Written by: Sarah Stinson-Hurwitz, Wildlife Intake Associate
In late July, a worried citizen noticed a couple of cardinal nestlings in some tall grass. She took a look around to see if she saw the parents or a nest and she was able to locate the nest these babies fell from but their nest was too high for her to reach. She contained them and brought them into the station, and after a quick check-up, our wildlife rehabilitators determined they were perfectly healthy and renesting them would be the best next step!.
Do you know what to do when you find healthy uninjured nestlings on the ground? If the nest is out of reach and their parents are in the area (we recommend waiting a few hours to give the parents a chance to return if you don’t initially see them) a renest is the next step! Renesting is always our preferred choice for uninjured nestlings because momma birds are the best qualified caretakers for their babies. Renesting entails making a new home for babies (with a small box: cardboard, plastic strawberry carton or anything with drainage) and attaching to the tree they came from or one nearby or if possible placing babies back there original nest. https://www.pelicanharbor.org/baby-bird-help
This is exactly what we did for our little cardinal friends. We snuggled them into a new studio apartment (with drainage of course) and sent them back with the finder to be placed securely in their home tree. The finder brought them back and ensured there was plenty of foliage overhead to protect them from the elements and that their new nest was stable. About 20 minutes after their placement, Momma cardinal heard her babies calls, settled into their new home, and provided a nice fresh breakfast.
Finders are often worried momma bird will have trouble finding her babies after a renest, but just like humans, momma and baby alike have distinct calls (like our voices) and use them to recognize one another! If you ever find a wild animal that you think may need help, give us a call and we will guide you to determine the best course of action.
