Bird✓ Protected species
Small Bird / Fledgling
Passeriformes
What to do NOW
- 1First observe from a distance: a young bird on the ground with feathers may be learning to fly — parents watch from above
- 2Intervene only if: the young bird is completely featherless, visibly injured, or on the ground for more than 3 hours without the parents approaching
- 3If the nest is visible and reachable: put the young bird back — parents will not reject it
- 4If the nest is unreachable: gently pick up, small box with holes, soft cloth on the bottom
- 5Featherless nestlings need 35–37°C (warm water bottle wrapped in cloth under half the box)
- 6Contact CRAS as soon as possible
NEVER do this
- Do not give water with a dropper — aspiration risk and death
- Do not give bread, biscuits, milk, or fruit: all wrong for passerines
- Do not cage with unfamiliar birds
- Do not keep under constant light — light stress
- Do not delay: featherless nestlings die of hypoglycaemia within hours
Important note
Practical rule for young birds found on the ground: if it has feathers, it is probably learning to fly — leave it. If it is featherless or has sparse down, it needs urgent care. Heat is the absolute priority for nestlings: without adequate warmth they die before reaching the CRAS.
Legal protection
Almost all Italian passerines are protected by Law 157/1992. Exception: the hooded crow and magpie can be controlled in some circumstances by authorised personnel.
Also known as
- sparrow
- blackbird
- robin
- great tit
- finch
- chaffinch
- blue tit
- redstart
- thrush
- skylark
- greenfinch
- siskin
- oriole
- blackcap
- starling
- crow
- magpie
Did you find a small bird / fledgling right now?
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