People believe the baby bird is rejected by its parents, lost, or can not get back into the nest. The fatality rate of baby birds that are taken in by kind-hearted individuals is very very high. Many people ask if a baby bird will be rejected if a person handles the baby and the bird parents smell the human. Baby birds are NOT rejected by their parents if a person handles them. In fact, most birds have a very poor sense of smell.
Many fledglings are scruffy looking and look like they are unable to be on their own.
They may leave the nest, scurry on the ground, etc., looking like a lost baby bird. The parents care of these fledglings and keep track where they are until the fledglings can live on their own. So the baby bird you see may be a fledgling that is being taken care of by its parents still. If the baby is NOT fully feathered and has fallen from its nest, the very best thing is to put the baby back into the nest. Remember, depending on the age and species, a baby bird may need to eat every 20 minutes during daylight hours.