Do you have a bird’s nest on your property? Soon you might notice the baby birds inside are starting to outgrow it. Because baby birds learn to fly by trial and error, it’s not uncommon to find them on the ground outside their nests after an attempt at flight – especially if their flight feathers haven’t fully grown in yet.

If you do see a baby bird on the ground, it’s best not to touch it, because the mom and dad will continue to take care of the bird even if it’s on the ground. If you find a sparsely feathered chick on the ground, it may have accidentally fallen from the nest before it is ready to fledge (learn to fly). If you know where the nest is, it’s okay to put the chick back in the nest only if you can do so safely. 

Touching a baby bird will not cause the adults to abandon it, but if you move a baby bird the parents might be unable to find and care for it. The best option is to leave young birds alone to be raised by their parents.  

Birds, their nests, and their eggs are protected by law and must be left alone. Only licensed wildlife rehabilitators may possess abandoned or injured wildlife. Unless a person is licensed, it is illegal to possess a live wild animal, including birds, in Michigan.

Help keep Michigan’s wildlife wild. Learn more at michigan.gov/wildlife or contact DNR wildlife communications coordinator Hannah Schauer at 517-284-6218.