By STEVE GRAY
IF you find a baby bird fallen out of the nest, think of its parents.
That’s the message David and Lyn Bishop have been sharing during a series of talks in recent weeks.
The pair care for injured or abandoned birds as part of Warwick Wildlife Care and Rescue.
David Bishop said that there’s often a reason there’s a chick flapping on the ground, and humans can’t teach them to fly. Or which flowers have nectar, or how to hunt.
“You can run around the yard flapping your arms, but that just doesn’t help the chick learn to fly,” he said.
“Their best chance of survival is with mum and dad.”
Sadly, some chicks are ejected from the nest to make room for other, stronger birds, or they may have defects humans can’t recognise.
Featherless chicks, those injured or obviously ill or those that have tangled with cats or dogs should be kept warm and taken to a wildlife hospital or vet.
Older chicks – fledglings – can be blown out of nests on branches and these should be returned to a nearby tree above head height and their parents will take over from there.
For young birds with soft and fluffy down instead of feathers, Warwick Wildlife Car and Rescue can provide instructions on how to make a new home using just a cheap bucket and a stick.
Established in April, Warwick Wildlife Care and Rescue was an instant success and now numbers over 44 members.
For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page.
