I see many cute puppies and kittens around this time of year. They are so adorable! Yes, it's the season for puppies and kittens.

Well, guess what? This is also a baby bird season!

Around this time every year, my dog finds wild baby birds (usually songbirds) on the ground when we walk around the neighborhood. I used to pick up these baby birds without a second thought and bring them back home. Ignorance is bliss.

And thanks to the power of the Internet, I learned a lot about what to do if you find a wild baby bird on the ground. Here are some tips...

First, it's illegal to keep wild birds. It's important to ask for a professional's help (such as a wildlife rehabilitation center in your area) if you want to rescue birds you find in the wild. Until you reach such help, what you can do at home is put the bird in a quiet place, keep it warm and feed soaked cat food or dog food (if it is a dry food, mash it with some warm water) temporarily. Never give water directly to the baby bird. Water will drown the bird. Moisture in food is enough. Feeding a baby bird is an all-day job, so be prepared (feeding every 20 minutes to an hour!).

Another thing I learned is if you find a baby bird, you don't have to pick it up out of pity. Even if you can't see them, there are usually parents around watching over it. If the baby bird's parents don't show up for a certain amount of time, then you should probably take action, but maybe the baby bird is big enough to survive by itself.

To make a long story short, Nature is often wiser than we think.

If you need more information on wild baby birds, you can visit these sites:

For the Birds

Caring for Baby Birds