Category Archives: Nature Notes

What to Do if You Find a Baby Bird

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Rosemary

If there’s one question people ask us the most this time of year, it’s some variation of “I found a baby bird—what should I do?”

And we get it. When you come across a helpless-looking baby bird out of its nest, it’s hard to resist the overpowering urge to come to the rescue. But if you really want to do your part, it’s usually best to leave it be. How do you know when to take action and when not to? For that, you need to know the growth stages that many baby birds pass through.

The Stages
This time of year, a baby bird falls into one of three categories:

  • Hatchling. It hasn’t yet opened its eyes, and may have wisps of down on its body. It’s definitely not ready to leave the nest.
  • Nestling. It’s older than a hatchling. Its eyes are open, and its wing feathers may look like tubes because they’ve yet to break through their protective sheaths. Nestlings are also not ready to leave the nest.
  • Fledgling. Young bird that is fully feathered. Its wings and tail may be short, and it may not be a great flyer, but it can walk, hop, or flutter. It has left the nest, though its parents may be nearby.

Helping Hatchlings and Nestlings
If you find a hatchling or a nestling on the ground and you can see its nest, you should try to safely return it. Contrary to popular belief, the parents will not abandon a young bird that smells like people. If there’s no nest, you can make one by fastening a wicker basket to a branch.

It’s never a good idea to bring a baby bird home and try to raise it. In fact, federal law prohibits anyone from having wild birds in their possession. Law aside, a baby bird, cared for by untrained people, once released, most likely won’t survive as well in the wild. It has missed key lessons from its avian family, like how to locate food and avoid predators.

Giving Fledglings Room to Grow
For fledgling encounters, the best course of action is to leave it be. There’s only one exception: if it’s obviously injured.

As awkward as a fledgling bird may look, this is natural stage, and the parents are most likely nearby, hunting for food and keeping watch. If the bird’s in immediate danger, you can put it in a nearby bush or tree.

When in doubt, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

Photo via b0jangles/flickr

The Story Behind Bee Swarms

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Hillary T.

You may have seen the photo of a swarm of honey bees on a car in Dorchester back in early May and wondered what was going on. The short story: the bees were looking for a new home.

But why did they need a new home and what should you do if you are lucky enough to observe a swarm? Matthew Smith, Mass Audubon’s Web Developer and hobby beekeeper, explains.

Why Bees Swarm
Honey bee swarms are a natural part of spring. Honey bee colonies that survive the winter begin to lay eggs and expand their colonies in early spring. By May, a strong hive could be overflowing with bees with hundreds more hatching each day.

At the same time, just-bloomed flowers provide bees with nectar and pollen, which is collected and brought back to the hive. It doesn’t take long for a productive colony to outgrow its hive.

Bees start swarm preparations by starting to raise a few new queens. When the first of the new queens is about to emerge from her cell, the bees fill their stomachs with honey from the hive. The old queen and about half the bees fly out of the hive in what looks like a chaotic tornado of bees. The queen lands, usually in a tree, and the rest of the bees cluster quietly around her.

There they remain, usually in a volleyball-sized cluster, for a day or two while scout bees go out and look for new digs. The bees left in the hive will hatch a new queen and continue at the old location. If the swarm finds a new home safely, the colony has successfully split in two.

You See a Swarm, Now What?
Bees in a swarm are usually docile, if left undisturbed. In general, you can observe them from a good distance remaining very quiet. If a swarm is in the way, like it was in Dorchester, it’s usually easy to find a beekeeper willing to come and get them. Beekeepers can give the bees a home and start a new colony with the swarm. The Massachusetts Beekeepers Association maintains a list of local bee clubs.

Learn More About Bees
Several Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuaries have observation hives during the warm months including Blue Hills Trailside Museum in Milton, Long Pasture in Barnstable, and Stony Brook in Norfolk. Call in advance to ensure the hives are on display.

On Friday, June 21, Boston Nature Center in Mattapan is hosting a free screening of the documentary Queen of the Sun: What are the Bees Telling Us?,  which takes an in-depth look at the global bee crisis.

Beyond Mass Audubon, this Sunday marks the 3rd annual Tour de Hives, a day-long adventure where you visit different hives around Boston by bike.

Have you even seen a bee swarm? If so, tell us about it in the comments!