Expert: Roger Lederer - 6/23/2007

Question
My brother found a baby bird laying on it's side on our driveway & brought it to me to show. He evidently didn't realize, at the moment, that the mother won't come back if he touches it.(is that true?) We've had it for 6 days & have been trying to figure out what it is & I believe it's a baby sparrow. We've been feeding it moistened dog food & mashed up pieces of worms. Is that healthy for a baby sparrow? We promised our mom that we'd let it go once it could fly and hunt (for crickets?) by itself. It can flap it's wings fabulously & lift off the ground a little, but it can't get very high & we're still hand feeding it. When should we release it back to its natural surroundings?
                                  Thanks, Jack & Sabrina

Answer
First of all, it is not true that the mother won't come back if he touches it. He should have just left it alone. Best thing to do is contact your local wildlife rehabilitation center for help. Dog food is ok, but not great. Worms are good as are insects. If it can partially fly, let it go right away or it will become dependent on you for food. Thanks for your concern.