Looking at notes from two years ago, I started an “Ask Maine Audubon” column in June 2021 by saying: “I know it’s June when every other phone call or email I receive is from someone who has found a baby bird.” This year is no exception at all (except the calls are starting a few weeks earlier). I’m already fielding calls and seeing lots of posts on social media both about baby birds and about caterpillars, so I thought it would be useful to revisit – and repeat – what I talked about then. It all still applies.

Seeing any wildlife that is young or not fully independent tends to trigger an immediate reaction in people: We must do something to help! But in almost every case, the best thing to do is leave the bird alone. Actions resulting from our gut instincts can often cause more harm than good, so always consider the often quoted motto: “If you care, leave it there.”

Typical “perching birds” or songbirds, have altricial young, meaning they are dependent on adult care. (Other birds, like wild turkeys, have precocial chicks, which means the chicks are born ready, mobile and able to feed themselves upon hatching.)

With the majority of baby birds you’ll encounter, rest assured that they are perfectly fine. There are usually a couple of awkward days in the lives of a recently fledged altricial chick, when they are out of the nest but not yet capable of sustained flight. These chicks are still being fed by the adults. So, they are on the ground (as in, not flying yet) and have their mouths open asking for food. Maybe that seems like a cry for help. But it’s not! The adult is nearby, probably watching you from afar, waiting for you to leave so it can go back to the chick without thinking it is leading a predator (you) to its baby.

Another thing to keep in mind with these altricial young is that they want to get out of the nest as soon as possible. The nest was a safe for a chick who was immobile and blind at birth, but it’s also easy for a predator to find. So we do often encounter young birds that are out of the nest but left before they became independent. The adults will still be taking care of it for a while longer.

Remember, if you see a baby bird, the best course of action (seriously, 90% of the time or more) is to leave it alone. If you can’t see the adults, that’s because they don’t want to be seen.

If you do find a bird that is sick or injured, that is when you should contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Avian Haven and The Center for Wildlife are good places to start; and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife also keeps a list of licensed rehabilitators.

CATERPILLARS: MAKE THE RIGHT ID

Yes, the browntail moth is an invasive species. And yes, some people get an irritating poison-ivy-like rash on their skin, caused by a reaction to the hairy fibers on the body of the browntail caterpillars. These fibers have been known to cause respiratory problems for some people in areas with high densities of the caterpillars.

But not all large hairy caterpillars with webbed “tent” nests are browntails. Our native caterpillars are an important source of food for birds, especially now as parents are feeding chicks, so before you take steps to remove any caterpillars, make sure you make the right identification.

The browntail larvae (caterpillar) primarily feeds on trees like oaks and apples. Several caterpillars are similar: large (a couple of inches long), hairy (think individual fibers, not fuzzy), and have webbed “tent” nests. The browntail caterpillar is best identified by the overall red-brown cast to the hairs on the body and diagnostic two red or orange dots on top of the rear end of the body. The tent-making caterpillar we want to support, the appropriately named eastern tent caterpillar, has a single white line that runs down the top length of the body but no red dots. The tents or webs of the easterns are much larger than the browntail webs, as well.

These eastern tent caterpillars are an important food source for several species of nesting birds in Maine, especially cuckoos. Put down the blowtorch (seriously, people actually do call us with a blowtorch in hand!) and stop using pesticides; just let the black-billed cuckoos take care of these tent caterpillars for you.

Browntail moths are definitely a problem, and one that appears to be spreading in Maine, but make sure you are identifying them correctly before taking steps to remove them, and use the right treatment at the right time. The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry has answers to many common questions about browntail moths, including how to manage them in your area.

Do you have a nature question for Doug? Email questions to ask@maineaudubon.org and visit maineaudubon.org to learn more about birding, native plants, and programs and events focusing on Maine wildlife and habitat. Doug and other naturalists lead free bird walks on Thursday mornings, 7 to 9 a.m., at the Gilsland Farm Audubon Sanctuary in Falmouth.

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