header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
September 19
1863 - Gen. Edward F. Beale loans money to A.A. Hudson and Oliver P. Robbins to erect toll house in Newhall Pass [story]
toll house


Let's Go Outside | Commentary by Evelyne Vandersande
| Thursday, Jun 13, 2013

evelynevandersande_mugA little while ago, I received this phone call:

“Evelyne, I need help. A coworker found a baby barn owl in the parking lot, put it in a box and brought it to the office. What should I do?”

It is the time of the year when those calls come on a regular basis, and you are dealing with somebody with a big heart who wants to help a bird in distress – but you know they will not like what you have to tell them.  So you must be gentle, clear and certain you understand the situation.

I started by asking the most important question: “Is the bird covered with feathers or is it naked?”

“Oh, no. It has feathers but does not seem to be able to fly.”

eve061313a“That is good. Does it seem injured?”

“No. It looks fine.”

When you have those two things out of the way, the answer is obvious: You are dealing with a fledgling – not a baby bird, but a toddler learning to fly.

Their flight feathers are not fully developed and they can flutter from branch to branch. Sometimes they fall from that branch, or they are just taking a rest on the ground from their strenuous and tiring flying lesson.

The important thing to remember is that the parents can and do feed the baby on the ground.

So I told my friend:

“This is hard to do, but you have to take the bird back to the parking lot where it was found. Come on, be brave, you can do it. Put it back where you found it. Try to make sure it is protected from cars, but wait until the evening. A barn owl does not come to help the baby during the day; it is just too risky. If you want to see how it all ends, stay inside your car, because mom or dad should not see you; otherwise they won’t come to help the baby.”

This lady was dedicated, and she was on a mission.  She did as I instructed, and when it grew dark, she saw the shadow of a bird coming to the nearby tree, and the baby was gone when she checked a few minutes later. Mama came to rescue her baby.

eve061313cowbirdAt the Placerita Canyon Nature Center, at this time of year, people bring birds they have “rescued” every day, and I was asked to write this article to explain a few things that will help you kind-hearted people know the right thing to do.

If the bird seems to have a full plumage, is not hurt and looks like a young bird, it is probably a fledgling. That means a bird that is on the ground, but the parents will take care of it.

We cannot match the wonder of nature and the care of the real parent. Even if we can bring this bird to a rehabilitator to feed it, it won’t have a good chance of surviving in the wild later on. Only the parents can teach this bird how to hunt and take care of itself.

That is so important. Please try to spread this fact. It is late in the season, and most of the birds we are seeing at the Nature Center should not have been separated from their parents in spite of all good intentions.

A chirping baby robin on the ground might upset you, but it is most likely telling its parents where it is, that it is hungry, and that it wants to be fed.

Robins are gentle birds, but a friend of mine heard a fledging in the grass, chirping with this dramatic insistence that all babies in the world have (human babies scream the same way). Although she knew better, her curiosity won, and she approached the baby. Mom was a scrub jay, and those are not shy or timid birds. She had to run back home while mom tried to attack her, and she had to cover her head really fast with her hands.

Don’t forget that some birds, like sandpipers and killdeers, actually nest on the ground. Not too many of those in Santa Clarita, I admit.

Being a fledging is the most dangerous time in the life of a bird, and depending on the species, this stage can last up to seven days.

eve061313dNow that I’ve spent this whole article telling you not to touch a fledging, I have to make another point clear:

Birds do not have a sense of smell, so parent birds do not abandon their babies if they have been touched by people.

If you find a baby bird on the ground with no feathers, you should locate the nest and put the baby back into it, then step back. Do not stay around; the parents will come to the rescue.

If you cannot find the nest, this is a good time to bring the baby to the center.

Put it in a small, dark box with holes punched into the lid. Do not try to feed the bird. Keep it warm and bring it full-speed to the center. If the bird is injured, it will need professional help as soon as possible.

The best way to catch an injured bird on the ground is to drop a towel gently over the bird. The darkness will calm the bird, and you can gently pick it up.

Feeding a baby bird is difficult and time consuming, and you might be surprised that it is against the law to own a wild bird. You must have a permit to do so.

Many things to remember. I am sorry about that, especially as I know you only want to help and do the best you can. This is why a little bit of nature education will make you more effective and give you a better understanding of how to proceed in each situation.

Thank you for reading this, and good luck to all of the birds and bird lovers.

 

Evelyne Vandersande has been a docent at Placerita Canyon Nature Center for 27 years. She lives in Newhall.

 

eve061313c

 

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

3 Comments

  1. David G. says:

    Many years ago, my wife saw a little pink thing wriggling in the grass in her front yard. It turned out to be a baby bird. She rescued it, put it in a shoe box, and took it to work. (She was working on a project with many animal care experts and zookeepers at the time.) They advised her on how to feed and care for the bird, and despite the incredible work of feeding it and caring for it, the bird survived.

    As it grew feathers, my wife discovered it was a female house sparrow. The bird had injuries to her legs (whether she was kicked out of the nest for being a gimp, or suffered the injuries in the fall from the nest, there was no way of knowing), and could not perch. The experts said she could not survive in the wild, so my wife kept her.

    So when I met my wife in 1996, she had a pet sparrow. “Thrasher” became a part of our household. She was a smart bird, who knew her name, and could follow simple instructions (“go to your cage”). Thrasher lived for seven years. Not as long as the record captive sparrow, but far longer than she would have lived in the wild.

    I tell this not to contradict anything in your story, but to illustrate that not all wild bird adoptions end in sadness. We did not know a permit was required to keep a wild bird, but we certainly would have applied for one if we knew.

    • Evelyne Vandersande says:

      I have to say that about the permit but… I had a pet crow for many years. I think what you wife did was fantastic. I love, love your story and I am sure little Trasher gave you much happiness. You gave it a long and happy life while it could not have survived outside. Thank you for caring and give a hug to your wife from me.

Leave a Comment


Opinion Section Policy
All opinions and ideas are welcome. Factually inaccurate, libelous, defamatory, profane or hateful statements are not. Your words must be your own. All commentary is subject to editing for legibility. There is no length limit, but the shorter, the better the odds of people reading it. "Local" SCV-related topics are preferred. Send commentary to: LETTERS (at) SCVNEWS.COM. Author's full name, community name, phone number and e-mail address are required. Phone numbers and e-mail addresses are not published except at author's request. Acknowledgment of submission does not guarantee publication.
Read More From...
RECENT COMMENTARY
Thursday, Sep 19, 2024
As my wife, Virginia, and I stroll through our magnificent city, we admire the beautiful paseos and the expansive open spaces, but what really catches our eye, is the diverse works of art at every turn.
Friday, Sep 13, 2024
As a father of three, I understand firsthand the importance of guiding our children through open communication and keeping them engaged in extracurricular activities and sports to foster their growth.
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024
You may have noticed that things look a little different around our city. Maybe you noticed the motion sensor lights at our parks, or the solar panels being installed in city parking lots.
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024
California State  Sen. Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita) is urging residents to prepare an emergency evacuation plan as the Line Fire, Bridge Fire and several other wildfires continue to pose a serious threat to High Desert and foothill communities.
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024
As we approach the November 2024 elections, the importance of informed voting cannot be overstated. The choices we make at the ballot box will shape the future of our city, state and nation. Yet, in an era where soundbites often substitute for substantive discussion, how can voters truly grasp the complexities of the issues at hand?
Friday, Sep 6, 2024
As scorching triple-digit temperatures engulf Los Angeles County throughout the weekend and excessive heat warnings have been issued for many communities in Los Angeles County’s Fifth District, I urge residents to do their part to lessen the threat of wildfires.

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
The College of the Canyons Aerospace and Science Team has received a $300,000 grant from NASA’s Mentoring and Opportunities in STEM with Academic Institutions for Community Success program.
COC Receives $300,000 NASA Grant to Expand Student Access to STEM Fields
Bring along a furry friend to the Santa Clarita Child & Family Center's Purple Walk Domestic Violence Awareness 5K on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 8-11 a.m. at the Center’s main facility 21545 Centre Pointe Parkway, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.
Oct. 5: 5K Purple Walk Dogs Against Domestic Violence
Written and directed by Braddon Mendelson, produced by Heather Mendelson, and co-produced by Olive Branch Theatricals and Noisivision Studios, "Provenance" will take stage at the The MAIN, 24266 Main Street, Santa Clarita, CA 91321, Friday through Sunday, Sept. 27-29.
Sept. 27-29: Braddon Mendelson to Present ‘Provenance’ at The MAIN
The Master's women's volleyball team opened Great Southwest Athletic Conference play on the road in Prescott, Ariz. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, defeating the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Eagles in straight sets 28-26, 25-22, 25-18.
TMU Women’s Volleyball Opens Conference Play with Road Win
College of the Canyons freshman Sahya Kitabatake shot a two-under-par round of 70 to tie for medalist honors while helping the Cougars place fourth at the Western State Conference tournament at Sterling Hills Golf Club in Camarillo on Monday, Sept. 16.
Kitabatake Medals, Canyons Women Take Fourth at Sterling Hills Golf Club
One of the city of Santa Clarita community’s most cherished parks, David March Park is set to expand, Thursday, Sept. 26, at 10 a.m., 28310 North Via Joyce Drive, Santa Clarita, CA 91350 with a groundbreaking ceremony.
Sept. 26: Community Invited to David March Park Expansion Groundbreaking
SRD Straightening Reigns, a therapeutic organization offering equine assisted psychotherapy, has been awarded $278,870 from the California State budget to improve mental health services.
California Awards $278,870 in Funding to SRD Straightening Reins
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees appointed Carlos Guerrero to fill the board seat in Area 5, effective immediately, at its special Wednesday, Sept. 18 meeting.
COC Board of Trustees Appoints Carlos Guerrero to Area 5 Seat
California Institute of the Arts alums Alyssa Dressman Lehner and Clara Plestis captured Emmy Awards at the 76th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.
Two Calartians Win 2024 Creative Arts Emmy Awards
Valencia High School's Choir will hold a fall concert, "Broadway, Movies & Media" at 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. and Friday, Sept. 27, 7 p.m. at the Saugus High School Theatre, 21900 Centurion Way, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.
Sept. 26-27: Valencia High Choir Presents Fall Concert ‘Broadway, Movies & Media’
As my wife, Virginia, and I stroll through our magnificent city, we admire the beautiful paseos and the expansive open spaces, but what really catches our eye, is the diverse works of art at every turn.
Bill Miranda | Santa Clarita Arts, a Journey Through Creativity
The California Department of Public Health is encouraging all Californians to get vaccinated this season to protect themselves and loved ones from respiratory viruses.
CDPH: Stay Up to Date on Vaccines
The Friends of Santa Clarita Public Library in collaboration with Santa Clarita Valley Libraries will have a silent Book Auction beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 30, through 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 7.
Sept. 30: Public Libraries to Host Silent Book Auctions
1863 - Gen. Edward F. Beale loans money to A.A. Hudson and Oliver P. Robbins to erect toll house in Newhall Pass [story]
toll house
The Counties of Los Angeles and San Bernardino today announced the opening of multiple joint Local Assistance Centers to assist residents impacted by the Bridge and Line Fires.
Joint Assistance Centers Open for Residents Impacted by Bridge, Line Fires
Valencia Gynecology Associates, owned by longtime Santa Clarita Valley OB-GYN physician Don Nishiguchi, MD, has joined the Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital network. 
Valencia Gynecology Assoc. Joins Henry Mayo Network
JCI Santa Clarita is proud to announce the upcoming Veteran’s Resource Fair, scheduled to take place on Sept. 21 at William S. Hart Park. 
Sept. 21: JCI Invites All Veterans to Upcoming Resource Fair
A "friendies" field tournament  is being  hosted by the Saugus Instrumental Music program, with support from Valencia High, later this month. 
Sept. 21: All Valley Showcase Comes to Valencia High
Public, member-supported 88.5 FM The SoCal Sound, Southern California’s leading Triple-A (adult album alternative) format radio station has announced the lineup for its inaugural “Year-End Bash” taking place on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Dec. 7: CSUN Owned 88.5-FM The SoCal Sound Announces “Year End Bash” Lineup featuring Ben Gibbard
The Master's University cross-country teams continued their successful 2024 campaigns with strong finishes at the BIOLA Invitational on Friday, Sept. 13 at Craig Regional Park in Fullerton, Calif.
TMU Women Win, Men Place Second at XC Invitational
Sheriff’s Department Announces New Law Enforcement Gang Policy
LASD Announces New Policy on Law Enforcement Gangs
The biology department at California State University, Northridge has stayed committed to promoting STEM research carried out by K-12 students and teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
CSUN Student Research Journal Celebrates 28 Years of Inspiring Scientific Imagination
Did you know the SCVEDC has an interactive, online tool that provides themed virtual tours of the amazing features the community has to offer? 
SCVEDC Offers Virtual Business Tours of the Santa Clarita Valley
California Institute of the Arts alum and visionary filmmaker Tim Burton (Film/Video 1979) was honored with the 2,788th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
CalArts Alum Tim Burton Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
SCVNews.com