Raising A Baby Bird - Identification

The following 3 tables are offered to help you roughly identify which species of nestling you may have. Underlined traits are generally diagnostic to identifying the listed species. All other traits are open to interpretation (ex. is it white, off-white, or cream colored?) Empty fields are unknown by me. Since I'm not a professional, I have not seen many nestlings myself. (In fact, I've only ever seen sparrow nestlings) These descriptions are based on several other sources. I can only hope this table will help you narrow down the possibilities of which species you may have found. I hope to add nestling pictures here, if I ever find any.

Species	skin color	down color	gape color	flanges	feeding call	special characteristics

Mockingbird	grayish	gray	bright yellow	softer yellow	high-pitched kitten like miew	tarsus light gray-blue at 3-4 days
Mourning dove	grayish	tan-gray, sparse
Barn swallow	pink	gray	bright yellow	pale yellow, swollen
Chimney swift	pinkish	no down	pale pink	no flanges		well developed sharp claws, no face bristles
Starling	pale pink	off-white, sparse	bright yellow	swollen	loud trilling, deepens in pitch as they get older
House sparrow	pale yellowish pink	no down	red	yellow swollen	drawn-out repeated squeaks or "peeps"

Species	skin color	down color	gape color	flanges	feeding call	special characteristics

Robin	pinkish yellow	off-white, sparse	bright orange-yellow	pale yellow
Cardinal	dark pink	gray, sparse	red	white
Catbird	dark and reddish				delicate high-pitched trilling	tarsusdark gray
Blue jay	first red, then after a few days, gray	no down	bright red	white flanges
Common crow	dark	sparse	red
Grackle	yellow	gray	pale red			brown eyes

The following table is offered to help you identify which fledgling you may have found. Fledglings are far easier to identify than nestlings. It must be kept in mind that fledglings often do not have the same coloration as the parents. Underlined passages are generally diagnostic for the listed species. Some descriptions, usually those involving color, can be interpretative. This is for fledgling identification only, and assumes that you are familiar with or can research adult appearance yourself. Again, if I ever find any fledgling pictures, I will eventually add them here.

Once you have properly identified a fledgling, you must adapt any care you are giving it as noted on the "Species Info" page.

Species		Description

Mockingbird		Grayish with darker wings and tail, and paler breast. Breast of fledgling usually has some slight mottling. Tail shorter than adults for some time after fledging.
Mourning dove		Slightly smaller or thinner than adult, smoother plumage, occasionally some marbling caused by white-tipped feathers.
Barn swallow		Identical to adults.
Chimney swift		Identical to parents. Tiny bill and feet, short spiny tail, wings extend to or past tail. No face bristles.
Starling		Smooth dark gray with light gray breast which becomes paler around throat. Long bill almost black. Darker streaks appear over time.
House sparrow		Same size as parents. Similar to female house sparrows. Mottled brown with gray-white breast, no cap or black throat patch. There may be some variation in markings, particularly for young males.
Robin		Same size as parents, but much paler. Mostly brown gray on top, ruddy breast freckled with darker spots or stripes.
Cardinal		When first fledged, fledgling cardinal is brown, lacks feathers on the face, and is less than 1/2 the size of the parents. Has a bulge on forehead which will develop into the crest later. Once fully grown and feathered, resembles the female cardinal, but has a blackish beak instead of the adults' colored one.
Catbird		Gray plumage, slightly paler breast, black cap.
Blue jay		Virtually identical to adults. Coloration somewhat more "matte". Crest somewhat less pronounced. Big, shiny, curious, black eyes.
Common crow		Similar to adults, but are dull black instead of shiny black.
Grackle		Lacks feathers on the face, plumage is smooth sooty-gray, as opposed to black body with blue head in adults. Eyes brown. Generally walk instead of hopping.
House finch		Appearance similar to adults, but coloration of young males is a slightly rosy version of the adult female coloration.
Song sparrow		Slightly duller coloration than adults, with finer streaks, and sometimes without the black breast-patch.
Pigeon		Slightly smaller and thinner than adult, variable coloration. Brown eyes.
Bluebird		Grayish above, hints of blue in wings and tail, speckled breast.
Cowbird		Light gray all over. Some very small pale spots or stripes may be present on wings and around neck to breast. No tail feathers visible for some time after becoming free flying. No feathers on face when first fledged.

This website is not intended to replace the expert care that is only available by professional rehabilitators. The use of this website is only intended for those where the option of bringing an orphaned bird to a rehabilitator is not possible. By raising a wild bird yourself, you greatly diminish it's chances for survival. Please check this link for a rehabilitation center in your community: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm. If none are listed near you, call a local animal shelter, veterinarian, or wildlife office/agent for information on local rescue centers. Thank you.

Nestlings	Fledglings	Precocial Chicks	General Care	Recipes
Species Info.	Common Mistakes	Release	Bird Essays	FAQ