Strong winds impacting wildlife

The wild weather and winds across NSW today could not have come at a worse time for wildlife.

The high winds can bring down trees and nests and separate young and vulnerable chicks and joeys from their parents.

They can also bring exhausted seabirds to our beaches and coastlines.

Parent birds have very strong instincts to protect and feed their young. Wherever possible the best outcome for most birds is to reunite them.

Often young birds will be found on the ground after falling from nests. It is normal for fledgling magpies to fall out of the nest and spend a couple of days on the ground, with parents feeding them whilst they master the tricky art of flying.

However, the storms may have brought many to the ground far too early, and they may need another couple of weeks to develop to full fledgling stage before they have any chance of flying.

If the nest is too high up to get the chick back in it you can put a post in the ground, and attached a basket to it as a “pretend nest”. Or secure a basket in the tree the chick came from. Sometimes a landing perch may be needed for the parents to access the artificial "nest".

If you then move well away from the “nest”, the parents may well come back and start to feed their little one. This is always the best option as it gives the chicks the best start to be a wild bird as being raised by its parents rather than hand reared wherever possible.

It may take some time for the parents to return but if the chick is very young and there is no sign of the parents please call WIRES 1300 094 737. Our lines and our volunteers will be very busy after the storms so please be patient. You can also download our free WIRES wildlife rescue app and report the rescue via email using the app.

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