From a Red Creek Wildlife Rehab Center publication on the subject of baby birds and animals:
MOTHERS WILL NOT REJECT THEIR BABIES BECAUSE THEY WERE TOUCHED BY HUMANS!
Baby birds should be returned to the nest if possible. If the baby is not injured, every attempts must be made to reunite the baby with its parents. If the nest can be reached, simply plop the baby bird back in the nest. If the nest is damaged or has fallen the nest can be placed in a wicker basket, kitchen colander, or even a berry basket in the same tree or as close to the original location as possible. The kind of container doesn't matter as long as it has good drainage.
Denise Donmoyer
Sweet Arrow Lake
Pine Grove, Schuylkill Co.
<nightowl57...>
-----Original Message-----
From: Bird discussion list for Pennsylvania [mailto:<PABIRDS...>] On Behalf Of jerry Kruth
Sent: Tuesday, July 1, 2025 7:17 PM
To: <PABIRDS...>
Subject: Re: [PABIRDS] Great Crested Flycatcher babies
Nice post Lee,
There is a lot of sentiment about "replacing" fledglings to a box. Most voices say no.
We recently had a little Screech Owlet sitting in the middle of our street. It had obviously fallen from one of the several boxes we have. First thoughts were to put it in a tree and leave it. Our city street has prowling cats (from owners who foolishly allow them out), raccoons and other varmits and dangers. We were able to replace the owlet in the box, and hope all was for the best.
Jerry Kruth
Pittsburgh
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On Tuesday, July 1, 2025 at 04:24:56 PM EDT, Lee Wells <0000013cfc732202-dmarc-request...> wrote:
We had a pair of Great Crested Flycatchers nest for the second year at our home. Today while mowing grass the adults were very agitated and I thought it was because of the mower. Then I saw a baby in the grass and called my wife (Audrey) to come see it. I put the mower away and went back to our house when Audrey opened the door and yelled that there was a snake going for the baby. I quickly ran for the bird and got there about one second before a Black Racer did and saved the baby. Audrey thought that the baby was too small to be out so she put it back in the box. Then we saw the adults were flying around one of our wild patches near where the box was and Audrey found another baby and put it back in the box. I was against putting them back but about 20 minutes later a hard storm hit with pouring rain and I reluctantly I agreed that it was a good idea.Lee & AudreyPine Grove, Schuylkill County
