Baby Season Has Arrived

It always starts small.

A single baby bird brought in from someone’s yard. Then another. Then a call about a nest that didn’t make it through the storm. By the end of the month, there are squirrels in towels, rabbits tucked into boxes, and more songbirds than you can keep track of.

And just like that, baby season is here.

Across the hospital, the shift is immediate. Adult cases give way to smaller, quieter patients. Animals that are completely dependent, often just days old, and entirely reliant on everything being done right.

Right now, most of what we’re seeing are songbirds, opossums, squirrels, and cottontails. They arrive for different reasons, but the stories tend to follow familiar patterns. Storms, landscaping, pets, or someone simply noticing a baby animal alone.

And that moment, finding a baby animal, is where most outcomes are decided.

Songbirds

The most common calls we receive are about songbirds.

A small bird on the ground feels urgent. It is vulnerable, it does not fly well, and it does not move away when approached. The instinct is to help immediately.

But in many cases, that bird is a fledgling. It is right where it is supposed to be.

At this stage, young birds leave the nest before they are strong fliers and spend time on the ground while their parents continue to feed and monitor them. It is a normal part of development, even if it does not look like it.

The best thing to do in that moment is to watch from a distance. If the bird is in immediate danger, it can be moved a short distance into nearby cover, but it should not be removed from the area entirely.

When a bird is truly too young, featherless or barely feathered and out of the nest, it does need help. In those cases, returning it to the nest or placing it in a nearby substitute nest is often the best first step.

Opossums

Opossums are usually a different situation.

When they are found alone, especially very small, intervention is often necessary. Many come in after a mother has been hit by a car, and the babies are left behind in the pouch. Sometimes still clinging, sometimes scattered nearby.

They are quiet, easy to miss, and by the time they are found, they are often already cold.

At that stage, survival depends on stabilization. Young mammals cannot regulate their own body temperature, and without warmth and hydration, they decline quickly. Even something as well intentioned as feeding too soon can make things worse if they are not warmed first.

Squirrels

Squirrels tend to come in waves.

After storms, after tree work, after a windy day, suddenly there are multiple litters on the ground. They look exposed, vulnerable, and clearly out of place.

But often, they are still within reach of their mother.

Given the opportunity, she will return and move them one by one to a new nest. That process can take time, and it does not always happen immediately. When babies are removed too quickly, that chance disappears.

If the animal is uninjured, placing it at the base of the tree and stepping away gives the best chance for reunification.

Cottontails

Cottontails are the ones people almost never see until something disturbs them.

Their nests are hidden in plain sight. Shallow depressions in grass that are easy to overlook. When uncovered, it can look like the babies have been left alone.

But mother rabbits visit only a few times a day, usually at dawn and dusk. The absence of an adult does not mean the nest has been abandoned.

If the nest is intact, gently placing the babies back and covering them as they were is often the best outcome. Disturbance should be kept to a minimum. These animals are extremely sensitive to stress, and too much handling can be harmful.

Not everything needs intervention

Across all of these species, the same pattern shows up again and again.

The instinct is to act quickly. To pick up, to help, to fix what feels wrong in the moment.

But with wildlife, the best first step is often to pause.

Observe. Give space. Let the situation unfold for a moment before intervening.

Not every baby animal that is alone needs help. And not every animal that needs help looks obviously injured.

When Does an Animal Need Help?

An animal should receive care if it is:

Clearly injured, bleeding, or has a visible wound
Weak, lethargic, or unresponsive
Covered in ants, flies, or maggots
Caught by a cat or dog
Very young and out of the nest with no way to return
Found next to a deceased parent

If any of these are present, intervention is necessary.

What To Do Next

If you are unsure, the best step is to contact us before intervening.

We can help you determine whether the animal needs care and guide you through next steps.

If the animal clearly needs help:

Place it in a small, ventilated container
Line with a soft cloth or paper towels
Keep it warm, dark, and quiet
Keep pets and people away

Do not feed or give water. Improper care can cause serious harm.

Contact Us

If you have found an injured or orphaned animal, please contact us as soon as possible.

Our team can:

Help determine if intervention is needed
Provide guidance on safe containment
Prepare for intake if the animal requires care

Reaching out first often gives that animal the best chance.

Inside the
hospital, baby
season moves
quickly.

Feedings are constant. Care is precise. Every species, every stage requires something slightly different, and exactly right.

And when it works, it ends the same way it always does.

Quietly.

No announcement. No audience.

Just an animal returning to the wild.

Written by Cassie Tessier
Hospital Manager & Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator

Help Us Care for Wildlife’s Tiniest Patients.

March 23 – April 4, 2026

Each spring, hundreds of baby animals arrive at our Wildlife Rehab Hospital in need of immediate, round-the-clock care. Our Virtual Baby Shower helps provide the supplies and support needed to give them a second chance.