It is time for my annual “What should I do when I find a baby bird that has fallen out of the nest?” column. It could easily be my shortest column ever, with a simple one-word response—nothing. I realize there are times when there are extenuating circumstances, but my usual response is to do nothing.

As kind-hearted and well-intentioned as we may be, usually removing a bird from its natural habitat, putting it in a box, and bringing it indoors is a death sentence. It’s not realistic that we can care for and act with the same degree of parental care that adult birds provide for their offspring.

Granted, there are times when baby birds “fall” out of the nest, but most of the time, when a baby bird is found out of the nest, it is because the bird consciously chose to leave the nest.

Frequently, baby birds leave the nest earlier than we think they should. Oftentimes they are not fully feathered, and they’re not capable of sustained flight—especially upward flight—away from danger.

It is not uncommon for baby birds to leave the nest before their flight feathers are fully developed. This results in their ability to fly short distances, usually in a downward direction—not upward. This means most baby birds that leave the nest before their flight feathers are fully developed end up down on the ground.

This is not necessarily good or bad, it is just the reality of the situation. Once out of the nest, the fledglings will emit frequent chirping calls that allow them to stay in contact with their parents, who will continue to care for them once they are out of the nest.

I’ve found that when well-intentioned individuals think they are “saving” a bird by catching it and returning the baby to its nest, the bird promptly leaves the nest again. This in an indication that it is really ready to leave the nest, even if we don’t think it is!

Will it harm a baby bird if you handle it in an effort to return it to its nest? No, but I don’t recommend it. It really will not affect the parental care they receive. The parents’ instincts to provide for their offspring is engrained into their DNA. Whether a baby bird is in or out of the nest, the adults will continue to provide food for it and seek to protect it from predators.

This week, I was out in my front yard when I heard the high-pitched calls of a baby quail. Anticipating a quail family with lots of babies, I crouched down and played the waiting game until they emerged from the brush.

After a few minutes I saw a lone baby quail come out onto our driveway, crossing over to the other side of the yard where it stayed for a few minutes before crossing the driveway back in the direction it originally came from. It was calling continually—trying to reconnect with its family.

It was totally lost and alone. I didn’t intercede—if I’d caught it and brought it into captivity, it surely would have died. Being loose in the yard gave it the possibility of being reunited with its family.

Newsflash. As I was writing my column, I received a text of an unusual bird sighting at Willow Lake. Needless-to-say, I stopped working on my column and quickly drove out to Willow and successfully found what had been reported—a long-billed curlew. What a great find!

Until next week, Happy Birding!

Eric Moore is the owner of The Lookout, in Prescott, where you will find a Hallmark Gold Crown Store, wild bird products, and Swarovski and Vortex optics. Eric has been an avid birder for over 55 years. Eric can be contacted at eric@thelookoutaz.com.