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It is often said that if you touch a bird's eggs or nest or the nestlings, the mother bird will abandon the nest. But, this is really not the case. That myth has been told for a very long time but, if you are careful, and do not overly disturb the nest, you will not cause the nest to be abandoned if you replace a fallen nestling in the nest or help the birds in some other way.

There are, however, other reasons not to touch wild bird eggs, nests, or the birds themselves and those are to protect you from bacterial or viral diseases that may be carried on the feathers of the birds or on the nest and egg shells. You should never touch a dead bird with bare hands and always wash your hands well with soap and water immediately after any contact with areas that may be contaminated by birds or their feces.

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16y ago

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