Baby Birds

Nestlings are very young baby birds that are featherless or have partially developed feathers that are just starting to grow in. At this stage of their development, these babies remain in the nest and the parents come and feed them there. These birds, when found, are usually on the ground below the nest, and may be there because they fell out, blew out during a storm, or were pushed out by siblings. This last behavior may actually be adaptive for some species, as it insures that only the strongest survives.

The best thing to do if you find a nestling out of its nest is to try and put it back. You can handle a baby bird and the parents will almost always come back and take care of it. Birds in general have a poorly developed sense of smell (the exception being the turkey vulture), and will not mind that you have handled the baby. The parental bond is very strong, and the parents will continue to care for their young.

If you can't reach the nest, or if it has been destroyed, you can create an artificial nest by doing the following:

Punch holes in the bottom of a plastic margarine container.
Line it with paper towels.
Fasten it to the tree or bush as close to the original nest as possible, and in a location sheltered from direct sunlight, rain, and wind.
If you cannot pinpoint the exact tree from which the nest came, another tree close by should suffice.
Place the baby bird in the new nest and move away, ideally, far enough away that you will not interfere with the parents' normal activities but close enough that you can observe to see if they do return. The parents should come back in a short time and feed the babies just like they were in the original nest. If the parents do not return within a couple of hours, then the baby may truly be orphaned and you should contact a wildlife rehabilitator.