Stop helping baby birds to fly, public urged

ANIMAL welfare experts have urged well-meaning members of the public to stop trying to help young birds who are trying to fly this spring.

The Scottish SPCA has revealed that in April to May last year, calls to the animal helpline about baby birds jumped from 113 to 556 as the nestling and fledging season got underway and 2012 is expected to be just as busy.

The new National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Clackmannanshire is currently caring for around 50 baby birds and fledglings, with more arriving every day.

Although some of the birds were rescued because they were injured, others are in good health but were picked up by worried passers-by when they should have been left alone.

Centre manager Colin Seddon said: “It’s understandable for people to be concerned when they come across a young bird on the ground that appears clumsy and unable to fly. However, this is a vital part of the learning to fly process and the parents are very likely to be nearby, watching their young making their first efforts to take to the skies.

“We would ask anyone who has concerns to try to monitor the fledglings from a distance to see if the parents appear. If it does seem a baby bird has been abandoned or orphaned, they should call our animal helpline for advice.”