Springtime is baby bird season, which is a busy time for Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation in Carbonville. The non-profit organization begins to receive telephone calls from citizens that they have found a baby bird that has either fallen out of their nest or has been abandoned by their mother.

“We need to know first of all, how old that baby bird is because some birds go to the ground when they fledge and that is perfectly normal. Now does that put them in jeopardy, of course it does, but there are things that we can do that wouldn’t harm mom and dad from doing what they need to do. But what really helps a Wildlife Rehabilitator is for you to take a couple of pictures,” explained Director, Debbie Pappas. Sometimes when birds fledge, they do get hurt so sending a picture to the organization beforehand will help them to determine what cause of action will need to be taken.

“Don’t believe the old wives’ tale, oh I’ve touched it and now mom will reject it. There is absolutely no truth to that at all. So you can touch it. Actually, it’s more dangerous for the bird that you are touching, so please wash your hands before you do, and pick up the bird, put it back in the nest. If it’s too far up, call us, we will tell you about a renesting technique. But again, we need a picture, I can’t make these decisions without knowing what it is and how old it is,” stated Pappas. Any individuals that come upon a nest that has been blown down from the wind or ransacked by a predator or the nest just looks flattened with no sign of the birds, it’s most likely they prospered. If a nest is discovered to be torn up, facing upside down with broken eggs, then they probably failed.

Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation is a state and federally permitted wildlife rehabilitation facility in Eastern Utah serving many counties throughout Utah. They are a non-profit organization where 100 percent of its funds go directly to the care and needs of the wildlife. The organization is always looking for individuals to volunteer, especially those that specialize in carpentry or electrical work to help with the ongoing construction of enclosures on the premises.

If you would like more information on Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation call (435) 650-3441 or visit their Facebook page.