Norbert

I found a baby bird on our front walk yesterday that I assumed was pushed out of his nest.  His eyes were closed and he was writhing a little by moving his feet and what are supposed to become wings.  I named him Norbert.  I checked online to see if I could find some answers regarding the best way to handle the situation.  Birds that are somewhat closer to being able to fly have their feathers.  Their first attempts at flight will sometimes result in failure.  These birds are called fledglings.  The bird's parents will continue to tend to the fledgling.  It's an old wives tale that human scent on a baby bird will drive the mother away.  It is okay to put the fledgling back in the nest if it can be determined where the nest is.  A naked baby bird or a baby bird with no or few feathers is called a nestling.  The parents don't have a way to get it to the nest so it's okay to place it back in the nest.  If the nest can't be accessed it's okay to use a small plastic container with drainage holes and a lining of paper towels. eHow says: "Understand that the baby bird may have been pushed out of the nest by its siblings and could get pushed out again.  This is a natural behavior that allows only the strongest to survive and procreate."  Sadly, Norbert died this afternoon.