IDNR: Avoid handling wild animals and birds
•May 20, 2026•
As the weather warms up and more people head outside, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is reminding everyone to leave young birds and other animals alone when they encounter them in the wild. Well-intentioned people may believe they’re helping nature by taking possession of young rabbits, fawn deer, baby birds, and other animals that appear to be orphaned or abandoned. However, in nearly all cases, human intervention does more to hurt animals than to help. Young birds and animals are still being fed and cared for by their parents, who usually stay away from nests and dens if humans are nearby. “The most helpful thing people can do for wildlife is to enjoy the animals through observation, not interference,” said IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie. “If you really care about the animals, just leave them alone when you come across them in nature.”
The Illinois Wildlife Code provides legal protection for wildlife. Keeping wild animals as pets or raising wild animals believed to have been abandoned is prohibited. Additionally, agency responses to incidents involving illegal captive wildlife can be costly and divert time from other important work. Most wild birds are protected by the Wildlife Code. This includes protection of eggs, nests, and feathers. Migratory birds are also protected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.