"LOOK, A BABY BIRD. NOW WHAT?Tips on what to do when you find a bird in the wild.
Baby Bird Care - Information from PROJECT WILDLIFE.
- If the bird is uninjured and has some feathers, put it in the nearest tree. The parents have no sense of smell and will not know it's been touched. If it can't perch and has fallen out of the nest, put it up in the tree in a berry basket or a woven basket so water will drain out. Parents WILL feed it after people leave.
- If the bird runs around, is chick-like (covered with short, fuzzy down), it may be a baby quail or killdeer. These birds nest on the ground, and the parents' fly off when people come near. Leave the immediate area and watch to see if a parent will come back (you may have to wait up to an hour).
- The bird needs help and should be picked up if: the parents are dead; the bird is newly hatched and the nest and nest mates are out of reach; the bird fell from a palm tree; it has an injury; a cat or a child has brought it in from places unknown.
- If the bird is injured, or has no feathers, it is most important to get it warm. Use a heating pad on low or a light source (low wattage). Fractures need to be set within 48 hours or they heal incorrectly and get infected.
- Raising an orphaned songbird takes from four to eight weeks and a lot of daytime commitment. They need feeding about every 45 minutes from 6AM to 8PM for four to six weeks. No trips to the beach while you're a bird mother! When they become self-feeding (which may not be until six weeks old), they need to be exposed to their natural foods (grains, etc. for seed eaters, mealworms, fruit and berries for the insect and fruit eaters). After being completely self-feeding for one week, they need two weeks in an outdoor aviary to fly and compete with others.
- Hummingbirds, pigeons, doves, hawks, owls, killdeer and quail need special formulas or feeding techniques. Note: Hummingbird babies fed sugar water or "hummingbird nectar and hawks/owls fed hamburger, etc. for more than 24 hours may develop crippling deformities.
TEMPORARY (24-48 HOURS) DIETS FOR BABY SONGBIRDS:
What to feed: Soaked dry cat food (Science Diet, Iams) or soaked dry dog food or hard-boiled egg mashed with water.
To prepare: Add two parts boiling water to one part dry food and soak for one hour. Drain excess water. Mash well with a fork, ricer or blender. Use canned foods as is, or add water if necessary. Consistency should be like thick applesauce.
How to feed: Use a coffee stirrer, straw or paintbrush to put a mouthful of moist food into the back of the bird's throat. Feed until the bird stops gaping (opening it's mouth).
If the bird won't gape (open the mouth wide): Tap the side of the beak, shake the "nest" gently.
Additional Tips for Wild Birds:
- Warm the bird in your hands.
Get some MEALWORMS and cut them into small pieces and place them down its throat. Normally sold at convenience stores, hardware and sporting good stores that sell fishing supplies. You can also use MOIST CAT FOOD as a substitute. Keep bird warm (85 degrees unfeathered) or (75 degrees feathered). Depending upon the age - 4 to 5 feedings a day.- Use fish tank or plastic Tupperware container, put towel inside and place bird on towel.
Cover container with screen or cover container ¾ to keep heat inside with another towel.- Place heating pad under container for warmth.
DO: Keep the bird CLEAN (no food on face or feathers), QUIET (no children or pets in sight of bird), CONTAINED (a box with screen or cover on top).
DON'T: NEVER GIVE LIQUID OF ANY KIND including milk (causes diarrhea) or any liquid (the entrance to the lungs is on the tongue and the bird may drown).
Good Luck!
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