🐦 Fledgling Season: What To Do (and Not Do)

It’s fledgling season in spring and early summer (typically May through July) — a time when young birds are learning to leave the nest.

Fledglings may appear helpless, but this is a normal stage of their development. These young birds have most of their feathers and often leave the nest just before they can fully fly. It’s common to see them hopping on the ground or fluttering low between branches.

Here’s how you can help:

• Do not pick up or move fledglings. Their parents are almost always nearby and continue to feed and protect them.

• Keep pets and children away to give the fledgling space and safety.

• Observe from a distance. Intervening too soon can do more harm than good.

Learn more about what to do if you find a baby bird:
👉 Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife: Baby Birds

Or contact Burien CARES for guidance before taking the bird.