Don't touch that bird!

The DOW recently sent another release warning people against meddling with wildlife, especially babies that look "lost" or "abandoned"

So when I awoke to screeching just before 5 yesterday - screeching that continued all morning, my son says - I wondered what was up. I popped out to get the paper about 5:30 and there it was, a young blue jay, fluttering its fluffy wings, trying to fly. Ma and Pa jay screeching from the porch railing and the side gate.

They had a fit when they saw our cats (Black Maul, here) staring at them, inches away.

Then calmed down a bit once they realized our cats couldn't get outside.

Then there was nothing they could do and nothing we could do but wait. The babe spent the day hidden among the lavender and mint in the front garden. I hoped it would keep quiet, cuz lots of cats peruse the neighborhood.

All was quiet last night, but the screeching started again today. I hope the babe can fly soon!

The DOW's Chad Morgan said if you can easily reach a nest, you can pick up a baby bird and place it safely back inside. I think I'd do that only if there was imminent danger - the stress from an attack by a cat or dog is enough to kill a babe.

"It’s best to let nature take its course," Morgan said.

Leave the babies alone

A note from the DOW - Colorado's Division of Wildlife - reminds to leave young animals alone when you see them along the trail, in your yard, wherever.

A Greater Sandhill Crane that has been raised on a ranch near Nucla will be held by the DOW and, likely, shipped to a zoo.

The crane was a chick when found on a ranch 3 years ago. Thinking it had been abandoned, a rancher took it home, fed it cat food and treated it like a pet. Later, the rancher became ill and friends took the bird to an area where sandhill cranes gather during their migration north for summer. The bird wanted no part of its free-roaming cousins. Trainers at the Schneegas Wildlife Foundation saw quickly that the bird couldn't be retrained.

There's little that can be done with the crane, which is why DOW asks people not to mess with wildlife.

"Adult animals often leave their young ones to go off to feed or to distract predators," said DOW's Tony Gurzick. "Young animals are well camouflaged and learn their own survival skills when left on their own. We know people are well-intentioned, but the animal's best chance of surviving is if it's left alone."

In the wild sandhill cranes can live for 20 years. That's a long time for a crane to live in a zoo, too.