BirdWatch Ireland
West Cork Branch
Protecting birds and biodiversity in West Cork
Have you found a sick or injured bird?
The majority of baby birds found outside the nest are not in distress or in need of help. It is not unusual for a baby bird to leave the nest before it is fully capable of flight. This is true of many of our common species, e.g. Blackbird and Robin. Unless you have experience of caring for birds, taking a baby bird into care may often reduce its chances of survival; the majority of hand-reared baby birds do not survive. This is not a decision to be taken lightly, and should only be done where you are absolutely certain that the chick has been abandoned.
If you encounter a baby bird out in the open, moving it to a safer location with some cover may help its chances. If the chick is very young (with few or no feathers) and you know where the nest is, the best thing to do is to pop the chick back in and let the parents continue to care for it. Do not stay in the vicinity as you may frighten off the adult birds and cause unnecessary stress to the chicks.
Wild Bird First Aid & Wildlife Rescue Contacts
BirdWatch Ireland recommend the excellent Irish Wildlife Matters website, an online wildlife first aid resource with full details of what to do and a national contact list with details of vets and wildlife rehabilitators who will be able to help. Here is a list of contacts for Munster:
Wildlife Cork Rescue, Cork
Website www.wildliferescuecork.com
Email wildliferescuecork@hotmail.com
Castlelack Corvus Rescue, Bandon, Cork
Facebook @CastlelackCorvusRescue
Email integraashe@hotmail.com
Animal Magic, Limerick
Website. www.animalmagic.ie
Facebook @AnimalMagic
Contact Rosie Campbell
Email rosie@animalmagic.ie
Telephone 087 624 3546
C.S.P.C.A, Cork
Website www.cspca.ie
Facebook @CSPCA
Email info@cspca.ie
Telephone 021 451 5534
Bat Rehabilitation Ireland, Limerick
Website www.batrehabilitationireland.ie
Facebook @BatRehabilitationIreland
Email batrehabilitationireland@gmail.com
Telephone 085 721 9400
The Hogsprickle, Clare
Website www.thehogsprickle.com
Facebook @TheHogsprickle
Email thehogsprickle@gmail.com
Telephone 086 862 4511
Ireland’s Wildlife Rehabilitators' Association
Website www.iwra.ie