Birds
Q: There’s a little bird has fallen from a nest in a tree in my garden. What should I do?
A: Every spring we receive countless calls about Fledgling birds or chicks that have fallen from trees. Quite often it is best to stay away, as often the parent birds will continue to look after the chick where it has fallen. If the fledgling is in a dangerous or particularly exposed location, you could move it to somewhere safer, but within clear hearing distance of where you found it. If it is a very young nestling chick (covered in downy fluff rather than feathers) the best chance of survival is – if possible – to return it to its nest. Otherwise the chick will either have to be rehabilitated by an expert or else abandoned.
Q: But I have a cat!
A: Try to keep your cat away. However, this will probably be unfeasible. And if the cat belongs to a neighbour, then there will be nothing you can do. The reality of the situation is that many, many young birds will fall from their nests prematurely, and the majority of these will be out of sight of human eye. Some of these will survive, most will perish, either through abandonment or through becoming prey for a passing predator. It is a part of nature’s annual cycle.
Q: I have birds nesting in the eaves of my house. They’re making an awful racket! How can I move them?
A: You can’t! At least, not until their chicks have fledged. And you can’t hinder their entrance or exit until such time as the chicks have fledged.
And while mentioning birds nesting in the eaves or roof of your house: a common misconception is that the birds have somehow caused the damage that has allowed them into the eaves or even into the roofspace/attic area; in fact, the birds have merely taken advantage of decay or damage that has been missed or neglected. So don’t blame them: they merely know how to make good use of the opportunities provided! Most commonly, the birds that will take advantage of gaps or holes in the roof tiles, eaves, soffit boards, etc, are: Housesparrows; Starlings; and Swifts. Occasionally, other small birds such as Blue Tits will take advantage of similar opportunities. Housemartins do not enter the roof or guttering, but will take advantage of the cover provided by eaves for their mud nests. If droppings are a problem, fitting a shelf beneath the nest can act as a temporary solution.
Q: How can I keep birds out of my roofspace?
A: General good maintenance of your roof tiling, eaves, soffit boards and guttering should ensure that the birds do not have a place to nest within your home. However, if you have had birds nesting in your roof, the repairs should be done during the winter months. We would also recommend that you fit a bird box somewhere close to the location of any nest(s). Most of the birds that we have mentioned are declining in numbers throughout the British Isles, and offering readymade nesting grounds is a positive act for the environment.
Q: Should I feed bread to the birds?
A: It is preferable that you do not feed birds with bread, especially stale bread. If you wish to feed the birds, it is better to obtain bird feed from a reliable source such as the RSPB. They provide Bird Seed Mixtures and other suitable foods and they also supply the best feeders and containers for them.
Squirrels
Q: I have red squirrels that visit my garden. How should I feed them? What should I feed them?
A: You can find more information about this here: http://www.redsquirrel.org.uk/RED_ALERT/html/feeding3.htm
Q: I have seen a grey squirrel near a place where only red squirrels were before: what should I do?
A: Please tell us the name of the area, and, if possible, please supply an ordnance survey grid reference (a Post Code would be an acceptable substitute)
Bats
Q: We have bats roosting in our loft/attic: what can we do to move them?
A: Nothing! You must leave them alone. Instead, you must contact the Bat Group of Northern Ireland by telephone: 028 9039 5264 or through their website: http://www.bats-ni.org.uk
For further reading on Bat Law go here: http://www.bats.org.uk/batlaw/batlaw_in_detail.asp
Frogs
Q: I think there are too many frogs in my garden pond. What can I do to help?
A: The frogs know what they’re doing! It is probably best to leave them alone as they will regulate their population naturally.
Newts
Q: I have found a newt in my shed/garage, what should I do with it?
A: Lots of people phone us having found newts hibernating or sheltering in their sheds/garages. It is a criminal offence to handle them or disturb them! The best thing to do is leave them be and if absolutely necessary to move them, put them somewhere sheltered, into long grass, a log pile, bottom of a hedge etc. Don't dump them in your pond, if they're warm and dry they probably want to stay that way. They will hibernate through the winter and quite happily make their own way back outside once the weather warms up.
Lizards
Q: Are there lizards in Northern Ireland?
A: Yes, the common lizard is found in NI, however people often mistake the smooth newt, also found here, for a lizard.
Badgers
Q: I have badgers that are digging in my garden. What can I do to stop them?
A: Badgers are a protected species - visit the Wildlife and the Law pages to find out more
Pollution
Please refer to the Environment and Heritage Website: http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/pollution.htm
