Found an animal struggling in the heat? Experts say the kindest move is to walk away

When you spot a bird panting in the summer heat, your first instinct might be to help. Experts say that impulse, however well-meaning, could do more harm than good.

“The best thing for wildlife is to let them be wild,” said Lisa Duke, sanctuary grounds manager at the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary at Michigan State University. “They know what to do with their bodies.”

As Europe endures a punishing heat wave, birds and other wildlife are being pushed toward their thermal limits — and the concern is real. Cornell Lab of Ornithology postdoctoral fellow Aimee Van Tatenhove warned that “prolonged intense heat like Europe is experiencing right now is likely pushing many species toward their maximum heat tolerances, putting them at risk of heat illness or death.”

Birds can’t sweat. Instead, they pant with open beaks, flutter the skin on their throats — a behavior called “gular fluttering” — and seek shade and shallow water to cool down.

The most helpful thing people can do is passive: set out shallow, clean water sources, keep bird feeders stocked, and plant layered vegetation for shade.

If an animal appears sick or injured, skip the DIY approach. Jack Kottwitz, assistant professor at Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, put it plainly: “These birds know better than what we do about what is comfortable for them.” Contact a local wildlife rehabilitator instead.

Read more:

• People aren’t the only ones hit by heat. What to do if you see wildlife affected by hot temperatures