Read the following instructions carefully and follow them closely.
Owls
The nest will be in a tree, just above where you found the chick.
1- If it is safe where it is, leave it alone. Its parents will feed it.
2- If it is not safe, try to put it on any tree branch. You could use a basket or making a wooden platform to lift it up.
It is very important that owls are reared by their parents. They need a long apprenticeship in order to survive.
3- If neither of the above situations applies, pick it up and follow the instructions in the section ‘what to do with an animal that is injured or needs help’.
Swift/Swallow/House Martin
- If the bird moves its wings symmetrically, the tips are crossed and extend at the back (about 7cm for swifts), take it somewhere high and let it fly. It will need to take off from a height of several metres to be able to reach altitude and fly.
- If it does not move its wings symmetrically, or isn’t flying properly, pick it up and follow the instructions in the section ‘what to do with an animal that is injured or needs help’.
Other birds
1- If you can see the nest (under rooftiles, in trees or cavities), place the bird in it or as close as possible to it.
2- If you notice that the parents are nearby, and the chick is in a dangerous place, you can move it somewhere quiet and slightly elevated (on top of a tree, roof, terrace, wall, bush, etc.). The parents will take care of it.
3- If neither of the above situations applies, pick it up and follow the instructions in the section ‘what to do with an animal that is injured or needs help’.
4- In the case of young feathered birds, such as blackbirds or sparrows, that are hopping around but not yet flying, DO NOT DO ANYTHING! Stand back and let the parents take care of it.
Learning to fly is a natural and essential process.
