Ornithologists warn against handling fledglings without proper guidance in Norway

Ornithologist Terje Lislevand from the University of Bergen emphasizes that most fledglings are better off on their own when their parents are nearby. Ann Mari Selje, a volunteer with the Bird Advocates Facebook group, which provides advice on caring for injured birds, warns that some suggested measures on social media can do more harm than good, particularly when it comes to taking fledglings home. Sylvia Eliassen of Swan Rescue Bergen urges people to leave healthy fledglings alone and dispels the myth that human contact leads to parental rejection.

Lislevand notes that it is common for fledglings to die, with survival rates as low as 10% in their first year, depending on the species. He has observed well-meaning interventions that do not benefit the birds, citing a recent situation where a fledgling gull was trapped in a makeshift enclosure meant to protect it. While concerned individuals set up shade nearby, they inadvertently restricted the chick’s movement, preventing its parents from relocating it to a safer spot.

The Bird Watch’s guidelines recommend leaving uninjured birds alone, checking those that may have crashed into windows, and relocating clearly injured ones to proper care. They also suggest precautions for ducks crossing roads and advise against taking healthy fledglings home.

Despite an urge to assist, Selje cautions that not all advice in the online community should be trusted, reinforcing the importance of informed action. Lislevand reiterates that intervention often isn’t necessary, as parents are usually monitoring their young closely.