I found a wild bird
This board reunites escaped pet birds with their owners. A native wild bird needs something different — and posting it here won't help it. Here's what actually will.
First: is it wild, or is it someone's pet?
Probably an escaped pet
- Budgie, cockatiel, lovebird, conure, ringneck, African grey, macaw, cockatoo
- Canary or finch
- Bright colours that stand out against Canadian trees and rooftops
- Comes toward people, lands on hands or shoulders
- A metal or plastic band on one leg
Wild — don't post it here
- Robin, sparrow, starling, chickadee, jay, cardinal
- Crow, gull, pigeon, duck or duckling, goose
- Hawk, owl, falcon or any other bird of prey
- Woodpecker, swift, swallow, heron, songbird you can't place
Keep reading — the steps below are for you.
Not sure? Treat it as wild until someone qualified tells you otherwise. A wildlife rehabilitator can identify it from a photo in seconds.
What to do with a wild bird
- If it's a baby, stop and look first. A feathered, hopping fledgling on the ground is usually fine — its parents are nearby and still feeding it. Keep cats, dogs and people away and watch from a distance. A bare or downy nestling that has fallen can often just be put back in its nest.
- Only intervene if it's genuinely in trouble — visibly injured, bleeding, cold and limp, covered in flies or fly eggs, caught by a cat, or somewhere immediately dangerous like a road.
- Contain it safely. Wearing gloves, place it in a ventilated cardboard box lined with a towel (not a wire cage, which damages feathers). Keep it dark, quiet and warm, away from pets, children and noise. Darkness genuinely calms a stressed bird.
- Do not feed it and do not give it water. This is the single most common way rescued wild birds die before reaching help. Never pour liquid into a bird's beak.
- Call an authorized wildlife rehabilitator straight away and follow their instructions. The sooner it gets to them, the better its odds.
You cannot legally keep it. In Canada most native birds are protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, and it is an offence to possess a protected migratory bird without authorization. Caring for wildlife is licensed work — hand the bird on rather than trying to raise or treat it yourself.
Who to contact in Canada
- An authorized wildlife rehabilitator near you. Every province licenses wildlife custodians. Search for “wildlife rehabilitation centre” plus your city or region, or ask your provincial ministry of natural resources/environment. Many vet clinics and humane societies will also tell you who the nearest one is.
- A sick or dead wild bird — report it. The Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative tracks wildlife disease including avian influenza. Report online at cwhc.wildlifesubmissions.org or call their national information line 800-567-2033. In British Columbia call 250-751-3219 instead. Don't handle a sick or dead bird with bare hands.
- A bird of prey with leather straps (jesses) on its legs is a falconry bird, not wildlife and not a pet. Contact your provincial wildlife authority — it will have a licensed owner looking for it.
Common questions
How do I tell a wild bird from an escaped pet bird?
Escaped pets are almost always parrots and their relatives — budgies, cockatiels, lovebirds, conures, ringnecks, African greys, macaws, cockatoos — plus canaries and finches. They are usually brightly coloured in a way that stands out against Canadian scenery, they often approach people rather than fleeing, and many have a metal or plastic band on one leg. A robin, sparrow, starling, gull, crow, duckling, pigeon or bird of prey is wild.
Can I keep a wild bird I found until it recovers?
No. In Canada, most native birds are protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, and it is an offence to possess a protected migratory bird without authorization. Beyond the law, wild birds need species-specific care and a release plan that a licensed rehabilitator can provide and a well-meaning finder cannot. Contact an authorized wildlife rehabilitator instead.
I found a baby bird on the ground. Is it abandoned?
Usually not. A fledgling — feathered, hopping, short-tailed — has normally left the nest on purpose and its parents are still feeding it nearby. The best thing you can do is keep people, cats and dogs away and watch from a distance. Only intervene if it is injured, cold, covered in flies, or in immediate danger such as on a road. A nestling with little or no feathering that has fallen can often simply be placed back in its nest.
Should I give an injured wild bird food or water?
No. Feeding the wrong food, or pouring liquid into a bird's mouth, is a common way that rescued birds die before they reach help. Put it in a ventilated cardboard box lined with a towel, somewhere dark, quiet and warm, away from pets and children, and call a rehabilitator.
What if the wild bird is dead, or looks sick?
Do not handle it with bare hands. Sick and dead wild birds should be reported to the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, which monitors for diseases including avian influenza, through their online tool or their national information line.
Sure it's a pet after all? Posting takes about two minutes and its owner is almost certainly searching right now.
Report a found pet bird