 feet cubed. If you are fortunate enough to own an aviary, whether of the appropriate dimensions or not, then by all means use it. Even if the aviary is too small for proper flight practice, there is still much the bird can learn about the natural world while he is in there. In this case, I would recommend that the bird be allowed several hours of "freedom" indoors, in a safe room where he can fly properly.

As the caretaker, YOU must foster as many of the natural behaviors of your bird as possible. A variety of natural foods should be offered regularly to fledglings to help them recognize it once they are free. Water baths and dust baths should be offered occasionally so that the birds can practice these activities. Fine dry bread crumbs can be lightly dropped onto a young birds back in an effort to coax him to preen regularly. And above all, the bird must practice flying as much as possible.

If a young bird should become lazy while still in your care, examine if you are feeding the proper food for the species (some foods will cause an unacceptable weight gain or nutritional deficiency if given in excess). Check if he is injured or sick. After that, I recommend 'forcing' the bird to fly. This can be accomplished in several ways; holding the bird securely on a finger and dropping your hand will make him flap. Move his bin or tray of food across the room from his cage or regular perch to make him reach it.

A rare but not unheard of phenomenon is that of "adoption". I have heard 3 stories of a hand-raised wild bird having been put outdoors in a cage, which have been subsequently visited by another bird that has taken to feeding it through the bars! This can sometimes happen with differing species. This is very good, and should it happen to your bird, you should help them by leaving them alone. If the relationship lasts for a couple of days or more, you can safely release your bird into the care of the wild one, who will now take over at this point.

When the end of the hard pen period has arrived, proceed slowly. Early morning is the best time to release a bird. Make sure there are no obvious dangers in the area (cats, busy street, etc). Then open the cage and let him explore. If at all possible, do this when other members of this species are present in the neighborhood (close enough that you can hear them), but be careful, as some species of birds are territorial and will harass, perhaps even kill the new intruder! Do your research there, or contact me for advice.

Some species (i.e. finches) will take wing immediately. Observe them if you can, and call out to them to give them more reassurance. Watch that nothing obvious is around that could harm the bird. Also look to see if they really want to go or if they would like to come back but are afraid to. Help them if you can. Leave their cage in its usual location for a few days in case they decide to return.

Many birds require continued care for some time after they are released. Be sure to provide a well-stocked feeder with appropriate adult foods for your bird. Formula should only be given as an occasional treat if asked for. A couple of weeks after release, you may want to occasionally not put out any bird food for a couple of hours at a regular time the bird might return, to force him to look around. Do not let the bird re-enter your home unless it is clearly sick, injured, or in deep distress. I also recommend that while you are raising a young bird, you develop your own distinct "call", a special whistle or other sound in which the bird can identify you from other people. I'm not sure, but a visual clue may work as well, such as wearing the same T-shirt every time you are around the bird. Use this signal even after release.

My sparrow took about a week of exploring outdoors before he got the urge to fly far away. The first few days he simply hopped on the driveway behind my apartment, and pecked at the ground a lot. I remeined by his side, and returned him to his cage whenever I returned inside. It was too dangerous still to leave him unattended.

By the end of the week, he flew strait onto the third balcony of the neighboring building. All I could do was watch. I noticed that the other sparrows were coming to him, and that he was responding to their presence, although he never followed them. Luckily (for me), he flew to the top of my building after a couple of hours, so I went up, called him over, and he came to me. He stayed with me for a few more days before full release.

I have been told by a rehabilitator that the first 2 weeks of freedom are the hardest as the birds have to learn the ropes, but after that they will live as any other bird would.

If you are wondering how much is instinctive, I have noticed the following behaviors that were not taught by me; flying, exploring, pecking at the ground, dusting the feathers, eating small rocks (grit), hunting flies. Seems to me that young birds already have a lot of skill for survival once they have fledged.

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This website is not intended to replace the expert care that is only available by professional rehabilitators. The use of this website is only intended for those where the option of bringing an orphaned bird to a rehabilitator is not possible. By raising a wild bird yourself, you greatly diminish it's chances for survival. Please check this link for a rehabilitation center in your community: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm. If none are listed near you, call a local animal shelter, veterinarian, or wildlife office/agent for information on local rescue centers. Thank you.

Nestlings	Fledglings	Precocial Chicks	General Care	Recipes
Species Info.	Common Mistakes	Release	Bird Essays	FAQ