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What To Do If You Find a Sick or Injured Bird

This is a photo of a gull that has been hooked twice by a fishing lure near Orchard Beach. The bird had little chance of surviving. Fishing lures and monofilament line likely kill many birds. There was nothing much I could do to save the bird.

However, birds found in the city are often stunned from hitting a building or glass window and they will recover on their own if taken out of danger. Feral cats are obviously a great danger. Birds found on the ground during migration may just be exhausted or stunned.

If the bird is a fledgling, try moving it to a safer nearby spot. The mother is probably nearby watching.You can tell a fledgling by its short feathers and downy appearance.

If you believe the bird is sick or badly injured, carefully, wearing gloves, place it in a cardboard box. Do not try to feed the bird or give it water. Cover the box with a towel. Keep the box out of the sun or cold. If it doesn't recover, call the Wild Bird Fund, 646-306-2862 or visit their website, www.wildbirdfund.org

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