Chicks found in the mouth of a dog or cat, alone in an inappropriate location such as the middle of a parking lot or prone on a baking hot sidewalk, or that are cold, injured, covered with parasites or ants, entangled in a foreign material, or otherwise in obvious trouble, are indeed in need of rescue. Alert, active, fullyâfeathered, mobile chicks that are found without evidence of trauma or distress in the environment in which their parents nested, whether that is a backyard or natural area, should be left alone. If the parents are providing care and the chick is uninjured, the risk of âcats in the neighborhoodâ is not sufficient reason to bring a found chick into captivity. This risk is faced by most wild birds in the world, and it is always preferable for a wild animal of any species to be raised by its parents. This enables the youngster to best learn the finer details of speciesâspecific social and survival skills it will need to navigate its wild environment.
Precocial vs Altricial
There are two principle types of chick development, although this is an oversimplification of the diverse strategies birds have evolved for raising their young. Precocial chicks are those that hatch with their eyes open and are mobile and able to leave the nest shortly after hatching, following after the parent who provides protection, warmth, and guidance regarding what to eat. These chicks are sometimes found alone, apparently parentless. Once precocial chicks hatch, the family group usually leaves the nest area. Consequently, it may be very difficult to reunite separated chicks with their parents, although some species will foster extra chicks if an appropriate family group with chicks the same age can be located. Precocial chicks in obviously bad locations, such as running in the street, should be immediately rescued or shepherded out of traffic to rejoin their family. Mallards will sometimes nest in urban fountain planters or near swimming pools, and when chicks hatch, they leap into the water, cannot get out, and eventually drown. Often all that is needed is to place a ramp that allows chicks to exit the water.
Altricial chicks hatch blind, naked, helpless, and completely dependent on the parents for every aspect of care. The family is dependent on the nest site remaining safely hidden from predators until the chicks grow up, which is generally a short few weeks. If a chick is found, check it for injuries; look for blood, asymmetrical limbs, parasites, and other problems. If these are found, the chick will need captive care. Fallen, uninjured chicks may be replaced in the nest if its location is known. Always check to make sure that the chicks in the nest are of the same species as the chick being replaced, although some chicks may be days older or younger. If the whole nest structure has fallen and the chicks appear uninjured, the nest can be replaced by placing it in a larger wicker basket (or other container with drainage holes) that is attached to the tree as close as possible to its former location. Choose the location such that the nest is high enough to be safe from predators and not in direct sunlight. Nests that have been replaced should be monitored from a distance to ensure that the parents return to feed the chicks. If it is near dark and the parents have little daylight in which to find the new nest, bring the chicks inside and provide warmth overnight before reânesting them in the morning. Unfeathered altricial chicks too young to be outside the nest that are unable to be reunited with parents will need handârearing. It is a myth that humans having handled a chick will cause a parent bird to reject it or abandon its nest. Persistent disturbance, however, can cause nest abandonment.
Altricial chicks normally have periods of time when they are fully feathered and old enough to begin exploring their environment, but are not yet able to fly away from danger. These older chicks are still cared for by the parents, but no longer require momentâtoâmoment attention. Chicks of this age group are at high risk for capture by domestic pet predators or kidnapping by wellâintentioned people. If chicks of this description are in an area, keep dogs and cats inside for the few days it will take the birds to become fully flighted. Monitor such chicks from a distance to watch for parental attention. The parents will usually visit the chick frequently for feedings. These chicks quickly finish growing flight feathers and soon will be able to follow the parent in flight while learning to be proficient at foraging and other skills.
Parents of certain species may âdive bombâ humans or pets in an effort to save their young from perceived or real predation. The best thing to do in this circumstance is to allow the birds privacy to finish raising their young, which should be over within a few weeks. It may be seen as a hardship to vacate one's backyard for a short period of time, but bear in mind that one's backyard may be the only habitat the birds have. They cannot move and finish raising their chicks elsewhere. It also may be against federal, state, provincial, or other laws to remove migratory bird nests or chicks, as many species have legal protections.
If a person observing from a distance has not seen a parent visit a suspected orphaned chick within an hour or more of continuous observation, the chick may be in need of care. If the parents are known to have been killed or injured, the chicks should be rescued, because they will starve without parental support.
The Humane Society of the United States has a webpage with links to each state's listings of permitted rehabilitation groups at https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/howâfindâwildlifeârehabilitator. The International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) maintains a website that provides answers to frequently asked questions about orphaned chicks and other wildlife issues at https://theiwrc.org/resources/emergency, and includes contact information for organizations both outside and inside North America.