"ORPHANED" WILDLIFE BABIES

Wildlife babies usually spend lots of time away from their parents. They have not been abandoned. Photo by Lee Kothmann.

Spring and summer are the seasons for wildlife babies! Each year, Plateau receives phone calls from people wondering how to care for a baby animal that appears to have been orphaned. In most cases, these well-meaning humans have taken the baby in and are attempting to help. This endeavor is difficult, time-consuming, and often not successful. So, what should one do when a baby animal is found?

The first step in caring for a baby animal is to determine whether the baby is truly an orphan. Baby animals usually spend lots of time away from their parents. For example, if you see a fawn by itself, be reassured that mothers leave their babies for hours, even all day, to forage for food. It is possible to never see the mother. The Drift Inn Wildlife Sanctuary in Driftwood, Texas, reports that 85% of the fawns brought to their facility essentially have been "kidnapped" from their mother by well-meaning people.

Next, consider fledgling birds. People often see baby birds that are partially feathered sitting on the ground below a tree and automatically assume that they fell out of the nest and need to be helped. At this stage of development, they are considered "fledglings." Fledglings normally will jump or fall out of the nest. This is their "flight training" stage. The mother bird will then continue feeding the baby on the ground until the bird is able to fly (usually within a few days). Unless injured, these birds should be left where they are. Efforts should be made to keep cats, dogs, and curious children away from the bird so the mother can continue to feed it.

Baby birds with few or no feathers are called "nestlings." Nestlings are sometimes found as a result of high winds blowing the nest out of a tree or a sibling may have knocked a baby out of the nest. At this stage, it is critical for the baby's parents to continue to care for him if at all possible. If you find the nest, simply put the baby back in the nest and watch for the parents to come back. If you are unable to reach the nest, create an artificial nest from a shallow bowl with holes in the bottom and lined with paper towels. Put that nest as close to the natural one as possible. In most cases, the parents will find the baby and continue to care for it.

People are often worried that because they touched the baby bird, its parents will abandon it. This is simply not true. Except for vultures, birds generally have a very bad sense of smell. Parents detecting that the baby has been handled by a human is very unlikely.

If you find the baby bird is truly injured, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator right away. (To find wildlife rehabilitators in your county, visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife website).

Put the injured baby into a warm, dark, and quiet place until it can be transported to a rehabilitator. Do not try to give the bird any fluids. Most birds get all of the moisture they need from the food they are fed by their parents. Liquids can be inhaled and cause big problems for the baby.

Most injured babies are given the best opportunity for survival when they are turned over to licensed wildlife rehabilitators. These people have received proper training and hold all of the appropriate state and federal permits to treat injured wildlife. It is important to know that most birds are protected by federal law and that is illegal to have them in your possession - even if you are trying to help!

Another commonly found baby animal is the Fox Squirrel. These squirrels build their nests in trees. It is not uncommon for their nests to be blown down or the limb holding the nest to break and drop the babies on the ground. The best thing to do in this case is to put the babies inside of a box and put the box at the base of the tree. Keep dogs, cats, and people away from the box as much as possible. The mother will come to retrieve the babies when humans and predators are away. If you find the baby is injured, put it in a box with a towel for warmth, and contact a wildlife rehabilitator right away.

For information about caring for other types of baby animals, visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife website for "Orphaned and Injured Animals" information.