Baby Birds 101

The one best suited to provide care to fragile baby birds is their parent, so whenever possible, put a found baby bird back in its nest. If the nest is destroyed, you can always put the pieces into a margarine tub (with holes punched in the bottom!) or a berry basket and tape or tie it back into the tree. If the parents are gone, or if you can't find the nest, you will have to bring the baby bird in to a professional wildlife rehabilitator. Prepare a shoebox by poking several holes in the top. Put the baby bird in, put the lid on and place the box in a warm quiet location until you can transport it. In an air-conditioned home, put the box on a towel over a heating pad on low. Bring the baby in as soon as possible. If you can't transport it for several hours, you can soak some dry dog food or cat food in water until it is spongy. Squeeze out the extra water and offer it to the nestling on the clip end of a pen cap.
Baby birds are so cute, many people are tempted to try to raise them at home. However, all native wild species are protected by the Arizona Department of Game and Fish as well as U.S. Fish and Wildlife. It is illegal to keep a wild animal, and if your are found to be in the possession of one, you will pay a hefty fine. Birds raised in captivity are seldom able to adapt to living in the wild, so baby birds raised in a home are usually doomed to life in a cage. If you find a baby quail that has become separated from its parents, time will be of the essence. These precocial birds come out of the egg covered in down, and are soon running behind their parents. But on their own, they are extremely vulnerable. If you see a baby quail alone, watch from a distance for 10-15 minutes and if you don't see mom or dad, pick up the baby, put it in a box, and bring it in for help. Keep it warm, as these desert birds need temperatures over 95 degrees. And don't give it water. The babies can drown in a tablespoon of water. If you must wait to bring this orphan in, you may offer it a bit of crumbled hard boiled egg, or soft broccoli tips. Force-feeding is a no-no.
Many people call the Liberty Wildlife hotline because they have seen a hummingbird nest with babies in it and they have not seen the parents. Hummingbirds visit their nests of babies and feed them in as little as 15 seconds, just a bit longer than the blink of an eye. Unless you can really watch that nest for a couple of hours without abandoning your post, you can't be sure that the parents are not still feeding their babies. A baby hummer in distress will have trouble holding its head erect.
Remember to not give baby birds water with an eyedropper. Baby birds asphyxiate very easily. They usually get their water from their food. One last reminder that can help cut down on orphaned birds....trim your trees in the winter or fall, but not spring or summer. Baby bird season in the desert is very long, lasting from March through September. During these months, the chances are good that some species of bird is nesting in your trees. If you would like to work with baby birds, you could always volunteer at the Liberty Wildlife Orphan Care Center. Call 480-998-5550 and choose option #2 for more information.