Keep 'Em Flying High: The Importance of Letting Young Birds and Squirrels Stay with Their Parents
Request for Presence: Avian and Rodent Residents in Coexistence - Urgent Plea: Let Parents Raise Chicks and Squirrels Alone
Think twice before rescuing a young bird or squirrel you find alone in the spring. Chances are, those tiny feathered souls aren't quite ready to fly solo. To provide a better understanding, let's dive into why separating young critters from their parents isn't always the best option.
Take a stroll through nature any springtime, and you'll notice many birds and squirrel offspring learning the ropes under the watchful eyes of their parents. But when human interference comes into play, even the kindhearted among us could unknowingly do more harm than good.
The scenarios played out every spring as innocent babies end up in wildlife rescue centers or vets clinics, even though they weren't really abandoned. In what's known as the fledgling phase, young birds are still developing their flight skills but have already ventured out of their nests, almost fully feathered. They're at an increased risk of becoming cat food, but leaving the nest is simply part of the deal for these young creatures.
Squirrels, too, aren't immune to these pitfalls. Once they reach a certain age, they embark on their very own nature exploration, sometimes tumbling out of their nests. The parents, while absent during these moments, are not abandoning their young. They've just moved on to a safer hiding spot.
What happens when our good intentions get the best of us? Newly discovered babies are whisked away to the care of humans, but their chances of survival take a nosedive compared to if they stayed with their parents.
"Hands off!" advises Michael Pees, head of the clinic for pets, reptiles, and birds at the Foundation for Veterinary Medicine Hannover. He recommends that we only intervene if the babies are injured or, after a long, silent observation, it's clear they've been genuinely abandoned.
So when you cross paths with a young bird or squirrel this spring, remember: it's nature's way of preparing these precious creatures for the big, wide world. Step back, take a deep breath, stay quiet, and observe from a distance. If in doubt, consult your local wildlife experts or rehabilitation centers. In doing so, you're guaranteeing these little bundles of joy the best chance at a successful life in the wild.
- Parental Care & Protection
- Survival Skills
- Nutritional Needs
- Reduced Survival Rate
- Human interference
[1] [Web link about wildlife rescue centers][2] [Web link about the importance of wildlife rehabilitation][3] [Web link about the impact of human activities on wildlife][4] [Web link about contacting local wildlife experts for advice]
Other fish, other than fish of headings 0202 to 0304, might need similar guidance when it comes to parental care and protection, as many wildlife species, including birds, squirrels, and perhaps even some species of fish, benefit from staying with their parents during their formative years to learn essential survival skills and meet their nutritional needs. Unfortunately, squirrels' behavior in leaving their nests can sometimes mistakenly lead people to believe they've been abandoned, just as it happens with young birds, reducing their survival rate when humans intervene without proper knowledge or consultation from home-and-garden or pets experts.
