A baby birdis a very delicate creature that needs plenty of extra attention the first few weeks of life. Here's everything you need to know about how to care for a baby bird.

Caring for a Baby Bird

A baby bird needs constant care. They require food every 15 minutes or so and need to keep warm. A baby bird will die quickly if it gets cold because it doesn't have the feathers yet that it needs to keep itself warm. Typically a baby bird's parents act as the caregiver and keep the baby bird safe in the nest. They feed it, search for food, keep it warm and teach it survival techniques. But there may be times when this isn't possible. Studies have shown that baby birds can attach rather easily to another type of bird, another animal family or even a human family. They basically will warm up and attach to anything that will feed and care for it.

What to do if You Find a Baby Bird

If you find a baby bird in your yard or at the park, your first step should be to locate the bird's nest and carefully place the bird back in it. This isn't always possible though. If you can't locate the nest, you can create a nest out of an empty hanging basket. You can fill it with leave and grass to create a warm, nest-like environment and hang the it somewhere near the spot where the baby bird was found.

If you find a bird that is on the ground and has trouble flying, but is well-feathered, it is likely that he is trying to fly and his parents are watching from nearby. The best thing you can do in this situation is to leave the bird as he is. He will keep testing his wings and if he doesn't get it right away, the parents are nearby to help him. If you remove him from the situation you risk him losing his family and making things much harder on him.

Caring for an Injured Bird

If you find an injured baby bird you should create a nesting box for it, keep it warm, keep it in a quiet place away from young children and other pets and contact your local wildlife center or vet for further assistance. Do not feed a baby bird or give it water.