Difference between revisions of "Care for Newborn Birds"
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{{Title|Care for Newly Hatched Wild Chicks|date=2016-01-09}} | {{Title|Care for Newly Hatched Wild Chicks|date=2016-01-09}} | ||
| − | Wild baby birds face many challenges to get to adulthood. They often find themselves out of the safety of the nest, in potential danger. If you find a baby bird that needs help, there are many steps to care for it until you give it to a wildlife rehabilitation facility. You should never try to raise a baby bird on your own. In fact, laws in many countries (the U.S. and Canada, for example) require you to turn the bird over to a licensed professional.<ref>http://www.spca.bc.ca/welfare/wildlife/injured/wildlife-emergency-response.html</ref><ref>http://www.ewildagain.org/pdf/RecBooklet.pdf</ref> In the U.K., you can take in and care for a wild bird if you can prove you didn't injure it yourself.<ref>http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/WBATL_tcm9-132998.pdf</ref> Some protected species must be turned over to licensed wildlife rehabilitators. In general, you should do your best to leave the bird in its natural habitat or turn it over to people trained to care for it. | + | Wild baby birds face many challenges to get to adulthood. They often find themselves out of the safety of the nest, in potential danger. If you find a baby bird that needs help, there are many steps to care for it until you give it to a wildlife rehabilitation facility. You should never try to raise a baby bird on your own. In fact, laws in many countries (the U.S. and Canada, for example) require you to turn the bird over to a licensed professional.<ref name="rf1">http://www.spca.bc.ca/welfare/wildlife/injured/wildlife-emergency-response.html</ref><ref name="rf2">http://www.ewildagain.org/pdf/RecBooklet.pdf</ref> In the U.K., you can take in and care for a wild bird if you can prove you didn't injure it yourself.<ref name="rf3">http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/WBATL_tcm9-132998.pdf</ref> Some protected species must be turned over to licensed wildlife rehabilitators. In general, you should do your best to leave the bird in its natural habitat or turn it over to people trained to care for it. |
[[Category:Bird Breeding and Nesting]] | [[Category:Bird Breeding and Nesting]] | ||
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#*Fill a small box or bowl with dried grass or paper towels, and place the bird in its makeshift nest. Do not use fresh grass, because that could make the baby bird cold | #*Fill a small box or bowl with dried grass or paper towels, and place the bird in its makeshift nest. Do not use fresh grass, because that could make the baby bird cold | ||
#*You can also use a basket with a handle, then hang the basket from a nearby tree branch. | #*You can also use a basket with a handle, then hang the basket from a nearby tree branch. | ||
| − | #*Leave this "nest" where you found the bird. Wait to see if a parent bird comes by to take care of the baby.<ref>http://www.marathonwildbirdcenter.org/baby_birds.html</ref> | + | #*Leave this "nest" where you found the bird. Wait to see if a parent bird comes by to take care of the baby.<ref name="rf4">http://www.marathonwildbirdcenter.org/baby_birds.html</ref> |
| − | #Call the professionals if no parents come.<ref>http://wildliferehabinfo.org/Contact_A-M.htm</ref><ref>http://bwrc.org.uk/#/find-a-rehabilitator/4550582130</ref><ref>http://wildliferehabinfo.org/Contact_Intnl.htm</ref> If, after waiting for an hour or so, you haven't seen any parent birds come to take care of the baby, you should reach out to experts. Licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialists will be best equipped to keep the baby bird healthy and happy. | + | #Call the professionals if no parents come.<ref name="rf5">http://wildliferehabinfo.org/Contact_A-M.htm</ref><ref name="rf6">http://bwrc.org.uk/#/find-a-rehabilitator/4550582130</ref><ref name="rf7">http://wildliferehabinfo.org/Contact_Intnl.htm</ref> If, after waiting for an hour or so, you haven't seen any parent birds come to take care of the baby, you should reach out to experts. Licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialists will be best equipped to keep the baby bird healthy and happy. |
#*If you can’t find a rehabilitator on your own, call vets, bird stores or the local Audubon Society and ask them to put you in touch with one. | #*If you can’t find a rehabilitator on your own, call vets, bird stores or the local Audubon Society and ask them to put you in touch with one. | ||
#*The wildlife rehabilitator will want to know where you found the bird, so he or she can return it to its home when it's healed. Be as specific as possible. | #*The wildlife rehabilitator will want to know where you found the bird, so he or she can return it to its home when it's healed. Be as specific as possible. | ||
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#*Place the bird in a bush or high enough up a tree to keep the fledgling out of predators' reach. | #*Place the bird in a bush or high enough up a tree to keep the fledgling out of predators' reach. | ||
#Watch and wait for the parents. Give the parents about an hour to come back and check on the fledgling. If, after that time, the parents have not appeared, you need to seek professional help for the fledgling. | #Watch and wait for the parents. Give the parents about an hour to come back and check on the fledgling. If, after that time, the parents have not appeared, you need to seek professional help for the fledgling. | ||
| − | #Contact a wildlife rehabilitation center.<ref | + | #Contact a wildlife rehabilitation center.<ref name="rf5" /> Again, it's very important to remember that wildlife rehabilitators are best equipped to take care of the bird. Find a licensed specialist who will be able to give it a better shot at a healthy life. |
#*Remember to provide specific information about where the bird was found. | #*Remember to provide specific information about where the bird was found. | ||
#Take injured fledglings to get medical treatment. If, after watching the bird for a couple minutes, you decide it looks sick or injured, you need to get it help. Gently scoop the bird up and place it in a manmade “nest.” | #Take injured fledglings to get medical treatment. If, after watching the bird for a couple minutes, you decide it looks sick or injured, you need to get it help. Gently scoop the bird up and place it in a manmade “nest.” | ||
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#Don’t handle the bird more than needed. You may think the baby bird is adorable, but it might find you terrifying. Resist the urge to hold the bird for your own pleasure. Touch it only as much as you need to get it into its makeshift nest. | #Don’t handle the bird more than needed. You may think the baby bird is adorable, but it might find you terrifying. Resist the urge to hold the bird for your own pleasure. Touch it only as much as you need to get it into its makeshift nest. | ||
#Keep your hands and area around the "nest" clean. Birds can carry any number of germs and diseases. Every time you handle the bird, wash your hands immediately. Keep the bird away from the kitchen or anywhere you handle food. You don't want any fecal matter getting into your food. | #Keep your hands and area around the "nest" clean. Birds can carry any number of germs and diseases. Every time you handle the bird, wash your hands immediately. Keep the bird away from the kitchen or anywhere you handle food. You don't want any fecal matter getting into your food. | ||
| − | #Do not give the bird water.<ref | + | #Do not give the bird water.<ref name="rf4" /><ref name="rf8">http://www.wildbirdcarecentre.org/faq.php#nestlingFAQ</ref> You might find it strange, but baby birds do not drink water. If you try to give it water through a syringe or eyedropper, water can get into its lungs and cause death. |
| − | #Ask a wildlife rehabilitation specialist for feeding advice.<ref | + | #Ask a wildlife rehabilitation specialist for feeding advice.<ref name="rf5" /> Contact the wildlife rehabilitation center that will be taking the bird in and ask whether you should feed the bird. If the center will take the bird in soon, representatives of the center may tell you to just wait until they can feed it themselves. However, if there's a delay, follow their expert advice on what to feed the baby. |
#* Not all birds eat the same thing. Giving it milk, bread or other foods that "sound right" may cause diarrhea or other health problems. Follow the wildlife specialist’s directions carefully. | #* Not all birds eat the same thing. Giving it milk, bread or other foods that "sound right" may cause diarrhea or other health problems. Follow the wildlife specialist’s directions carefully. | ||
| − | #Substitute dog kibble for seeds.<ref | + | #Substitute dog kibble for seeds.<ref name="rf4" /> Do this only if you are certain that the bird eats seeds (e.g., doves or pigeons). In the short term, you can replace the bird's natural food with dog kibble until the bird is under expert care. |
#*Soak the kibble in water for an hour using a ratio of 1 part kibble to 2 parts water. | #*Soak the kibble in water for an hour using a ratio of 1 part kibble to 2 parts water. | ||
#*Feed the bird small, pea-sized pieces of the now-spongy kibble. | #*Feed the bird small, pea-sized pieces of the now-spongy kibble. | ||
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*Don't feed food made for adult birds to baby birds. It doesn't contain the nutrients that baby birds need to grow and thrive. | *Don't feed food made for adult birds to baby birds. It doesn't contain the nutrients that baby birds need to grow and thrive. | ||
*For small birds, you could even use a paper bag with air holes poked in the sides to house the bird for a short period of time. | *For small birds, you could even use a paper bag with air holes poked in the sides to house the bird for a short period of time. | ||
| − | *Call the wildlife rehabilitation center or specialist in your area. You can find the information online or call your local animal control agency or veterinary hospital.<ref>http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/faq/master_folder/attracting/challenges/orphaned</ref> | + | *Call the wildlife rehabilitation center or specialist in your area. You can find the information online or call your local animal control agency or veterinary hospital.<ref name="rf9">http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/faq/master_folder/attracting/challenges/orphaned</ref> |
== Warnings == | == Warnings == | ||
