Raising A Baby Bird

There is a real lack of information available on this subject, and it would be such a waste if I didn't share what I know. However, I am NOT doing this so that everyone can raise a wild bird. This information is intended for those who cannot get to a rehabilitator, either right away, or at all. This site is not meant to replace the skill and knowledge of the professionals, who are far more equipped to deal with these birds than we are!

I've listed it in a few places on my site, but here it is again: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm. Remember that this list is not all-inclusive, so if there aren't any rehabilitators listed near you, check your phone book, call a vet, local wildlife officer, animal shelter, etc., for help locating one in your area.

For all of North America, the law is very clear. No indigenous wildlife may be kept as pets. If that's not enough to deter you, then consider the following.

- Vets are not allowed to treat wildlife without a permit, so you'll have a hard time finding medical assistance when it becomes necessary.

- A bird kept too long as a pet will never be able to survive outdoors. If you should suddenly tire of his companionship, or make the mistake of leaving your door open, his escape will bring him to a swift end.

- Just because you have kept him for x amount of time and he's never shown any signs of parasites or disease does not mean he does not have them. He can still pass along many a nasty germ to you.

- With the threat of extinction, predators, and environmental issues, every native species needs all it's healthy members to successfully procreate.

Now, in some areas I'm told it is legal to keep introduced species, such as European House Sparrows and Starlings. You'll have to confirm this by calling your local state or provincial wildlife office. If it is legal, and you do intend to keep the bird, please make sure that you can indeed meet the needs of the bird.

In any case, it's my opinion that keeping House Sparrows and Starlings as pets (where legal) is a better option than those sparrow traps I keep hearing about!

4- The bird was lying on hot cement for hours. Surely he must need water in this case?

No. Under no circumstances is the bird to be given pure water. There are treatments used by professionals to rehydrate birds using water, but as non-professionals ourselves, it is inadvisable to use them. The risk of pneumonia or bacterial infection is just too great. The only suggestion I can give for such cases is to make sure the formula you feed the bird with is moist enough. It should not however, be runny. During the first few feedings, feed only the smallest amounts of formula at about every 15 minutes. When the bird seems to have regained energy, then you can increase the amount of food offered at each feeding.

If your cat or dog just delivered a bird to you, odds are that it will be dead 24 hours later, even if no injury is apparent. There is a nasty little bacteria called Pasturella (among others), which lives in the mouths of roaming cats and dogs. This bacteria will kill birds in a day. Of the many emails I received last year by people whose cats brought them a bird, none of the captured birds survived. It is a serious problem, and cannot be ignored.

The only possible treatment that can save the bird is a course of anti-biotics administered by a rehabilitator or veterinarian. Seek professional help immediately!

For those who cannot find a rehabilitator or vet to help them, it would be best to release the bird once it seems to have regained it's senses. The effects of the disease seem to become apparent only 2-3 hours before the bird dies, so it still may have the better part of a day to live wild and free. Keeping the bird to see if it actually has the disease is useless. Once the signs have shown that the disease is present, the bird is a goner. And it will not be more comfortable in your home than outdoors.

I have 3 little kitties myself. For their sake, the sake of the local wildlife, and the sake of my neighbors, they are only let outside on a leash while supervised. Nuff said!

This topic is addressed to professional rehabilitators and other people with experience raising birds. I have been offering this site for the past 3 years, and in that time I have dealt with several professionals who have offered their advice and opinions. I am indebted to all of them for sharing their wisdom with me. But I have come to realize that the 'recipes' issue is not entirely agreed upon. In fact, if I asked each of the rehabilitators I know which recipes they currently used, I wouldn't be surprised if they all provided a different answer.

The recipes I'm currently offering on the site are the newest I've heard of, and have been formulated based on scientific research.

There is also another factor, which some professionals overlook, and that's the availability of the ingredients. While most of the visitors to my site come from the U.S., and are able to find many of the ingredients easily, a significant number of visitors live in remote areas, or in other countries. For these people, it is often an impossibility to find the needed ingredients, and alternatives are necessary.

On this issue, I find myself acting as a middle man, trying to provide wholesome diets for the birds, according to professional opinions, while addressing the availability of ingredients issue with new visitors to the site. Based on what I find out from both sides, I try to make the best decisions I can about it. And since it is my site, I must ask that you respect my right to make those decisions.

Nonetheless, I do still like to hear of new or alternative diets, as well as new or different ideas concerning nutrition in general. I figure the more informed I am, the better my decisions will be.

8- I've heard that dog food is better than cat food, but your recipes only mention cat food.

The debate over using cat food or dog food in bird recipes seems to be an ongoing one. Currently, cat food seems to be in preference by professionals, although I only know of one reason for this. Cat food contains a protein(?) called Taurine, necessary for the good health of the cats. Dog food does not contain this nutritional element since dogs do not require it in their food. I have seen it suggested in a few places that Taurine may be a necessary protein for birds as well.

Not being an avian nutritionist myself, I can make no determination on this subject. But since Taurine may be of use to the birds, and as far as I know, is not harmful, I have chosen to side with the cat food people. It must however be understood that cat food is only a part of the recipes I offer, and should not be used alone for more than a day.

For emergencies, high protein dog food can be used to replace cat food, but as soon as possible high protein cat food should be obtained.

I find this question hard to answer because I'm not sure of all the possible consequences. The vitamins from the pet stores aren't really designed for North American songbirds. Though uncommon, it is not impossible for birds (or people for that matter) to suffer toxic side effects by ingesting too much of certain vitamins. On the other hand, vitamin deficiency can also create health problems.

Where elemental nutrition is concerned, my biggest concern is that the birds receive sufficient Calcium. Calcium deficiency is a more common problem for nestlings, with potentially life long repercussions.

My advice at this time is that if you can obtain Calcium supplements for the birds, then you may use them. If you feel it necessary to add vitamins to the diet of your bird, as may be the case for grackles and mocking birds which are known to suffer nutritional deficiencies more easily than other birds, then use the vitamin supplements at 1/2 the recommended dose marked on the package.

Mealworms, crickets, and very rarely wingless fruitflies, can be purchased from many pet stores. (Crickets are my least favorite option because they are not really as healthy as mealworms or fruitflies) If you can't find a pet store in your area that sells them, then it's up to you to harvest insects or larvae yourself. Below are some techniques for catching your own insects, but first, here's a few tips about keeping them.

Captured insects should be housed in clean containers such as large (gallon-sized) pickle jars, plastic containers, or small aquariums. Any holding vessel should be sealed to prevent escapes, and possible entries by undesirable insects or other animals, yet still allow air to enter. The best way to seal a container is to use an old pair of stockings placed over the opening, using an elastic band to keep it in place. Holes drilled into caps are generally ineffective to stop escapes and intrusions.

The holding container should be kept outside to avoid any potential escapes into your home. Keep the container in a shaded area. Captured insects should be offered very small portions of their preferred foods. (Do a search on the net. I can't tell you everything!:-) Slightly misting the insects once a day is recommended, but no other water should be offered.

To remove the insects from the container while avoiding any possible escapes, place the container in the freezer for about 5 minutes. Do not do this if using a glass container! It could shatter. This will cool them enough for them to stop moving, and you can take what you need. Do not feed frozen insects to birds, since they can become sick (chilled). Let the insects warm up for a few minutes first. Some insects left in the freezer for more than 5 minutes will die. To properly euthanize insects for use in formula, freeze them overnight. Thaw and add to the formula.

When using the insects to feed your bird, a quick rinse under the tap is recommended. Make sure the insects are dry before offering them to the bird. For fledglings, it is usually best to offer them live insects. Their movements usually bring out the hunting instincts of the bird, and they'll learn to identify the insects for when they are released.

Dead insects should be removed from the container immediately, and all the insects should be freed and replaced with new ones within 3-4 days. Mayfly species should be replaced after 2 days. Insects kept under such circumstances lose their nutrional qualities quickly.

Catching by net: Of course the first obvious solution is to get yourself a bug net, and go hunting. After having caught as many insects as possible, rifle through them and get rid of any unsuitable species as mentioned on the 'Recipes' page. Place the remaining insects in a large container.

Dropcloths: Flies that are attracted to lights at night can often be caught with a net or even by hand. To catch a greater number of such flies, a dropcloth can be setup. Use a thin white sheet of at least 6' x 4'. Mount the corners of one side of the sheet so that it hangs flat in front of a light. Gather the opposite end and funnel it into a net, bag or container. The funnel opening should be smooth so that insects do not get caught up in any folds and escape. The 'reservoir' (net, bag, or container) which the funnel leads to should be at least 1 cubic foot in size (can be much larger), and should not rest on the ground, which would make it easier for the insects to escape.

IMPORTANT!!!: Make sure the dropcloth has no chance of touching the light. (you wouldn't want a fire on your hands!) For safety reasons, either dismantle the dropcloth, or turn off the light when finished. Do not leave the drop cloth unattended while the light is on.

As soon as it gets dark, turn on the light. Occasionally tapping the cloth from behind will cause some insects to fall down the funnel. Wait about 2 hours before checking to see what you've caught. Mostly you should have caught moths and mayfly species. The moths should not be used, but the mayflies are an excellent source of food for young birds. Discard any unsuitable species mentioned on the 'Recipes' page. Transfer whatever you plan on keeping to a container.

Using dropcloths in the country or in fields yields many more flies than in the city. Mayflies have very short life spans, and should be caught every other day.

Milk carton and rotten fruit: A friend suggested this one to me, though I forget all the details. Basically, get a milk carton and wash it out with soapy water. (Then rinse and dry it of course) Take a small slice of banana, and wrap it inside a few layers of cloth. Use an elastic to make sure the cloth doesn't open. Place the cloth with the banana inside the carton, and then place the carton outside, preferably in a place that receives some direct sun. Within a few days, as the banana goes rotten, fruit flies will be attracted to the carton. When enough are present for harvesting, close the mouth of the carton, and place in the freezer. After 5 minutes, the frutiflies can be transferred to a sealed holding

I completely sympathize. I realize that I have packed in almost a book's worth of material on this site, and for the first time rescuer, it must be an awful lot to digest. While I have been trying my utmost to keep the information as brief as possible, I hope visitors to my site understand that I need to address all possible issues concerning the successful fostering of wild birds. Nonetheless, I can offer some advice to ease the load a little.

- I have tried to layout the site in a logical manner, with the most important page appearing first in the menu at the top of every page, followed by the next most important page, etc. So if you follow the order of the menu, you will find information in order of importance. Also, at the bottom of each page, there is a link to the next most important page, so by following those links, you'll get to where you need to be.

- For the newcomer with a newfound bird, the first, fourth, and fifth selections from the top row of the menu should be read immediately. The rest can be read in a day or 2.

- To the best of my ability, I have tried to make the first sentence of every paragraph clearly represent the topic discussed therein. This should facilitate scanning for particular subjects.

- I personally find reading on the computer to be an eye strain. For those who agree, print out the pages on paper. This will allow you to read the information whenever and wherever you are most comfortable. Re-reading will be simplified, and you also have the bonus of being able to highlight important passages or make notes.

12- I am not from North America, and I am unsure how much of your information is appropriate for the birds I've found.

My own experiences and information of course stems from and for North America. However, most of the advice given on this site works equally well for non-North American species of songbirds. The main concern I would have is for the diet of baby birds, but even there, usually one of the diets mentioned on my recipes page can be used for your bird.

If you are still unsure how to proceed, then by all means, send me an email. Please include the name of the bird you are caring for (preferably the Latin/taxonomic name), your country, and any information you can provide about your kind of bird (natural diet, special behaviors, etc) I will try my best to find out what strategies might work best for you.

I am aware that professional rehabilitators and recipe ingredients may be difficult to find if not entirely non-existent. With a little patience, we should be able to work through this together.

It's one of the joys of having a website that some of the site visitors come from far away countries, so don't be shy if you need help. (even if your English is not perfect :-)

13- I'm caring for a type of bird that isn't listed on your site. Can you still help me?

As stated on the homepage, this site is devoted to perching birds (Passerines, more generally called songbirds). Other commonly found birds such as swallows and doves are also mentioned even though they are not Passerines. In a general sense, the care of all the birds mentioned on my site is rather similar. For seabirds, ducks, shorebirds, pheasants, birds of prey, and any other birds not generally associated with songbirds, care requirements are drastically different.

Of course the first thing you should be doing is locating a professional rehabilitator or rescue center in your community that can help. And you should be trying very hard to find one, since these other species are often much more difficult to raise than songbirds, which aren't at all easy themselves.

If you are really in a bind, and you can't find a rehabilitator or rescue center for your bird, you can contact me for help. But be aware that my knowledge lies solely with songbirds. I have a limited understanding of the needs of other birds, but if there are no other alternatives, I'll help as best I can.

If you've found a wild bird egg, place it back in the nest. If you cannot, you might as well throw it away. Artificially hatching eggs requires an incubator, and detailed knowledge about the incubation care required by the species of bird contained in the egg. It is beyond the abilities of nearly all the visitors to my site to hatch a wild bird egg, and beyond my scope to offer any advice on this subject.

15- Won't the parents abandon the chick because I touched him and he now smells like a person?

The short answer: No, they won't abandon the chick because it smells like a person.

The long answer: Most of us have heard this 'advice' at some point in our lives. In a way, it is understandable that people might think this. However, it is undoubtedly the result of a mistaken assumption made at some unknown point in history.

Birds have a poor sense of smell compared to mammals (furry creatures). They do not use it very much at all, and they certainly do not use it to sense messages from other birds (as in scent marking), or to identify their family and friends through communal or personal scents. For North American songbirds, there is no danger of a nestling being rejected because it carries some human odor.

Even for mammals, where scent IS important, there is usually little risk of the parents abandoning the youngster just because it carries the foul aroma of humans. The underlying scent of the youngster is still present, and the parents know full well that it is their own child. The parent may become stressed by the smell, but a little extra grooming given to the youngster will eventually set everything right again.

However, what is true for both birds and mammals is that stress may cause the parents to abandon their offspring. And what we're dealing with here is human caused stress. Annoying the parents, undue commotion, constantly peeking at a nest, etc. will cause exceeding stress to the parents as they worry for their young. If the stress becomes unbearable, they may abandon the nest altogether to start another one elsewhere, or give up completely for the season. If you know there is a nest in a tree, the best thing to do is to stay away from the tree as much as possible. If you are putting a chick back into the nest, try to be quick, and leave completely when you are finished. This will certainly cause the parents some stress, but as long as you don't tarry, they will be able to recover from it.

16- I found a nest of chicks. I think the parents are gone. How can I be sure?

Never assume that a nest of young birds has been abandoned without first taking the time to verify it. Adult birds try to make their entry and exit to the nest as quietly and sneakily as possible, to avoid any predators noticing the nest location. They are better at this ability than you might think.

To check for certain that a nest has been abandoned requires a certain amount of patience. Position yourself as far away from the nest as possible while still being able to keep it in view. Binoculars are a great help. Bring a chair to make yourself comfortable. Realize that if you are sitting too close, talking, or moving, or if too much "action" is happening around the nest, the parents may be avoiding it. 20 feet is the absolute minimum distance you should be from the nest. Twice as far or more would be better.

Sometimes listening can be as good as watching. If you remain quietly and calmly behind some object near the nest, so that you are close but not visible by the parents, and hear strange shufflings or the chicks "peeping", it can only mean one of 2 things. The parents have returned, or a predator has invaded the nest. In almost all cases, it will be the the parents returning.

The nest must be vigilantly watched for at least 2 hours. If after that time, the parents have not made an appearance, then you may be justified in rescuing the chicks. Proceed to the Nestlings page, and after reading it, follow through the site as indicated.

17- You mentioned that birds can sometimes transmit diseases to people. Which ones?

I know a fair bit about wildlife in general, and certain animals in specific, but avian diseases and zoonoses are not exactly within my fields of interest. I simply tell myself that any wild animal is a potential risk for numerous diseases, and react accordingly if I ever have to deal with one. All I can present here is a very brief answer on the few diseases I'm aware of. If you'd like to know more, ask a vet, or do a search for 'zoonoses'. (It's a term that means 'diseases transmitted to humans by animals'. I'm not sure I spelled it right though:-)

And this is just what I know. There must be many other diseases I'm unaware of that can be caught by people. The good news is that I'm probably over-stating the danger, a bit! I have been offering my website for 3 years now, and I have talked to many people. Other than myself, I have yet to hear of another person having become sick from the bird they rescued. (For what it's worth, I caught a 3 day intestinal bug within 3 days of starting to care for my sparrow, despite following my own safety tips!)

So while the risk of catching an illness may be somewhat low, it is not impossible. Good sanitary practices can reduce the risk further (but not eliminate them, as my tummy showed!) Use gloves when handling the bird, and wash your hands afterwards too. Clean the bird's surroundings daily. Wash any feeding equipment you use for the bird immediately after it has been used.

Young children should not be allowed to touch anything that has been in contact with the bird, and should always be kept a reasonable distance away from it. I wouldn't even let them in the room without being supervised.

If after all this, you still feel too spooked about the whole thing, that's OK. Just try a little harder to find a rehabilitator you can reach.

Absolutely! I have no need for financial contributions. However other contributions are eagerly sought.

In 1999, I found myself with a nestling that had fallen out of one of my mother's trees. The nest was too far up, and we could not return it. The nearest rehabilitator was too far away for us to get to. I had no choice but to care for this bird myself, as best I could. Fortunately, I was hooked onto the internet at the time, and through it I found a great many people who had been in my shoes and were offering their advice, on the rec.birds newsgroup. I was even fortunate enough to have been contacted by several professional rehabilitators, who gave me the benefit of their wisdom.

There were however few sites on the net devoted to explaining the care required for wild nestlings, and most of those sites did not go into much detail at all. I felt it was necessary to share what I had learned with others who may have a need to know. So I went over all my messages and put together this site.

That was 3 years ago now, but I'm still gladly offering this site for those who have the need. As much as is possible with my limited resources (remember, I'm not a professional rehabilitator!) I still try to increase my knowledge about caring for wild birds to help those who have need.

Please remember that this site is not intended as a replacement for the professional care given by experts. I fully expect that you will look into finding a rehabilitator as soon as possible. Only if you cannot find or reach a rehabilitator should you then follow the recommendations on this site.

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This website is not intended to replace the expert care that is only available by professional rehabilitators. The use of this website is only intended for those where the option of bringing an orphaned bird to a rehabilitator is not possible. By raising a wild bird yourself, you greatly diminish it's chances for survival. Please check this link for a rehabilitation center in your community: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm. If none are listed near you, call a local animal shelter, veterinarian, or wildlife office/agent for information on local rescue centers. Thank you.

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