Facing the beginning of the season when wild birds tend to fall out of their nests, mainly after winds or storms, Mendoza launched a special campaign.
The team from the Department of Wildlife of the Ministry of Energy and Environment developed a guide on how to act when encountering these situations and care for the species.
Furthermore, the agency warned that it is a critical period for wild birds due to the birth of the chicks.
Rescuing wild birds: the campaign in Mendoza
The way we act is crucial, as even with good intentions we can end up complicating the life of the little animal and disrupting biodiversity.
The aim is to protect wild birds that fall out of nests.
When we see small birds outside their nests, the initial reaction may be to help by taking them home or picking them up. That’s why, from Wildlife, they created a guide on what to do and how to act without harming our protected species.
“Most urban and semi-urban birds in our province are nestlings. This means that after hatching, they remain in the nest under the care of their parents,” explained the head of the Wildlife Department, Adrián Gorrindo.
“Even when they leave the nest, many are not ready to fly and depend on their parents for food and protection,” he added.
It is important to highlight that this process is essential for them to learn species-specific behaviors such as searching for food, identifying predators, and finding shelter.
The guide and recommendations: what to do with a fallen chick
Stay calm and assess the situation:
- Step back and observe if the parents are nearby. In many cases, parents supervise from a safe distance.
- Determine if the chick can climb back up to a nearby plant or structure on its own.
Protect the chick:
- Make sure to keep dogs, cats, and other potential predators away.
- If the chick cannot return to a higher position, place it at a height in a safe location and watch if its parents approach.
When to intervene directly:
- If it is a very small, down-covered chick, and the nest is accessible, carefully return it to its place.
- If the nest fell, try to reinstall it in its original location with the other chicks.
For chicks practicing their first flights:
- Fledglings (chicks practicing their first flights) are usually outside the nest while perfecting their flying abilities. The best option is to place them in a high and protected place, close to where they were found.
Avoid artificial rearing:
- Only collect a chick for artificial rearing if it is severely injured, if there are no signs of parents, or if it is too young to survive on its own.
- In these cases, contact specialists from the Wildlife Department or authorized rescue centers.
