Frequently Asked Questions

Leave it alone. Most native birds, their nests, and their eggs are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the California Fish and Game Code, so nests should not be moved or disturbed.

If a baby bird has already left the nest or fallen out, see If You Find a Baby Bird below.

If you find a baby bird, watch before you act. Most baby birds found on the ground aren't in trouble, and the most common mistake well-meaning people make is picking one up too soon.

It helps to know which stage the bird is in:

• Hatchling: Eyes closed, downy wisps of fluff, no real feathers yet. Should not be on the ground. If you can find the nest, place the bird back in it; parent birds will not reject a chick because it was touched.
• Nestling: Eyes open, pin feathers just breaking through the skin, can stretch its wings and legs but can't yet hop or perch. Also shouldn't be on the ground. Return it to the nest if you can reach it, or place it in a small, shallow container lined with grass and secure it in a tree or shrub as close to the original spot as possible.
• Fledgling: Fully feathered with a short tail, hopping, fluttering, or short-flying between branches. This is completely normal. Fledglings spend one to five days on the ground learning to fly and forage, and a parent is almost always nearby. Watch quietly from a distance; the parent won't return while you're standing next to their young. If no hazards are nearby (cats, dogs, kids, traffic), leave it alone.

Never try to raise a baby bird yourself. Beyond being illegal under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, hand-raising a wild bird risks imprinting, where the bird bonds with humans instead of its own species. An imprinted bird can never be released back into the wild.

If a cat has caught the bird, treat it as an emergency even if it looks fine. Cat saliva carries bacteria that's often fatal to birds within 24 to 48 hours without treatment. Get the bird to a wildlife rehabilitator right away.

If you're ever unsure whether a bird needs help, a photo and a call to a rehabilitator is always the safer move than picking it up.

Who to contact:

• Raptors (hawks, owls, falcons): Ojai Raptor Center 805-649-6884
• Songbirds and most other native species: California Wildlife Center in Calabasas, (310) 458-9453

If you find an injured bird, keep it safe and calm while you arrange help:

1. Gently place the bird in a covered box lined with a towel, with air holes punched in the lid.
2. Keep the box in a quiet, dark, warm spot. A closed bathroom works well.
3. Don't offer food or water. Most injured birds are in shock, and feeding them can do more harm than good.
4. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator as soon as possible. Don't attempt to treat or keep the bird yourself; it's illegal to keep native wildlife, even temporarily, without a permit.

Who to contact:

• Raptors (hawks, owls, falcons): Ojai Raptor Center 805-649-6884
• Songbirds and most other native species: California Wildlife Center in Calabasas, (310) 458-9453
• Other wildlife: Animal Help Now

Outdoor cats are one of the biggest threats to backyard birds. If your cat enjoys time outside, a "catio," an enclosed outdoor space, lets them get fresh air and sunshine without putting birds at risk. CVAS is building a library of catio examples to share with the community.

If a cat has caught a bird, treat it as an emergency even if it looks fine. Cat saliva carries bacteria that's often fatal to birds within 24 to 48 hours without treatment. Get the bird to a wildlife rehabilitator right away.

If you're ever unsure whether a bird needs help, a photo and a call to a rehabilitator is always the safer move than picking it up.

Who to contact:

• Raptors (hawks, owls, falcons): Ojai Raptor Center 805-649-6884
• Songbirds and most other native species: California Wildlife Center in Calabasas, (310) 458-9453
• Other wildlife: Animal Help Now

Window strikes happen because birds see reflections of sky or trees and don't realize glass is there. A few fixes that help: break up the reflection with decals, screens, or paracord spaced about 4 inches apart on the outside of the glass, and place feeders either within 3 feet of a window (so birds can't build up speed before hitting it) or more than 30 feet away (so they have room to course-correct).

If you're ever unsure whether a bird needs help, a photo and a call to a rehabilitator is always the safer move than picking it up.

Who to contact:

• Raptors (hawks, owls, falcons): Ojai Raptor Center 805-649-6884
• Songbirds and most other native species: California Wildlife Center in Calabasas, (310) 458-9453

If you find a feather, in most cases, no, you may not keep it. Feathers, nests, and eggs from native bird species are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, even if you simply found a feather on the ground. There's no exemption for picking one up, even with good intentions.

A few exceptions: feathers from non-native species like House Sparrows, European Starlings, and Rock Pigeons aren't protected and are fine to keep. If you're not sure what bird a feather came from, the safest choice is to leave it where you found it, take a photo instead.

Birds in our area nest between January and August, so tree and shrub trimming is safest during the months that end in "BER": September, October, November, and December. Always check for active nests before starting any work, since owls and hummingbirds sometimes nest earlier than other species.

View the Bird-Friendly Tree Trimming Guide

Skip bread and other processed table scraps; they fill birds up without giving them the nutrition they need.

Black oil sunflower seed is the closest thing to a universal favorite. It draws the widest range of species and has a thin shell that's easy for small birds to crack. Suet is a good cold-weather addition, especially for woodpeckers and chickadees.

Use a simple sugar-water mix of one part white sugar to four parts water, with no dye and no honey (honey can grow mold that's harmful to hummingbirds). Clean the feeder every 3 to 4 days, more often in hot weather, since the mixture can ferment and spoil quickly. A bottle brush and hot water are usually enough; if you notice black mold, soak the feeder in a vinegar-water solution before refilling.

Yes, in most cases. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) spreads mainly through waterfowl like ducks and geese, and it's rare in the songbirds that visit backyard feeders. Current guidance from the USDA and Cornell Lab of Ornithology doesn't call for taking feeders down unless you also keep backyard poultry, in which case it's best to remove feeders or keep them well away from your flock.

A few good habits regardless: clean feeders and birdbaths every two weeks with a diluted bleach or vinegar solution, and if you ever see a sick or dead bird near a feeder, take the feeder down and contact your local wildlife agency rather than handling the bird yourself.

If you're hearing a bird sing at night, it's almost always a Northern Mockingbird. Male mockingbirds sing to find a mate, and a male who hasn't found one yet will keep singing through the night, especially near a streetlight or on a bright moon. This is most common in spring and early summer, and it usually stops within a few weeks once he pairs up.

No, you do not need binoculars or special gear to experience birds.

But, binoculars can help once you're ready. Look for 8x25 binoculars as a solid all-purpose starting point: the "8" is magnification and the "25" is lens diameter, and that combination balances a wide field of view with enough light for early morning and dusk. If you wear glasses, check that a model has enough eye relief to use comfortably.

If you want to try before you buy, we usually have loaner binoculars at every Bird Walk.

The Merlin Bird ID app and eBird (both free, both from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology) are the easiest way to see real-time, location-based bird sightings, including rare or unusual birds reported nearby. eBird also lets you keep your own sighting list as you go.

See more recommended apps and links on our Resources page.

Early morning, generally within a couple hours of sunrise, tends to be most active for most species. Spring and fall migration bring the widest variety of birds through our area, though many local species can be seen year-round.

We maintain a list of recommended birding spots across Ventura County, from coastal estuaries to oak woodland trails close to home.

"Pelagic" describes birds that spend most of their lives far out on the open ocean, well beyond sight of land, and only come to shore to breed, if they come to shore at all. Shearwaters, storm-petrels, and most alcids fall into this group.

Because these birds rarely come close to the coast, the only reliable way to see them is on a "pelagic trip," a boat trip that heads out into deep water specifically to find them. The ferry crossing to Catalina or the Channel Islands, such as Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands, is a good local example, often turning up shearwaters or storm-petrels along the way.

New to birds and not sure where to begin? You don't need binoculars, experience, or any gear to start. Our Getting Started page covers what to expect at a beginner walk and answers the most common first-timer questions.

Conejo Valley Audubon Society membership is $20 a year. It includes a subscription to our newsletter, the Roadrunner, access to special field trips on private property that aren't open to the general public, and early access to tickets for our Annual Dinner & Auction. Membership dues go directly toward our conservation and education work.

However, you don't need to be a member to attend our regular walks, most field trips, or programs.

Become a Member

Yes. Conejo Valley Audubon Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, run entirely by volunteers with no paid staff. Donations are tax-deductible, and they go directly toward our conservation and education programs rather than overhead.

See Where Donations Go

CVAS runs entirely on volunteers, and there's room to help in more ways than leading a bird walk. Past and current needs have included the Bird-Friendly Garden Tour, the Catios education project, and general board support.

The best way to get started is to reach out through our Contact page and let us know what you're interested in.

You may have heard it called the "Bird Museum," but its full name is the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, or WFVZ. Founded in 1956, it holds one of the largest collections of bird eggs, nests, and specimens in the world. CVAS holds our Monthly Programs there, and the collection itself is open to the public on select days for guided tours by appointment.

Looking for bird ID help, checklists, or ways to get more involved? Our Resources page includes recommended apps like Merlin and eBird, helpful documents, and links to our partner organizations.