Questions
Questions answered
Here you will find short answers to the questions people most often ask when they meet wild animals near home. If your question is about human health, the answer is almost always the same: see a doctor. If it is about an injured animal, contact wildlife rehabilitation specialists. Rules on wildlife differ by country, so check your local guidance too.
Wanting to help is a wonderful feeling, but what helps a wild animal most often is simply being left alone.
Birds
Can I feed birds table scraps?
Better not. Salty, fried, spicy and spoiled food is harmful to birds. In winter, unsalted seeds and unsalted fat are suitable; anything cooked for people is best left to people.
Do birds need water in winter?
Yes. In freezing weather there is hardly any open water left, and a shallow dish of clean water next to the feeder makes birds' lives much easier. Change the water when it freezes.
A bird has flown into a window. What should I do?
Do not touch it straight away: a stunned bird often recovers on its own after a while. Keep children and pets away and watch from a distance. If it still has not flown off or is clearly injured, contact wildlife rehabilitation specialists.
How do I avoid scaring birds away from the feeder?
Watch from the window or from a distance, move smoothly and do not tap on the glass. Birds quickly get used to a calm observer and stop paying attention to them.
Animals and encounters
A squirrel takes nuts from my hand. Is that good?
Not really, for the squirrel. An animal used to treats from a palm stops fearing people and may bite, and food from a hand is rarely good for it. Watching a squirrel from the side is far more interesting.
What should I do if I meet a large animal in the woods?
Do not approach it, feed it or try to photograph it up close. Do not run; calmly leave the way you came, giving the animal a clear path. If the situation becomes dangerous, call 112 (or your local emergency number).
Can I walk my dog where wild animals live?
Yes, but it is better to keep your dog on a lead. Even a good-natured dog can wreck a nest, chase a hedgehog or flush birds with their young, and an encounter with a large animal can end badly for the dog itself.
Is it OK to photograph animals?
Of course, as long as you do not disturb them. Shoot from a distance, do not use a flash at night and stay away from nests and burrows. If the animal becomes wary or runs off, the shot is not worth it.
Found animals and safety
I found a fledgling. Should I take it?
No, if the chick is healthy. Fledglings leave the nest before they can fly well, and their parents usually keep feeding them. Move well away and take your dog with you so the adult birds can come back.
A hedgehog is wandering the garden in daytime. Is it unwell?
Hedgehogs are nocturnal, and daytime activity is sometimes a sign of trouble, but not always. Do not pick the hedgehog up bare-handed and do not take it home. If it looks weak or injured, contact wildlife rehabilitation specialists.
A bat has flown into the room. What should I do?
Stay calm, take children and pets out of the room, open the window and switch off the lights inside. Most of the time the visitor finds its own way out. Do not try to catch it bare-handed.
A wild animal bit or scratched me. What should I do?
See a doctor right away: a bite or scratch from a wild animal is a reason to go because of the rabies risk. Do not wait for the wound to heal on its own, and do not try to catch the animal.
Read next
- Reference
An observer's glossary: fledgling, nesting season, migration, hibernation, den, burrow, tracks, disturbance distance.
- Guides
How to set up a bird feeder without harming birds: preparation, steps with sample scenarios, mistakes and a checklist. Plus our article catalogue.
- Collections
Reading paths: helping birds through winter, exploring nature with children and who comes out in the park at night.
- Bears in winter (in Russian)
A note on an old address: how brown bears spend the winter in a den and why you must never approach them.
Sources
- Popular zoology and ornithology handbooks for nature lovers (general information)
- Rabies prevention leaflets (general guidance)
This guide describes watching animals and birds in general terms as of the date it was prepared. We do not give treatment advice for people or animals: if a wild animal bites or scratches you, see a doctor right away, and leave injured or weakened animals to wildlife rehabilitation specialists.