In reality, the caller is witnessing a healthy fawn's natural defenses at work. The spotted coat provides camouflage while the instinct to remain motionless further helps avoid visual detection by predators. Fawns lack a distinctive scent during their first two weeks of life, preventing predators from keying-in via their sense of smell. Even the doe limits her contact with the fawn, only visiting occasionally to nurse. Pass by quickly and allow the deer to take full advantage of the protection nature has provided.
People also misunderstand the early stages of a bird's life.
As young songbirds develop they soon outgrow the limited space of a nest, particularly if there are multiple chicks in the brood. Young birds, such as robins and grackles, leave the nest before they are able to fly and move about the ground and low branches, often for several days. The adult birds continue to care for the youngsters, answering the chicks' demanding calls with regular deliveries of worms and insects. This is when people often interfere, taking healthy chicks out of the wild and placing them in a shoebox with a few crusts of bread. Not only is this illegal, it deprives the growing bird of essential nutrients found in its wild diet.