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Birds
Baby birds have two stages of development. When young birds are featherless or incompletely feathered, they are referred to as nestlings. A nestling that has fallen from its nest to the ground may be returned to the nest by a human. Birds do not have an acute sense of smell and are unable to detect human touch. You may then watch from a distance to ensure the parent's return.
Once a baby bird is completely feathered, it is called a fledgling. Unlike nestlings, fledglings may live on the ground for up to 2 weeks. During this time its parent(s) continue to provide food and protection. If you hide and watch patiently, you may see the parents respond to the fledgling's cries. If you are positive a fledgling has been orphaned, or that a nestling's nest has been destroyed, refer to the directions in "Rescuing Wildlife."
Cottontail Rabbits
Cottontail rabbits frequently nest in a shallow depression in the ground lined with grasses, leaves, and soft fur (the mother plucks this fur from her belly). Mother cottontail rabbits deliberately stay away from their young so as not to draw attention to the nests. Mothers return twice a day, at dawn and dusk, to nurse their babies, then only once in the evening during weaning. Baby rabbits stay in their nests 3-4 weeks.
Try to check for rabbit nests in your yard before you mow. If you discover a nest, just mow around it. If a nest is uncovered during mowing or by other intruders, re-cover it with the disturbed debris, or with dry grass and leaves. To ensure that a mother rabbit is still caring for her young in a disturbed nest, place an "X" over the top of the nest with string. Check within 24 hours to see if the string has been disturbed. If it has been moved, the mother returned during the night. Do not unnecessarily visit a nest site because the odor from your presence will attract predators. However, if after you perform the string test you feel cottontail rabbit babies have been abandoned, call HWRC and follow the directions in "Rescuing Wildlife."
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