No, that is largely a myth! Mother birds typically won't reject their babies just because humans have touched them.

Most bird species have a poorly developed sense of smell. They rely much more on sight and sound to identify their young. When you pick up a baby bird, the adult birds generally don't notice any change afterward. They will continue caring for their offspring normally.

So if you find a nestling (barely feathered, unable to walk or fly) that fell from its nest and is fit and healthy, then you can safely put it back. Parent birds will keep caring for it.

If you find a fledgling (mostly feathered, hopping around), it is likely learning to fly and the parents are nearby watching. Leave it alone unless it is poorly, injured or in immediate danger.

Why avoid touching anyway? While rejection from scent is not a real risk, disturbance can cause problems such as stress from repeated handling or risk of injury to a fragile chick. You could draw the attention of predators because of your activity near the nest. Also, you might accidentally separate family members unnecessarily.

• Wildlife Emergencies
• Corvid Care
• Who to Help and Who to Leave Alone