I found my cat carrying a fledgling sparrow who dropped it as soon as I shouted. It has no apparent injury and has feathers but still seemingly unable to fly. As there are other cats about I had the idea of leaning out of my upstairs window and placing it in the gutter with some dry grass and water, well away from danger in the hope that it's parent will find it. I thought it may die but before dusk it was asleep and huddled in the corner. Obviously in the couple of hours before dark it wasn't found.

If it's there in the morning I am not sure what to do. If it can't fly I can't see how it can be rescued by it's parent and I am also afraid it may fall again and end up with another cat. I understand water is very important which is why I have left some.

Can anyone give me more expert advise ?

me > Advice > Helping birds > Sick, injured and baby birds > Baby birds

Baby birds



It's common in spring and summer to find young birds sitting on the ground or hopping about without any sign of their parents.

This is perfectly normal, so there's no need to be worried. The parents are probably just away collecting food - or are hidden from view nearby, keeping a watchful eye.

'Fledglings should be left where they are, in the care of their parents.'

The young of most familiar garden birds fledge once they are fully feathered, but before they're able to fly, they spend a day or two on the ground while their feathers finish developing.

Tawny owl chicks are mobile at a very early age, and can be seen climbing in and around their nest tree before they are even half grown.
If you find a fledgling or young owl, the best thing to do is to leave it where it is.

What if the bird is in danger?

Removal of a fledgling from the wild reduces its chances of long-term survival to a small fraction. Fledglings should be left where they are, in the care of their parents.

If the bird is on a busy path or road, or other potentially dangerous, exposed location, it makes sense to pick it up and move it a short distance to a safer place. Birds have a poor sense of smell so handling a young bird does not cause its parents to abandon it but make sure you leave it within hearing distance of where it was found.

Just because you cannot see the adult birds does not mean that they are not there. They will be in cover, close by, and will tend to the youngster once you move away. Only remove a fledgling as a very last resort if it is injured or has definitely been abandoned.

Can I put it back in its nest?

If the young bird is unfeathered or covered in fluffy down (a nestling) and has obviously fallen out of a nest by accident, it may be possible to put it back.
If this can't be done, the chick is dependent on humans for survival, and it should be passed on to an expert rehabilitator, such as a local vet.

All birds, their nest and eggs are protected by law to give birds the very best chance of long-term survival.

Hope this might bo of some help, its advice from RSPB

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It may be in shock -put it in a small box lined with soft paper and put in a dark warm place like an airing cupboard it won't feed at night -if it is fully feathered it should be able to feed so in morning add very small dish of water that it can't get too wet in and a small dish of wild bird seed -still keep warm -hopefully it will gain the strength needed to fly

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Valerie and all the furries and feathered present and past all much loved.

Right, I have taken him out from the gutter and put him in a box with soft paper and fed it water from a dropper which it took quite enthusiastically. I tried cat food but it didn't respond to that. Will leave him in my studio overnight and feedback how he is tomorrow. I am out for most of the day so not sure if it's ok to leave it.

(before fledging age). A good food to feed a baby bird is boiled egg. mash the egg up with a tiny bit of water and stuff it into a syringe (pet shops will sell them) and push it through the syringe a couple of times. then slowly feed the baby untill it refuses. Or buy a EMP (eggfood) from your local pet shop. Remove any niger/hemp from it, add water and feed.
(A baby bird food formula can be bought online (most pet shops do not sell it)

(a little bit of feathering *just before fledgling age*) are more difficult and will most likely need a vet to force crop feed it if it refuses all food.

Older fledglings MIGHT eat on their own. Again i would try egg or the EMP and soaked seed, maby a millit spray as they are softer and as they become more confident at picking up foods by themselves introduce a good seed mix (depending on the type of bird).

(worked at a rescue centre rearing birds for 2 years). Also bred and reared finches for 3 years

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It's a lot like nuts and bolts - if the rider's nuts, the horse bolts!
- Nicholas Evans

If anyone is going to try and syringe feed baby birds they need to be fed diagonally across their mouths into the back left corner and you have to stop to allow them to breath

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