What to do when spotting baby birds this nesting season

It's nesting season in Saskatchewan and that means people are coming across baby birds in their yards or out in the wild.

Misty Selinger, a daycare operator in Regina, said she found a little chickadee that had fallen out of its nest.

"I had no idea what to do and, of course, I didn't want to just leave it there to die," Selinger said. "We have some neighbourhood cats that I knew would probably find it."

She ended up using the bottom of a yogurt container to scoop the hatchling back up into the care of the mother bird.

"Last I checked it seemed to be thriving," Selinger said.

Megan Lawrence, the director of rehabilitation at the Salthaven West wildlife shelter in Regina, shared some useful tips for these types of situations with CBC Radio's The Morning Edition on Tuesday.

She said that sometimes it's OK to resist that maternal instinct and leave hatchlings alone.

1. Does it have feathers?

Lawrence said baby birds with no feathers and closed eyes are not ready to leave the nest.

"If you know where the nest is, you can put it back in," Lawrence said. "It's a myth that mom will reject it."

2. Where are the parents?

Lawrence said it's important to see if the parents of baby birds are present before interfering. She said the parents usually return to feed the chicks within a period of 20 to 30 minutes.

"If you don't see parents come back in that time, they may have been abandoned," she said.

3. Is the bird a fledgling?

Lawrence said fledgling birds often leave the nest to hop around on the ground before they are ready to fly. These birds usually are not in need of help.

"The parents will still continue to feed them on the ground," Lawrence said.

4. Are there injuries?

Lawrence said injuries represent the main signs people should look for on a baby bird before stepping in to provide assistance.

"If they notice injuries or blood on the baby, then they can call us for help," she said.