Found a Baby Bird or Bunny? A Neighbor’s Guide to Spring Wildlife Encounters

Every spring, well-meaning neighbors find a baby bird on the sidewalk, a nest of tiny rabbits in the lawn or a young squirrel at the base of a tree, and wonder what to do. The urge to help is kind. But many young animals that look abandoned are actually fine, with parents nearby. Picking them up or bringing them indoors can do more harm than good.

This guide explains how to tell whether a young animal really needs help, what to do in common situations and how to reach people trained to care for wildlife. It also covers simple steps households can take to protect wildlife during the busy spring nesting season.

The Golden Rule: Observe First

Before doing anything, step back and watch from a distance, ideally from indoors or at least 30 feet away. Many wildlife parents stay away from their young for long periods, returning only to feed them, so the young do not attract predators. Ask yourself:

• Is the animal visibly injured, bleeding or unable to move?
• Has a cat or dog caught or carried it?
• Is it in immediate danger, such as in a road or a pool?
• Is it cold, wet and alone for a very long time, with no sign of a parent?
• Is a parent known to be dead nearby?

If none of these apply, the best help is usually to leave it alone and keep people and pets away.

Baby Birds: Nestling or Fledgling?

The most common spring question involves a baby bird on the ground. The answer depends on its age.

Fledglings have most of their feathers, short tails and can hop, flutter and grip with their feet. Many songbirds leave the nest before they can fly well and spend several days on the ground or low branches while parents continue to feed them nearby. This is normal. If the fledgling is in a reasonably safe spot:

• Leave it where it is.
• Keep cats, dogs and children away.
• Watch from a distance; parents may visit only briefly.
• If it is in immediate danger, such as on a busy sidewalk, gently move it to a nearby shrub or tree branch.

Nestlings have few or no feathers, cannot hop or grip well and belong in a nest. If you find one:

• Look for the nest nearby. If you can reach it safely, gently place the nestling back inside.
• Despite a common myth, most birds do not abandon young because a human touched them.
• If the nest is destroyed or cannot be found, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for advice.

Baby Rabbits

Cottontail rabbits often build shallow nests in lawns and gardens, covered with grass and fur. Mother rabbits typically visit only a few times a day, usually around dawn and dusk, to avoid drawing predators. A nest that seems unattended is usually fine.

• If you uncover a nest while mowing or gardening, gently replace the covering and leave the area.
• Keep pets away, and consider pausing mowing in that area for a couple of weeks until the young leave.
• To check whether the mother is returning, place a few light twigs or strands of grass in an X over the nest and look the next morning. If they have been moved, the mother has likely visited.
• Young rabbits about the size of a palm that are fully furred, with eyes open and ears up, are often already independent.

Squirrels, Deer and Other Animals

• Baby squirrels sometimes fall from nests. If one is uninjured, give the mother a chance to retrieve it by leaving it near the base of the tree and watching from a distance for a few hours, keeping pets away.
• Fawns are often left alone by their mothers for many hours. A quiet fawn lying alone is usually not abandoned. Leave it and keep away.
• Skunks, raccoons, foxes and bats should never be handled, as they can carry diseases. If one appears sick, injured or is acting strangely, keep away and contact animal control or the appropriate state wildlife authority.

When an Animal Truly Needs Help

If an animal is injured, has been caught by a pet, or is clearly orphaned, contact a professional:

1. Find a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Your state wildlife agency typically maintains a list. Local animal control, veterinarians and nature centers can also help point you to one.
2. Call before acting. A rehabilitator can tell you whether to intervene and how.
3. If advised to contain the animal, use gloves or a towel, place it in a ventilated box with a soft cloth, and keep it in a quiet, dark, warm place away from pets and children.
4. Do not give food or water unless a professional instructs you to. The wrong food or improper feeding can seriously harm wild animals.
5. Do not try to raise or keep wildlife. In most states, it is illegal without a permit, and young animals need specialized care to survive in the wild.

Always wash your hands after any contact with wildlife.

Protecting Wildlife in Spring

Households can help keep young animals safe during nesting season:

• Keep cats indoors, especially in spring and early summer.
• Check lawns for rabbit nests before mowing.
• Delay major tree and shrub trimming until after nesting season when possible, and check for nests first.
• Cover window wells and check under decks and sheds before sealing openings, so animals are not trapped inside.
• Keep dogs leashed in parks and on trails.
• Teach children to watch wildlife from a distance and tell an adult if they find an animal.

Share the Knowledge

Many neighbors have never learned what to do with a baby bird or a rabbit nest. Share a short version of this guide in your block newsletter, building bulletin board or group chat each spring, along with the contact information for local animal control and how to find a wildlife rehabilitator. A little knowledge helps neighbors protect the wild animals that share our streets and yards.