FAQs & Common Problems

Do young birds recognize their parents after they've grown up?

I found a baby bird. What do I do?

After birds leave a nest box, can I clean out the nest for future use?

NestWatch Nesting Birds: Is it Legal to Move a Nest or Raise Nestlings?

NestWatch How to Find Nests

If I don't pick up a baby bird, will my cat or dog kill it?

How long do birds incubate their eggs and how long do chicks stay in the nest?

If I handle a baby bird, will the parents abandon it?

Can I raise a baby bird I found?

I have wasps in my birdhouse. What should I do?

What's good nesting material to offer birds?

I found a nest with eggs in it and no adult birds seem to be attending to it. I think it's abandoned, or I scared the parents away. What should I do?

What's the Best Way to Watch a Nest Without Disturbing the Parents or Chicks?

How can I protect the baby birds in a nest from predators including snakes, cats, and other birds?

I found a songbird nest with two different types of eggs in it. What is going on?

There's a bird nesting near my house. What should I do?

I saw a little bird feeding a much larger bird. Is it rare to see two different species feeding each other?

Why do birds leave the nest before they can fly?

I found some abandoned eggs. Can I take them to a rehab center to raise them?

How Many Eggs Does a Bird Lay?