When you see a baby bird on the ground, should it be rescued?

In most cases “Yes!” But, “not always”!
Many species of birds such as the magpie, noisy miners, blackbird, warblers, and even honeyeaters fledge their young from the nest before they can fly and the young spend 3-5 days on the ground building up their wing muscles so they can fly. If you see a baby bird on the ground and it is fully feathered (no pin feathers showing), make sure the area is secure from cats and dogs. Then watch it discreetly, its parents should come and feed it every 20 – 45 minutes.
Apart from the above mentioned species of birds. Any nestlings that still have pin feathers (not fully grown feathers) and all parrots, lorikeets, swallows, martins, doves, pigeons, owls, falcons and other birds of prey, regardless of their feathering need to be rescued as their parents will not feed them on the ground.

TRUE OR FALSE?
I heard that If I handle a baby bird, its parents will pick up my scent and abandon it?
FALSE - it's a myth! Birds have a poor sense of smell and are unable to detect the scent of humans on their eggs or nests.

What if the parents have not returned to feed it?
STEP ONE: Birds will die from being cold and stressed so you must put this baby into a warm, quiet place, if it is an older bird you can place it in a cardboard box with holes in it, if it is a baby bird, then make it a self-made nest (use a margarine container with tissues inside, or an ice-cream container napkins.) A fully feathered fledgling chick will still need warmth when it first comes into care. A hotbox is a great solution and easy to build.
Needed: One good size cardboard box. One Lamp with 50 - 70 watt bulb(not a power saver bulb as they do not produce enough heat.)
*Hang the lamp over the edge of the box so it is shining into the box.
*Put in the self-made nest in the box under the lamp
*Put a thermometer in the nest with the baby bird – heat is to be 28°C.
*Place the box in a quiet dark room, away from mainstream traffic in the house, children and pets.

STEP TWO: Take it to your local Vet, Wildlife Park or a Zoo, take it to them.
Q. Where can I learn more?
A. For excellent, well-researched, free information about Wildlife Rehabilitation go to our website and read online our free wildlife rescue magazines or you can even download them for free http://www.wildliferescuemagazine.com/
Magazine Subscriptions Available: http://www.wildliferescuemagazine.com/subscriptions.html