Baby bird advice (1 Viewer)

Hi,
I've just found this forum and hoping someone can help!
I'm a vet nurse and a client brought a baby sparrow in last Wednesday (we do normally tell people to leave alone etc but it was too late for that).
She's doing really well, gained weight, size and developing well (is now using wings to jump about, not full flight but practising!)
I have two problems - 1 - I having problems getting her to eat seed. She still wants me to feed her with the syringe (perhaps she's just not ready?) but I'm worried I'm not teaching her right? She's in a small hamster cage so I have seed in the bottom for her to go down to peck at. I have also tried putting some into her beak when she opens it but she spits it out. She does take live wax worms out of my fingers but won't take dried mealworms. She'll take a little suet off my finger nail. Any tips on getting her picking up by herself or will it just come with time?
- 2 - from when I got her she has no feathers whatsoever across her back, she is bald. Will these come with time or could there be something wrong with her? I don't know what normal is! Will try to attach lics

My guess is that it is very recently hatched and it will be a bit before it will feed on its own. You've got a lot of work ahead you. I understand your worries about the bird becoming too close and used to humans. When it is eating on its own, you can try what I have tried a few times and it worked. Put it in a cage on a back porch with the door open with seed and water in the cage. It may take a couple of days before it leaves and may come back for one or two days but eventually it will join nature

Hi there and a warm welcome to you from those of us on staff here at BirdForum.

Please let us know how this works out for you.

Re food - young birds (including seed-eaters like Sparrows) will only take protein at this stage, usually in the form of insects and caterpillars, so you will need to stick with waxworms etc for a while. With caterpillars there is enough water in them they rarely need additional water, but you might need a little.

Re the back feathers they should develop as the bird becomes fully feathered and ready to fly.

Your additional problem is that this bird is now unlikely to be able to be released back into the wild. Adults will stay with young after fledging teaching them where to forage and what for. This you cannot do! So you have a cage-bird for the rest of its days. Try to find someone with an aviary of finches/canaries would be my advice. Letting it go is likely just consigning it to starve to death.

Best wishes

Mick

I'm not sure if this will be of any help:

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00Man/AvianHusbandryTechniques/UKBHusbIndTech/HR_Av_Passerines.htm

ChrisKten said:

I'm not sure if this will be of any help:

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00Man/AvianHusbandryTechniques/UKBHusbIndTech/HR_Av_Passerines.htm

Click to expand...

A pretty good guide and summary I'd say, Chris.
It also points out that release of such hand-reared birds is unlikely to be successful.

Mick

Yeah, it's a good resource, Mick - very detailed information on rescuing and caring for vulnerable/sick wildlife. It's clear that it's quite an undertaking to rescue a young bird, and often ends in tears for the rescuer.

Still, I guess we have to try to help if it's in our nature, but sometimes it's best to leave it to Nature... easier said than done though.

ChrisKten said:

Yeah, it's a good resource, Mick - very detailed information on rescuing and caring for vulnerable/sick wildlife. It's clear that it's quite an undertaking to rescue a young bird, and often ends in tears for the rescuer.

Still, I guess we have to try to help if it's in our nature, but sometimes it's best to leave it to Nature... easier said than done though.

Click to expand...

Yes, it's always a tough call. On Sunday I was out doung a 200km cycle event. The weather was appalling so for the first time in my life I gave up after 50km, turned around and cycled home in pouring rain. I felt something bump my ankle, and when I looked down it was a baby robin, sat in the middle of the road, where, if I left it, it would get run over. I was tempted to take it home, but I'm too selfish to devote that kind of time. So I put it up on the ditch, and sat with it for half an hour, willing it to 'cheep' to call its parents. It didn't call, no parents appeared, and I was getting hypothermic. So I left it and cycled home. It kind of haunts me, the sight of it there on a ditch, under a branch, all fluffed up!
So I salute you in your efforts and wish you and the sparrow the best!