Baby Bird Rescue

http://www.WildlifeTheater.com

1. It is NOT true that handling a baby bird will make the parents abandon it. Birds don't have much of a sense of smell.

2. If you find a baby bird without its feathers, it is always best to return it to the nest. If it has all its feathers, it's probably learning to fly and should be left alone.

3. It is illegal to raise a wild bird without a permit. If a bird truly needs medical attention, contact a local wildlife rehabilitation center.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• mockingbird
• nest
• fledgling
• hatchling
• nestling

[gnwcbsv]

do you know if it died?

[timvid]

@gnwcbsv It did - I think the mother kept kicking it out of the nest because I found it on the ground several times. I think that's why the mother wasn't attacking me when I was near the baby - she had already rejected it.

[silverbulletgirl29]

I guess I couldn't have it all. At least one bird was saved, but the first bird was intact and not injured like the little brown bird which my cat attacked outside in our front yard.

[silverbulletgirl29]

Birds are fragile, esp. when it comes to injuries/illnesses and the smaller the bird, it's chances of survival drop drastically which is sad but true, no matter what you do or who does it. But failure sucks. I would love to hear from someone who has had success in treating an injured bird from a cat attack & it lived & tell me how you did it, b/c I need this valuable information in order to find the key into saving injured birds vs. normal healthy birds that are larger.

[silverbulletgirl29]

No matter how minute the injury, all birds must receive a shot of antibiotic (Ampicillin, Penicillin, or Amoxicillin) to prevent infection if scratched or bite by an animal (dog/cat, etc.) or they will die. Sometimes they need steroids to control/prevent swelling, pain meds (shot of Metacam or oral, IV/SQ fluids to rehydrate, warmth, oxygen cage, etc. dark quiet place to calm down/rest and light. Wounds must be cleaned & flushed & repaired or closed/drained etc. by a prof

[silverbulletgirl29]

It's not something I would want to do all the time, b/c I have a life but I was lucky I was home for the holidays, available to do it and well equipped as I work at a vet clinic and will be working at two clinics (one kennel and one vet assistant during this spring and summer) this year and am finishing up my vet tech degree.

[silverbulletgirl29]

Twiggy was my first bird to successfully to rehabilitate, even though I'm not a rehabber, but what choice did I have if there wasn't anyone available and I just found out that he was in fact a migratory bird, so I'm lucky the whole rehabilitation procedure was a success and he is now with his own kind and I still see/hear him every other day.

[silverbulletgirl29]

Well some birds will but not raptors, crows, grackles, or starlings, they may stick to their human caregivers for life which is NOT a good thing. But woodpeckers I found out will gain their independence and quickly when the time comes.

[silverbulletgirl29]

And the bad news is I couldn't find a rehabber that time either b/c of the holidays. It seems I'm going to end up finding a bird come every darn holiday. What I find out is that you won't have much luck w/saving a bird from a cat/dog/animal attack b/c 99.9% of them die esp. if they are a small bird, but u are better able to save one not injured or sick. As long as they don't imprint on you, and fledglings are already imprinted on the parents and not you and will take off when let go.

[silverbulletgirl29]

I can see why a rehabber is pooped after all this type of work. I'm going to have to make some calls. Funny thing, just right after Twiggy's release, our stupid cat got ahold of a small brown bird a nuthatch or something. I doctored it up, force fed it, got its strength back and SQ fluids and IM injxn of Ampicillin from vet to prevent infection, and it survived that very day and night and was awake next morning but on New Year's Eve, the fireworks outside must've caused it a heartattack.

[silverbulletgirl29]

When I went outside today this morning I heard his rrrrreeeeee noise and pecking around. I'd recognize that cry anywhere since I helped raise him during his last baby stage.

[silverbulletgirl29]

We released him out in our backyard Xmas day and he took to the nearest tree and I watched him peck on that tree and rushed over and watched him fly to a higher tall big tree. I see him hanging and feeding with the bluejays, for he is the only woodpecker sighting I've seen so far this time of year. But by now, he may have found a mate, I hope. He seems to be gathering food and nesting material when I see him foraging around outside, he's been a busy body lately and doesn't come close.