What do do with a baby bird

Note: This program first aired on July 11, 2015.

This week's show featured my niece Caitlin as we described the experience of finding a bird nest on the ground one windy day, and then finding the baby birds that went with it. We talked about what we did and how it felt, and how doing the "right thing" was hard.

The internet is a great resource for leaning about what to do in that situation, if you go to a reputable site. The internet can also trip you up (as Caitlin said to me that night "the internet lies!"), so you have to be careful about who you listen to.

Some of the sites I used to figure out what to do are listed here:

http://audubonportland.org/wcc/urban/babybirds

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/faq/master_folder/attracting/challenges/orphaned

 http://www.massaudubon.org/learn/nature-wildlife/birds/baby-birds-out-of-the-nest

There are lots of Wildlife Rehabilitators in Maine, but they don't all take birds (that requires a federal permit. If their listing says they don't have a permit, that means they can't take birds).

http://www.maine.gov/ifw/wildlife/pdfs/RehabersReport.pdf

The most well known bird rehab facility in Maine is Avian Haven in Freedom (Waldo County). http://www.avianhaven.org/

Remember, all migratory non game birds are protected by federal law. It is against the law to possess any bird or bird part (living or dead) without a federal permit!