Someone told me not to save a baby bird if I find one on the ground. Why not? - Ask Scarlett

Ranger Rick, May, 1997

Because usually the bird isn't in any trouble. Most likely, its parents are not far off and will come back to take care of it. They may even be waiting just out of sight for you to go away!

If you think there's immediate danger--such as a cat lurking nearby--ask an adult to help. Gently pick up the bird and put it in a bush or other safe place where its parents can still find it. Or if the bird doesn't have all its feathers, it's too young to be out of the nest and may have fallen out. If you can see the nest and reach it safely, it's OK to put the baby back. (Don't worry about the mother bird not keeping the baby after you've touched it. That old story's not true.)

I'm glad you care enough to want to help wild animals that seem to be in trouble. If you need advice, you could have an adult call a wildlife officer. But in most cases the best advice is to just let the animals be. For one thing, you could make matters worse. Or you might get hurt.

Injured animals often get better on their own. And sometimes, of course, they do die. That may make you feel sad. But even death is part of life in the nat- ural world.