Coming across a distressed or injured bird is never easy as a birder. When you’re so used to animals normally confident in their surroundings, seeing a bird in need of help challenges everything you know.
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Check PriceShould you jump in and help them out? Would it be better to wait and call a professional to handle the situation?
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This is likely what was going through the head of karlamoore526, a TikTok user who came across a songbird with its head stuck in a plant stand.
Let’s take a look at this video to learn more about the best course of action when a bird is in danger. If you’re not careful, you could accidentally make a bad situation worse.
@karlamoore526 What should I do? I found this little guy with his head stuck in my plant stand. I’m so thankful I found him before my cat did!! I know fledglings need to be left alone but he needs help! #bird #fledgling #birdrescue ♬ original sound – Karla
Right off the bat, you can see why this bird needs a helping hand. It must’ve attempted to fly through the larger gap above, then slipped and fell into the little table groove.
Fortunately, the bird is still able to breathe and doesn’t seem to be seriously injured. That said, it’s hard to tell the bird’s full health at a glance, so your first order of business is to consider professional help.
Even the most experienced birder is probably not a biologist or a wildlife specialist. There could be warning signs of deeper damage you wouldn’t even think to spot.
When she gets closer, the bird immediately starts flapping its wings in distress. This response is one of the most common reasons that you should usually stay away from a bird in danger — they can hurt themselves more trying to get away from you.
However, in this case, some sort of intervention is vital. The bird could choke or even break its neck in an attempt to escape, so they did the right thing to remove it swiftly.
This is one of those videos that reminds you exactly how many birds see humans. While your average birder approaches with good intent, all the bird sees is a giant mammal approaching it while it’s trapped.
They note that the bird looks young, too, which I can definitely see. It still has a little bit of its baby fuzz.
Notice how carefully they pick up the bird, gently lift it, and then remove it from the leg. Not only are birds pretty delicate (they have hollow bones), but you want to make sure they don’t bite or scratch you.
With avian flu on the rise in the United States and starting to jump to different animal species, you can’t be too careful. If you encounter a similar situation, I’d recommend putting a shirt sleeve over your hands or grabbing a pair of gloves.
At this point in the video, the user holds the bird for a little while and inspects it. You can see some of the damage left by the chair leg, rubbing off some feathers and likely causing a little bleeding.
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While I completely understand the natural curiosity — you want to know what to do next — I also urge caution. These videos may make a great conversation piece, but they sometimes unintentionally encourage the wrong actions.
The longer you interact with a wild animal, the more they start to lose their natural caution of humans. This is extremely dangerous for the bird, as a bird with less fear will start to linger around human spaces more often.
This means they have an increased risk of:
- Being attacked by a pet (particularly cats)
- Flying into a window
- Being hit by a car
As the video continues, the TikTok user continues to hold the bird and talk to the camera. At this point, it’d be best to either let the bird go and see if it can fly or reach out to an animal professional.
Now this is an interesting little detail and one I think is worth looking for if you come across an injured bird. They noticed a nest nearby in a folded rug, likely from this bird’s mother.
However, it can be difficult to know for sure unless you’re extremely well-versed in each bird species’ nesting habits.
They looked over the distance between the bird’s nest and where the young bird got stuck, which isn’t a particularly big gap. I can see why they think this baby bird was nesting nearby.
They also have a cat who regularly swings by their porch, which is automatically bad news for any trapped bird. This is a big reason why I recommend not spending too much time around an injured bird: they lose their fear of humans and human pets.
As the video draws to a close, they’re understandably worried about leaving the bird alone. There’s a chance they could fly back into the grate or fall on the ground where their cat could attack.
They’re also not sure if the mother bird will come back in time to help them. This is where you have to accept your limitations as a birder: while you love birds dearly and want to take care of them, they’re still wild animals.
You can’t protect wild animals from everything. Let’s say you rescue a baby bird and return them to the wild, only to see them get eaten by a larger bird a minute later.
You’re not a failure as a birder, nor did you do the wrong thing trying to help them. That’s the flip side to freedom, but freedom is exactly what birds need.
The video wraps up with them stating they tried to give the bird water, but the bird doesn’t want to drink. All in all, these situations are rough and I won’t pretend I have all the answers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Got a few more questions if you ever see a bird in need of rescue? Let’s look at them below.
What Should I Do If I See an Injured or Sick Bird?
The most effective way to help a sick or injured bird is to call a wildlife specialist. You can also call a veterinarian since they may or may not have experience helping wild animals.
How to Tell If a Bird Is in Shock?
A bird is likely of sound mind if they’re chirping, flapping their wings, or wriggling around. If they’re in shock, they’ll be stiff, unresponsive, and breathing very slowly.
The best thing to do is get the bird somewhere safe, dark, and quiet. You don’t want to make the bird even worse by making loud noises or jostling it.
Helping an Injured Bird is a Noble Deed, but You Should Exercise Caution
When you see an injured bird, it’s a noble effort to immediately jump in and help. Just remember that you can accidentally do more harm than good if you’re not careful.
If you have wildlife resources nearby, try to get a professional on the scene. They’ll know how to help the bird so you don’t accidentally condition it to a human’s presence.
I also recommend not touching the bird with your bare hands, if possible. Birds can spread disease through scratching, biting, or parasites such as worms or mites.
Want to learn more about bird rescues and best practices? Check out the following articles:
