What to do if you find a bird

Firstly, is it abandoned? During the Spring and Summer young birds are just venturing out from the nest into the big wide world. The parents may be off finding food, but they know where their youngsters are. Keep a discrete watch for the parents coming back to feed the young.

If the bird is obviously injured, then that's a different matter. Has it flown into a windows and is simply stunned, or is it something more serious? If it's just shock then put the bird into a well ventilated box and place it in a dark and quiet place for a few hours until it recovers.

If, however, the young bird has been abandoned by it's parents, or it's been injured then professional help is needed. You could try to treat the bird yourself, but be prepared to spend long hours looking after it. The RSPB and the RSPCA have produced a leaflet that could be helpful.

The best alternative is to contact the RSPCA. The RSPB has neither the veterinary surgeons trained to deal with sick or injured birds or animal  hospitals in which they can recuperate.