Anne Hobbs, the Lab's public information specialist, shares her answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we receive each spring.

Anne also has a more complete list of spring questions and answers that you might wish to review.

1. Baby bird found abandoned

If the bird is uninjured you should ask yourself, "Is it really an orphan?" Nearly always, the answer will be no—most baby birds that people find are actually recent fledglings that cannot fly well. For more information, read our page on "Orphaned Baby Birds."

2. Bird attacks window

I'm so sorry to hear that you've got a bird attacking your windows. I know that can be very concerning and not a little annoying.

The behavior you're experiencing is a territorial/breeding behavior. The bird sees his own image in the window and assumes there's a competitor for his territory so he attacks the windows. For suggestions, visit our page, "How to Avoid Window Collisions." I should warn you that some birds are much harder to discourage than others!  

3. Heron eating fish at pond

I'm sorry to learn that a heron is helping itself to the fish with which you've stocked your pond.

Of course the birds are only doing what they're meant to do: find food. You'd just like them to do it somewhere else and I understand. I'd encourage you to do a Google search using the terms "heron deter pond." The Practical Water Garden web site offers suggestions from someone who has tried several diffrent approaces.

4.  I found an egg!

As hard as it may be, the best thing to do is leave the egg alone. In some cases, the egg may not be abandoned after all. Some species, such as Killdeer, lay their eggs on the ground. It is also possible that the parent is away from the nest but will return. Many birds lay just one egg per day but don't begin incubating in earnest until all the eggs have been laid. For the birds' own protection, it's actually illegal to possess the eggs of wild birds. The chances that the egg will develop and hatch under human care aren't very good, so putting the egg back outside and letting nature reabsorb it in its own way is often the best thing to do. If the egg has been abandoned for a while, it's even possible that the parents have already begun a new breeding attempt nearby!

5. What bird is this?

The photographs below are of male and female Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. The male Rose-breasted Grosbeak is the most asked ID request we receive each spring.