Quick answers
If you find an injured bird in Massachusetts, here are some quick answers on what you should do:
- Assess the situation – is the bird in immediate danger? Try to move it to a safe location if needed.
- Contact a local wildlife rehabilitation center – they can provide expert care for the bird.
- Do not try to care for the bird yourself unless you are an experienced wildlife rehabilitator.
- Handle the bird as little as possible and use gloves/towels to prevent further injury or stress.
- Keep the bird in a warm, dark, and quiet space until expert help arrives.
Assessing the bird’s condition
When you first come across an injured bird, the first step is to quickly assess its condition and situation. Here are some things to look for:
- Is the bird conscious and alert, or unconscious?
- Does it appear to have any obvious injuries like blood or broken bones?
- Is it trapped or tangled in anything?
- Is it exposed to immediate dangers like predators, weather, or traffic?
Birds that are unconscious, bleeding, or have broken bones are severely injured. Birds that are trapped, tangled, or endangered need to be moved to a safer location immediately.
If the bird is conscious and alert with no apparent life-threatening injuries, it is less urgent but still needs professional care as soon as possible. Even minor injuries can be deadly to birds if left untreated.
Moving an injured bird
If the bird is in immediate danger, you may need to move it to a safer location like under a bush or behind a tree. Here are some tips for moving an injured bird:
- Wear thick gloves to protect your hands – scared birds may bite or scratch.
- Gently pick up the bird with both hands and grasp the whole body – do not hold just one wing or leg.
- Use a towel to create a sling under the bird’s body for support if needed.
- Place the bird in a cardboard box or cat/dog carrier with air holes punched in it.
- Keep handling to an absolute minimum to reduce stress.
- Move the bird to a secure, quiet space away from dangers.
Avoid these common mistakes when moving an injured bird:
- Don’t pick up or move nestlings – these are baby birds not able to fly.
- Don’t give the bird food or water – this can be dangerous.
- Don’t put pressure on wounds or broken bones.
- Don’t transport injured raptors (hawks, eagles, owls) yourself – call experts.
Contain and stabilize the bird
Once the bird is in a safe location, it needs to be contained and stabilized until wildlife rehabilitators can take over care:
- Use a cardboard box, pet carrier, or basket with air holes punched in it.
- Line the bottom with a soft cloth, t-shirt, or paper towels.
- Securely close the lid or cover with holes for ventilation.
- Keep the container in a warm, dark, and quiet space.
- Monitor the bird closely but keep noise and handling to a minimum.
Stabilizing measures depend on the bird’s injuries:
- Stop any bleeding by applying gentle pressure with a clean cloth or gauze.
- Cover open wounds with a non-stick dressing – do not use adhesive bandages.
- Support and immobilize any broken bones with a makeshift splint.
- Limit heat loss by placing a warmed rice sock or hot water bottle next to the bird.
Do not attempt to force feed or give water to an injured bird. This can easily cause aspiration pneumonia which can be fatal. Wait for experts.
Contact a wildlife rehabilitator
The next urgent step is contacting a local wildlife rehabilitation organization. Here are some options in Massachusetts:
Massachusetts Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers
| Name | Location | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Wildlife Center | Barnstable | 508-362-0111 |
| New England Wildlife Center | South Weymouth | 781-682-4878 |
| Tufts Wildlife Clinic | North Grafton | 508-839-7918 |
| Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Massachusetts (WRAP) | Statewide | 508-868-2150 |
Call the center or rehabilitator and describe the bird’s condition and your location. Follow their instructions on transporting the bird to their facility.
Never attempt to care for an injured adult wild bird yourself unless you are a trained wildlife rehabilitator. These organizations have the skills, experience, and resources to give the bird the best chance of survival.
Transport the bird properly
To safely transport an injured bird to a rehab facility:
- Follow the organization’s guidance on how to contain and warm the bird.
- Drive carefully over smooth terrain, avoiding sudden stops and starts.
- Keep the radio off and voices down to minimize stress during transit.
- If needed, pull over periodically to check that the bird is stable.
- Have the permit number of the rehab center in case questioned by authorities.
When transferring custody of the bird, give the rehab staff detailed information on when and where you found it, its injuries, and anything you may have done to stabilize it.
State and federal laws protect wild birds and regulate their handling and transport. Having the permit number of the authorized wildlife rehabilitator protects you from potential violations.
Follow up on the bird’s recovery
Check in with the wildlife rehab facility periodically to learn about the bird’s recovery process and outcome. Though not all rescued birds can be rehabilitated and released, your actions greatly improved its chances.
Many rehab organizations welcome volunteers to assist with injured wildlife. Helping care for the bird you rescued can be an enriching learning experience and opportunity to support important conservation work.
Prevent bird injuries
While rescuing injured birds is crucial, prevention of injuries in the first place is also vital. Here are tips for safeguarding wild birds through thoughtful habitat management:
- Keep cats indoors – free-roaming cats are a top killer of billions of birds each year.
- Make windows bird-safe with decals and screens to prevent collisions.
- Reduce use of pesticides and chemicals which poison birds through the food chain.
- Buy shade grown coffee which protects bird habitat in tropical areas.
- Keep trash contained and food waste cleaned up to avoid attracting predators.
- Plant native plants which provide natural food and shelter for wild birds.
Following bird-friendly practices in your home and yard create safer spaces for birds to rest and nest. Your efforts contribute to healthy bird populations.
When to leave a baby bird alone
It can be challenging to assess when human intervention is helpful versus harmful for an injured or ill baby bird. Here is guidance on when to leave a baby bird alone:
- Nestlings (featherless babies) – leave in nest for parents to continue care unless nest is disturbed or destroyed.
- Fledglings (fluffy juvenile birds) – normal for them to be on ground while learning to fly; observe from a distance.
- Obviously injured or dying birds – get prompt professional care.
- Baby songbirds who are active, alert, and uninjured – let parents continue to feed them.
Signs a baby songbird needs help include:
- Bleeding, obvious broken bones, weak/unresponsive
- Shivering, puffed up feathers
- Attacked by cat/dog
- Nest/parents cannot be located after 1-2 hours of monitoring
Use good judgment, leave temporary natural situations alone, and quickly engage rehab experts when needed.
Signs of an injured bird
Knowing the common signs of injury or illness in birds can help you recognize when one needs rescue. Here are key indications a wild bird is unwell and needs expert help:
- Unable to fly or loss of coordination
- Bleeding/limping/drooping wings or head
- Balancing issues – swaying, falling over
- Shivering/puffed up feathers
- Crusty eyes/nasal discharge
- Weakness/listlessness/lethargy
- Covered in maggots
- Caught by cat/dog/predator
Also watch for signs of shock like:
- Fast, shallow breathing
- Rapid heart rate
- Glazed eyes
- Pale skin on feet or beak
- Vomiting/diarrhea
- Trembling
Any of these physical symptoms means the bird urgently requires professional veterinary assessment and care. Don’t hesitate to call for help.
How to handle an injured bird safely
Wild birds are fragile creatures, so knowing how to properly handle an injured one can mean the difference between life and death. Here is how to safely handle and transport an injured bird:
- Wear thick gloves – birds may bite in self-defense.
- Cover with light towel and grasp with both hands if small enough.
- Scoop large birds into a towel sling or cardboard box.
- Support head, body, wings against your chest to prevent struggle.
- Keep the beak facing away from you for protection.
- Use a pet carrier or ventilated box lined with a towel.
- Provide a dark, quiet space during transport.
- Avoid excess stimuli like music, talking, or jostling.
Things to avoid:
- Grabbing legs or wings – contains bones that are fragile.
- Touching eyes, mouth, or abdomen.
- Handling neck – can be fatally dangerous.
- Confining in an air-tight container.
- Leaving in sunlight or cold temperatures.
- Feeding or giving water.
Use extreme care and caution when handling injured birds. Seek professional help as soon as possible.
Common bird emergencies and how to respond
Knowing how to appropriately respond to common bird mishaps you may encounter can save lives. Here is guidance on assisting birds with frequent emergencies:
Baby bird fallen from nest
- If uninjured fledgling, monitor from a distance – parents likely still caring for it.
- If naked nestling, carefully return to nest if unharmed and nest is intact.
- If injured/dying, keep warm and get prompt help from rehabilitator.
Collision with window
- Gently place in ventilated box in cool, dark, quiet place.
- Check for bleeding, fractures, eye trauma, wounds.
- If mobile with no obvious serious injury, release after an hour of monitoring.
- Seek veterinary care for any signs of head trauma or broken bones.
Cat/dog attack
- Carefully contain the bird in a towel lined box – prevent further escape.
- Punctures prone to serious infection – needs antibiotics.
- Cover wounds, immobilize fractures, keep warm in transit to vet.
- Even minor injuries can turn fatal.
Hit by car
- Minimize handling but use gloves/towel if moving off road.
- Check for fractures, bleeding, palpate for broken bones or internal injuries.
- Stabilize fractures, stop bleeding, immobilize bird.
- Get to vet immediately – blunt trauma often deadly.
Trapped in glue/oil spills
- Cover with cornstarch to absorb liquid and loosen feathers.
- Use cooking oil/soap to further break down glue – avoid pulling.
- Then wash gently with dish soap – avoid getting waterlogged.
- Allow to dry in warm space – monitor often until rehab.
Remaining calm, minimizing stress, and acting promptly greatly boosts injured birds’ odds. Know who to contact for emergency assistance.
Conclusion
Discovering an injured bird can be worrisome, but now you know the essential steps to maximize its chances of survival and recovery:
- Quickly assess and stabilize its condition.
- Safely contain and transport the bird.
- Contact wildlife rehabilitators to arrange specialist care.
- Use caution when handling and minimize stress.
- Follow up on rehabilitation progress when possible.
With some preparation and knowledge, you can make all the difference in saving imperiled wild birds and restoring them to health. Taking action to help our avian neighbors in need is one small but meaningful way we can sustain biodiversity and give back to the natural world we share.
