TIPS TO RESCUE INJURED/BABY BIRDS

EMERGENCY CARE FOR BIRDS and FAQs

This Blog provides information for the most frequently asked questions regarding baby birds, and injured birds. Additionally, links are provided throughout this page where you will find more specific and detailed information relating to bird care, some include information concerning care of other baby animals. Please note that although it is always kind to try to save the life of a bird, after the initial rescue, it should be done by wildlife rehabilitators who have the knowledge and experience caring for injured animals. Some bird parents feed their babies every 20-30 minutes from dawn to dusk and teach them the basic skills of surviving in the wild. It is a daunting task, parent birds do it effortlessly, but sometimes they need our help.
Please Note: Before attempting larger bird rescues (Herons, Hawks, Owls, Eagles, etc) please read "Personal Safety" Immediate Care Information:
If you have already rescued a baby bird or injured bird, here’s some information you need to know –NOW. When you’ve cared for the bird’s immediate needs you may want to continue reading this page at a more leisurely pace.
1. Do NOT try to force food, milk (they cannot tolerate it) or force water into the bird’s beak, thinking that it will revive or strengthen a bird. You may cause more harm and possibly drown the bird because there is a direct route to the lungs at the back of its tongue. Some baby birds like Doves, Pigeons, Quail and Killdeer do not open their mouths wide to eat – they stick their beaks into the parent’s beak and suck the regurgitated food, so there are different instructions for different birds. See http://aztec.asu.edu/forthebirds/unfeth.html

2. Provide Warmth: If returning the bird to the nest is NOT possible, it is imperative that you provide warmth for the baby bird. Young birds are vulnerable to chill and pneumonia. When you hold the baby bird in your hand, it should feel warmer than your hand. Warmth can be provided with a hot water bottle or heating pad turned on to low. Snuggle the bird in facial tissue directly against the source of warmth, but be sure it is not too hot!!!. If you’ve rescued an injured bird, place it in a well-ventilated box, over a heating pad on low (or hot water bottle) in a dark, quiet place, away from household pets and noise. Sometimes, just allowing a few hours rest and recuperation is all that is required.

3. Housing: Make an artificial nest from a plastic berry box and use facial tissue for nest material. Do not use cloth, shredded paper, cotton or grass as these may result in injury. The legs of the baby are not strong enough to support it, so rest the baby bird in a semi-upright position so that the edges provide support for the body and head. Do not let the bird sprawl on the bottom of the nest. (If you know the location the bird was found, it is best to place it back in the same area so the parents will find it—they’ve been searching! Contrary to popular belief, parents will not reject the baby because you’ve touched it. You can use string or rope to secure the berry box to the limb of a tree or deep bush (a hidden location). Use only enough rope necessary, do not leave any extra string dangling. Watch the nest constantly for at least two hours from as far away as possible to allow the parents to safely reconnect with the baby. The parents will show up for just a few seconds, feed it and take off until the next feeding. If you do not see this happening, continue to care for the bird until you find help.

4. Contact your nearest Wildlife Rehabilitator

PERSONAL SAFETY Some birds are very dangerous to handle. (Remember – Birds have no idea we are trying to help them, they fight rescue fearing they are about to be killed) A heron (large bird-long pointed beak) can easily stab an eye (or both) in a matter of seconds! Wear safety glasses when picking up large birds like this. Raptors have very sharp claws and it is best to wear heavy gloves when attempting a rescue. Also, some bird diseases can be transmitted to humans so it is advisable, if possible, to wear gloves when picking up a sick or injured bird and to always wash hands thoroughly after handling any bird.
What to do if you find a baby bird.
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/advice4.htm
Emergency Feeding Instructions
http://www.csubak.edu/fact/babybird.html
You Found a Baby Bird "Hopping" On the Ground, but Doesn’t Seem to be Able to Fly.
Many baby birds leave the nest before they are able to fly. The reason they do this is varied. It could be that the nest became too small to accommodate all the babies (they’ve been growing at a rapid speed) or because parasites have invaded the nest, or because they sense they have a better chance against predators being out of the nest, but mostly because the parents have coaxed them, one-by-one, out of the nest because they knew instinctively it was time for their babies to take their first flight!

The parents have not abandoned them, they are close by, watching and caring for these babies. They bring food to them throughout the day and within a short period of time (days) the babies are flying, not gracefully, but flying short distances and then they follow their parents who will show them the best sources of food and water.

The best thing to do is to leave it there, if you have picked it up, bring it back to the exact area you found it, place it in or under a bush. The parents have, most likely, been frantically looking and calling for this lost baby. You can wait and watch for a few hours to make sure the baby bird is OK, but do this from as far away as possible so you don’t frighten the parents who are waiting for a safe time to approach the baby bird. If after watching from a distance for several hours you cannot see the bird’s parents, follow the previous instructions and call your nearest Wildlife Rehabilitator. (Links listed above) (Exceptions: You see a baby bird is in an obviously dangerous situation like sitting in the middle of the road. Pick it up and place it in a nearby bush where parents will still find it easily.)

You Found an Injured Bird.
For whatever reason, birds have accidents too; sometimes they fly into windows and become dazed or unconscious but will recover with just a little help from us, but sometimes it is much more serious. What to do?
DO NOT TRY TO FORCE FEED OR FORCE WATER into the bird’s beak, thinking it might revive or will help strengthen the bird; doing this is like trying to make an unconscious person eat or drink.
PROVIDE WARMTH: Find an appropriate sized box, make ventilation holes in it, place tissue at the bottom of the box and place the injured bird inside. Place the box on a heating pad set of LOW, then place the box in a very dark quiet place in your home. Sometimes, a few hours of rest and warmth are all a bird needs to recover.
CONTACT THE NEAREST WILDLIFE REHABILITATOR
ODD BIRD BEHAVIOR
Birds are Flying Against/Hitting Closed Windows.
Birds can see their reflection in a window. During the breeding season, when the birds are most territorial, they view the reflection as another bird intruding on their territory, and try to chase it away. Most species do not recognize the reflection as their own self. Many species of birds engage in this activity. The best way to discourage this behavior is to place a non-reflective material in front of the window on the outside to prevent the reflection. This is only a temporary behavior that will cease when the breeding season in over.