Please call our wildlife hospital hotline (541-441-7193) if you have found an injured or orphaned songbird or woodpecker.

Understanding Songbirds and Woodpeckers: When to Help

Songbirds are a diverse group of birds within the order Passeriformes and are specifically known for their complex vocalizations. Common songbird families include finches, wrens, warblers, nuthatches, and others.

Woodpeckers, on the other hand, are part of the family Picidae and are known for their drumming behavior. While not considered true songbirds, they are still critical members of local ecosystems that help control insect populations and assist with seed dispersal.

Found a baby songbird or woodpecker?

During the spring and summer months, baby birds are commonly found. These include:

• Nestlings & Hatchlings – very young birds with little to no feathers, usually unable to move far from their nest; these babies are completely dependent on parental care.
• Fledglings – older than nestlings; birds with feathers but are still learning to fly, and often found hopping on the ground; fledglings are often mistaken for injured adults.

If you find a nestling, hatchling, or fledgling, it’s important to act quickly. Contact Wildlife Images as soon as possible to determine the best course of action. In many cases, these birds can be safely renested or monitored if they are healthy and not in immediate danger. If the baby bird was caught by a cat, or is otherwise visibly injured, it will need medical attention as soon as possible.

Re-nesting or Reuniting a Baby Songbird

1. The first step is to determine if the bird is a nestling, hatchling, or fledgling using the information above. Fledglings do not need to be returned into the nest, but need to be returned to the same area in which it was found. If you are unsure, please call the Wildlife Hospital hotline so we can assist you with identification.
2. Try to locate the original nest. Search the trees or shrubs directly above and nearby where the baby was found. If you find the nest and it is accessible, gently place the baby bird back into the nest. 

• Touching a baby bird will not cause the parents to abandon it; this is a myth!

1. If you can’t find a nest or can’t reach the nest, try making a substitute nest. You will need a small, shallow container (i.e., cleaned margarine or butter container, plastic berry box, small wicker basket) lined with tissues, grass, or pine needles. 

• Place the baby inside the substitute nest, and secure the nest in a tree or shrub near where the bird was found. Aim for the nest to be 6-10 feet off of the ground and out of direct sunlight/rain. 

1. Watch from a distance. Stay at least 30 feet away from the nest and monitor for 1-2 hours to see if the parent birds return and feed the baby bird. If the parents don’t return for two or more hours, call the Wildlife Hospital hotline for next steps.

Re-nesting or Reuniting a Baby Woodpecker

1. Re-nesting baby woodpeckers is different and can often be more challenging than re-nesting a baby songbird. This is because woodpeckers are cavity nesters, meaning that they make their nests in holes in trees, and do not have open, visible nests.
2. Try to locate the original nest cavity. Search the trees directly above and nearby where the baby was found for an open tree cavity, usually in a dead or dying tree. If you find the nest and it is accessible, gently place the baby bird back into the nest. 
3. If you can’t find a nest cavity or can’t reach the nest cavity, you can try making a substitute . You will need a small, shallow container (i.e., cleaned margarine or butter container, plastic berry box, small wicker basket) lined with tissues, grass, or pine needles. 
4. Place the baby inside the substitute nest, and secure the nest in a tree or shrub near where the bird was found. Aim for the nest to be 6-10 feet off of the ground and out of direct sunlight/rain. 

• Touching a baby bird will not cause the parents to abandon it; this is a myth!

Found an injured songbird or woodpecker?

If you come across an injured songbird or woodpecker (e.g., bleeding, unable to fly, or visibly hurt, or acting unusual), it will need medical attention.

When to Intervene

• Obvious wounds, actively bleeding/swelling/bruising
• Respiratory distress (barely breathing or labored open-mouth breathing)
• Neurological symptoms (head ticking back and forth, falling over, stargazing, etc.)
• Shivering or trembling
• Drooping or uneven wings and unable to fly
• Entangled in barbed wire/fencing/netting
• Hit by car
• Hit a window
• Caught by a cat or dog
• Reuniting strategies have been tried and failed

Carefully contain the bird in a secure and ventilated box and bring it to Wildlife Images for medical care and rehabilitation during our patient intake hours, 9am-4:30pm 7 days a week. We prefer if you call ahead so we can prepare for the animal’s arrival, and to ensure that our clinic is able to provide rehabilitation services.

***Do NOT offer food or water to an injured, sick, or orphaned animal unless instructed to do so by clinic staff. Many species require a specialized diet or formula, and young animals and birds can be easily aspirated without proper training and equipment.***