Many ‘baby’ birds are not orphaned, and a serious attempt to return them to their parents should be made. With their parents they will receive the correct diet and obtain good social skills. Our care is a very poor second to their real parents.

As wildlife rehabilitators, we too need to raise these birds as quickly as possible, to mimic the natural situation and thus have them released at a similar time to their peers.

Our goal in raising young birds for release is to ensure that they are suitable for release; that they do not return into care or are predated upon within a few days of release.

This manual has over 100 colour pages with more than 150 images. The most recent edition has expanded the number of conditions in orphaned birds.