It is transmitted from Ibn Mas‘ud,
“We were sitting with the Prophet (s), when a man came while he held something in his hand wrapped in a part of his cloak. He said, ‘O Prophet of God! On the way, I passed by some trees where I heard the sound of some young birds. I took and wrapped them in my cloak. Then, their mother arrived and span around my head. When I opened my cloak, it fell on her children. Then, I wrapped the cloak and brought them all to gift them to you.’
The Prophet (s) told the man, ‘put them on the ground!’
The man put them on the ground, but they saw that their mother does not leave them and escape! The Prophet (s) noticed the companions’ astonishment for the love of the mother toward its children. So, he (s) said, ‘are you astonished of a mother’s passion for her children?! By God, I swear that God is kinder toward His servants than this mother toward its children! (much kinder than the mother). [then, he (s) addressed the man] O man! Return them to the place where you took them from.’
Then, the man returned the birds to their nest.”
Sources:
Hayat al-hayawan al-kubra, vol. 2, p. 207.
