Important Baby Season Reminders

With baby season in full swing, we wanted to take a moment to share some guidance on what to do if you come across a young raptor that’s not in its nest. Young raptors are naturally curious, and this curiosity can sometimes lead them into risky situations. Being on the ground makes them more vulnerable to predators and limits their ability to return to the nest.

That said, once young raptors reach a certain stage of development, it’s completely normal for them to leave the nest as part of the learning process. This phase is called fledging, and the birds at this age are known as fledglings. Exploring their surroundings helps them build essential survival skills.

Each spring, we receive numerous hotline calls about young birds found on the ground. In many cases, these birds are healthy fledglings and don’t need intervention. However, sometimes a bird is too young to be out of the nest and cannot return on its own. This creates challenges not only for the bird but also for those who find them. If you find a young raptor on the ground, follow the instructions on our website.