Just got back from fabulous Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival (where the keynote
speaker was Dennis Paulson) and am belatedly sending in comments on several
things that appeared in Tweeters recently, such as Arnie and Judy Ness's
question about a young robin that left the nest.

Concerning baby birds that are found on the ground, yes their parents normally
do continue to feed them. If they are feathered out they are learning to fly and
probably would not stay in the nest if you put them back in it, but if they are
still in pin-feathers it would be really helpful if you could get them back in
the nest. Birds do not rely much on sense of smell and do *not* abandon eggs or
nestlings that have been handled by humans. Meanwhile, try to keep cats and dogs
away. Precocial birds like ducks and shorebirds can forage for themselves and no
longer need a nest, but also need protection from our pets (and often, our
kids).

The Birders Handbook (by ?) is a good all-around reference for North American
birds, with notes on habitat, behavior, diet, etc. Donald and Lillian Stokes
have also written good books about bird behavior.

Chris Maack
Bird Treatment & Learning Center
Anchorage, AK
73201.3124 at compuserve.com