After they leave the nest but before they take flight, many baby birds - especially robins and flickers - spend time on or near the ground. If you see such a baby bird, and your first thought is to "rescue" it, the better thing to do is let it be. Protect it from cats. Then watch from a distance, to see if an adult comes to feed it.
If a bird or other animal is truly sick or injured, locate your local wildlife rehabilitator.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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