July 19 - July 25
Discover nature this week and help protect young birds.
Though newborn wildlife is irresistible the best thing you can do for a young bird is leave it alone. If you can’t resist keeping track of young wildlife, use binoculars and watch from a distance
Many wild animals produce their young in May and June, and though they might appear to be lost, many times they’re not. It’s more likely the mother is away temporarily or is intentionally staying a short distance off to avoid attracting attention to her young.
A fledgling is a young bird that has left the nest, is feathered, but still depends on its parents for food. These are the very birds that are so often found and thought to have been abandoned.
In the fledgling stage, young birds will leave the nest on their own. They may appear awkward, as fledglings are feathered but not yet experienced fliers. During this period, the parents remain near by while young birds learn to fly and to independently gather food. After a few successful test flights, fledglings are capable of fending for themselves. The best thing you can do is leave them in their parents care, and keep pets and children from disturbing them.
Be part of ensuring that this year’s young birds live out successful lives in the wild. If there’s a bird’s nest you’d like to observe you need only two basic tools: binoculars and a bird identification field guide.
If you’d like to create a good nesting sight for birds in your yard, construct a birdhouse made for the types of birds you would like to attract to your habitat. You can find specific ideas online at www.mdc.mo.gov.
To keep track of current natural events like when to be cautious of encroaching on the territory of young birds or other wildlife, you can get your own Natural Events Calendarfrom the Missouri Department of Conservation.