Fledgling birds are intentionally pushed out of the nest and can live safely on the ground for up to a week while their parents teach them essential survival skills like flying, hunting, and avoiding predators. Please don’t kidnap them—this learning period is critical for their development and gives them the best chance of surviving as wild birds. If you want to help protect a fledgling during this time, you can place simple barriers or create safe spaces to keep them out of reach of dogs and cats. One woman even walked her dog on a leash in her backyard for several days until the fledgling learned to fly. See below for ideas on how to keep fledglings safe while allowing their parents to continue caring for them.