Illustrated Articles
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During the spring and summer, it is not unusual to encounter a wild baby bird on the ground. Often, people respond by taking the little "orphan" home before they figure out what to do with it. This handout provides important information should you encounter a wild baby bird.
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The purpose of clipping a bird's wings is not to prevent flight completely, but to ensure the bird is unable to achieve or sustain upward flight, preventing escape, unwanted roaming, and exposure to dangerous situations. Typically, the primary feathers are trimmed about halfway between the base and the tip of the feather. The secondary feathers should not be clipped, and no feathers should be clipped shorter than midway from base to tip. Newly growing pin or blood feathers (that retain blood in the shaft until the feather matures) will bleed quite profusely if accidentally cut.
