Caring for an injured bird

Young birds usually attempt their first flights while still very small. This is usually the time when people find the fledglings, thinking they are orphans. Ground training is a vital part of learning to survive. The parents are usually close by and still feeding their “grounded” babies, so you shouldn’t be concerned.

If you find a dead adult bird nearby and are certain the baby bird is an orphan, you may be inclined to bring the bird inside, set up a shoebox/incubator and attempt to care for it. However, unless you are a licensed bird rehabilitator, it is against the law for you to keep a wild bird, regardless of your good intentions.

The proper course of action is to visit the NJ Dept. of Fish & Wildlife’s website and look for the nearest licensed wildlife rehabilitator in your area, then contact that person to arrange to drop off the bird to them.

Click here to access the complete NJ Fish & Wildlife list of licensed rehabilitators in New Jersey.