During spring many of our native birds are nesting.  Their chicks eventually have to fledge, or leave home.  These “toddlers” are still learning how to fly which can take around one week.  The parents will follow their “toddlers” around once they leave the nest to feed and protect them. People find these healthy fledglings, and bring them in to RSPCA or to wildlife carers thinking they need help.  This is not always the best thing to do.
If you find a baby bird and you are not sure what to do, ring Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service for advice on 3202 0200

The best thing to do is watch the bird for a while.  If you see the parents come back to feed them, leave them alone.
If the bird is a really young chick with down (instead of feathers), you could try to put them back in their nest. 

If the nest is too high in a tree, try making a nest from an ice-cream container with holes in the bottom or similar.  Secure this in the tree with the chick inside. 

It is better for the young to be raised by their parents, than by a wildlife carer.

There are around 2.2 million domestic cats in Australia.  Each one has the ability to kill 25 creatures every year.  Even well fed cats can kill wildlife.

Some people lock their cats up at night so they don’t hurt night wildlife, but many animals are active during the day!  Supervise and confine pets on your property at all times.  You can do this with an enclosure.
Companies that specialise in making enclosures include:
Catmax Enclosures: 1300 306 605  and
Catnip Australia: 1800 639 998

In their natural habitat, young birds hide in bushy ground cover.  This keeps them safe from predators until they are stronger and more confident flyers.

Suburban gardens don’t always have bushy shrubs for young birds to hide in.  They have the added danger of pet cats and dogs.

You can help by planting lots of bushy shrubs in your garden for birds and animals to hide in.

Under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992, a person must not take protected wildlife from the wild.

All native birds in Queensland are protected under the Nature Conservation Act.

There are exceptions if the bird is genuinely sick or injured and needs care.

Call Queensland Parks and Wildlife Servie on 3202 0200 or 1300 130 372

or your local wildlife group.

Visit the QPWS website:  www.epa.qld.gov.au