If you find a nestling bird on the ground and it's not injured,
if at all possible return it to its nest. A nestling cannot
walk, hop or fly, so chances are its nest is very close by,
maybe even directly above where you found it. It is not true
that parent birds will reject their young because they've been
touched by humans. Birds in general have no appreciable sense of
smell, and parents will readily accept and raise their young
when replaced in the nest. Altricial birds like robins, grackles
and mockingbirds commonly nest in people's yards. They build
sturdy nests, but often after heavy rain or wind storms, an
entire nest and its contents may be found on the ground. If the
nestlings are uninjured and the parent birds are still around
(they usually are as birds are very reluctant to abandon their
young), the fallen nest can be replaced. Use a piece of wire
mesh, like hardware cloth, cup it into the shape of a nest and
secure it in the same place as the original nest. If the
original nest is usable, place it