DEC: What to do if you find an injured bird

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The Department of Environmental Conservation offered advice Friday for anyone who finds an injured bird.

This comes after multiple social media posts from people in and around Monroe County saying they found hurt birds, and asking what to do.

According to the DEC, the best course of action is to leave the bird alone and avoid touching it, as this could do more harm than good. Call a wildlife rehabilitator for advice and help. They are trained volunteers licensed by DEC wo are allowed to legally treat distressed wildlife.

“The rehabilitators are an incredible resource that we have and it’s great to have them,” DEC Regional Wildlife Manager Michael Palermo said. “The general public should be cautious because it is illegal to possess wildlife without that license, so we want to make sure everything is done properly. If that animal isn’t rehabilitated in the right manner, it might lose its fear with humans and its normal natural behaviors.”

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