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Bird✓ Protected species

Small Bird / Fledgling

Passeriformes

✓What to do NOW

  1. 1First observe from a distance: a young bird on the ground with feathers may be learning to fly — parents watch from above
  2. 2Intervene only if: the young bird is completely featherless, visibly injured, or on the ground for more than 3 hours without the parents approaching
  3. 3If the nest is visible and reachable: put the young bird back — parents will not reject it
  4. 4If the nest is unreachable: gently pick up, small box with holes, soft cloth on the bottom
  5. 5Featherless nestlings need 35–37°C (warm water bottle wrapped in cloth under half the box)
  6. 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

sparrowblackbirdrobingreat titfinchchaffinchblue titredstartthrushskylarkgreenfinchsiskinorioleblackcapstarlingcrowmagpie

Did you find a small bird / fledgling right now?

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