Expert: Roger Lederer - 7/5/2006

Question
A day ago, I found this baby Robin on the end of our driveway in a middle of a lightning storm. I didn't know what to do with it so I got some gardening gloves and gently picked up the bird and put him in a box on our outside porch. I fed the baby with earthworms cut into small peices and some cherries with the skin cut off and the insides smushed. I tried not to touch the bird due to the smell of our hands would stop the mom from feeding her baby. In the morning I gave it some more cherry peices and put the baby on some carboard and put him under/beside a bush nearest when I found him. My question is, did I do the right thing by putting him back and feeding him, also will the mom still feed him.  

Answer
Well, I don't think you hurt anything, but the best thing would have been to leave the baby alone. Mom or Dad was around somewhere feeding him. Your handing the baby will not leave a smell and the parents will not abandon the baby because of a human smell - that is a myth. Overall, you did the right thing and thanks for your concern. Roger Lederer at Ornithology.com