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So -- You Found A Baby Bird!
Now What!! |
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Guardian Angel |
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It is not the intention of this page to replace qualified medical care and certified wildllife rehab personnel. |
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Keeping wild life in your home is illegal, no matter how great your intentions. This page is designed to assist you during the initial recovery of the baby bird and its delivery to a veterinarian or certified wildlife rehab specialist.. |
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Put It Back! It is an "old wive's tale" that the baby will be rejected by its parents if handled. If you are certain as to the location of the nest -- and you must be positive -- putting the wrong baby in the wrong nest is a "death warrant" for the fledgling...the best place for it is with it's parents and siblings. If you are uncertain as to the location of the nest, do your best to insure the safety and security of the little one. Put it in a berry basket or small shoe box, add some grass clippings, straw, weeds, -- anything for padding -- no string, it will strangle the little toes -- and tuck it away safely under some shrubs or similar protection from the elements.. Observe closely to see if the parent birds are nearby. |
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As we know from watching our own birds fledge, fledglings can look quite immature, partially unfeathered and sometimes unable to fully balance on their legs. However, the parents, if alive, have an intense sense of hearing and will know where their fledglings are. They will feed them when they hear their cries. The primary threat to fledgling birds is preditors -- cats, squirrels, dogs, and even the neighborhood kids! |
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If, during a windstorm the nest has fallen from the tree but is still intact-- it can be put back -- nailed into place, wired into place. Get it as close to the original location as possible. Remenmber, if birds are hatched in a nest, DO NOT put them in a bird house or nest box. Cavity nesters belong in cavities and open nesters belong in open nests.
Once you put a baby bird or nest back, keep an eye on it for a few hours to make sure the parents find it. If not, call your local rehabber. DO YOU KNOW YOUR NEAREST REHABBER? If not, find out now who it is, where they are located, what they specialize in, who and where their other contacts are. As the person in the neighborhood with birds, you will be the "bird lady" or the "bird man" that gets the wild baby bird delivered to you in a paper sack! Be prepared! Don't wait until you need it. Find out who to call and keep their number handy and up-to-date.
Check the following site for the rehabber closest to you:
http://wildliferehab.virtualave.net/rehabsit.htm |
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SO, YOU HAVE A BABY BIRD...THE PARENTS ARE NOT BACK...WHAT NEXT? |
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Check for injuries. Broken bones need to be set within the first day or so for proper healing.
Remembering that many birds need to be fed about every 30 minutes or so, here are some guidelines for diet until you can get the baby to the rehabber.
A quality cat food or dog food can be soaked in boiling water, 2 parts water, one part kibbled food, soaked for approximately one hour. Drain off excess water and mash well with a fork or puree in a blender. If you don't have dog or cat food handy, a hard boiled egg pureed with some water will be good for a start.
Canned dog food can be used in an emergency, but the risk of bacterial contamination is greater in the canned food,.
Some larger pet shops may carry premixed or powdered wild baby bird formula. If so, you might want to keep a small quantity on hand in the freezer for emergencies. Keep in mind, when mixing a formula, some birds are grain eaters, some are insect eaters, some diet on fruits and berries and others on mice and insects! You need to take this into consideration when selecting a diet. DO NOT keep a baby bird on an "artifical" diet for too long since it will lack the essential amino acids and other dietary needs specific to that species. |
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Once you have the formula mixed to a consistency of baby food or applesauce, use a small craft stick, coffee stirer, straw or small artist brush to put the food into the baby's mouth at the back of the throat. Avoid using tweezers. These may cause small perforations in the back of the throat.
Also avoid plain water. Always allow moisture to be soaked up into kibbles or bread to avoid aspiration. NEVER GIVE MILK! |
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HOW MUCH TO FEED? Until the begging or gaping stops. Most babies will need to be fed every 30-45 minutes during the day. You can get some rest at night!!
If the baby does not beg for food or open it's mouth (gape), try vibrating the box/nest a little to simulate the parent bird landing on the nest rim. You can also gently tap the side of the beak. A baby that is cold will not feed or gape. Keep the baby warm, keep it clean, keep it quiet and keep it in a small secure container. Keep all "visitors" away. |
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If you do not find a rehabber, this baby bird will be your responsibility for approximately 6-8 weeks. Remember, you do not want this baby to "bond" to you, your children, your other birds or pets. This baby needs to be returned to nature as soon as it can manage on its own.
In many states keeping a wild bird is illegal. Most states have specific guidelines for keeping indigenous species and special permits are needed. |
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| SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS LATER..... |
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.....You have fed the baby bird, it has survived, YOU have survived.....NOW WHAT? After the baby is completely eating on its own for about a week to 10 days, place it in an outside aviary for about 10 days to 2 weeks to make sure it can fly and survive outside. THEN...... |
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FLY FREE BABY BIRD......FLY FREE |
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For more information on caring for baby birds, please visit this website: http://www3.sympatico.ca/drosera/birds.htm |
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For more information on Wildlife Rehabilitation, visit: http://wildliferehab.virtualave.net/ |
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Wildlife Rehabilitation Links
http://www.launchnet.com/dtehshuh/rehablnk.htm |
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Bird Rehabilitation Resources
http://www.aves.net/the-owl/blnkrhab.htm |
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| <<<BACK TO CHARLIE'S INDEX |
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7/02 |
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