US Newbie. Help With New Jersey Bird ID? (1 Viewer)

Evening Everyone,
I found a small bird in my backyard with an apparently injured wing. It is currently recuperating, quite successfully I might add, in my garage. I'd love to find out what it is but have no idea where to start. It is the size of a sparrow, with vaguely similar grey and brown feathers, but has a patch of bright yellow at the base of its back just before where the tail-feathers start.
Help, anyone?

Hi, Spicydog,

Another warm welcome to you from BirdForum!

Sounds like your bird could possibly be a yellow-rumped warbler, although without a photo I'm just guessing based on your description. I would strongly urge you to call a rehabber in your area. Not knowing where in NJ you are, here's a list of rehabbers throughout the state. I'm sure this isn't a comprehensive list, but if none listed are close to you, I'm sure if you called them they might be able to refer you to someone who is.

Let us know how your little bird does, will you? Good luck!

New Jersey, Central

New Jersey, Central region, Mercer County (Hopewell)..... 609-466-1311

Dave Purdy, Mountain Wildlife Refuge, Inc.
[email protected]
New Jersey, Central region (Lawrenceville)..... 609-538-1933

Timothy Steinbeiser, Mercer County Wildlife Center
[email protected]
Specialty: lots of experience with mourning doves of all ages, care and feeding of songbirds
New Jersey, Central region (Medford)..... 856-983-3329

Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge
[email protected]
Specialty: Permanent resident GH owls for surrogating owlets.
Comments: Our facility is part of a 175 acre Refuge which borders N.J.'s Wharton State Forest so releasing at our site is most appropriate.
New Jersey, Central region, Philadelphia area (National Park)..... 609-845-4581

Carol Martino, Wildlife Rehabilitation and Rescue Service
[email protected]
Wildlife Species: eastern grey squirrels, skunks, opossums, raccoons
New Jersey, Central region (Tabernacle)..... 609-859-0505

JoAnn Balliet, Wounded Knee Wildlife Refuge, Inc.
[email protected]
Wildlife Species: orphan raccoon, cottontail rabbit, and songbird care, rehab of high risk rabies terrestrial species
www.angelfire.com/nj/woundedknee/


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New Jersey, Northern

New Jersey, Northern region (Layton)..... 973-948-0037

Linda Mihatov, Wild & Free
Specialty: white-tail deer fawns, small mammals, humane education
programs; veterinary technician
New Jersey, Northern region (Morristown)..... 973-829-7111

Jennifer Norton, licensed homewildlife rehabilitator
[email protected]
Wildlife Species: Wrens, killdeer, hummingbirds, aerial insectivores
(flycatchers, swallows, etc.) and cottontails
Specialty: Successful rearing of hatchlings
New Jersey, Northern region, Stillwater (Sussex County)..... 973-579-1039

Carol Failla, Wildlife Rescue
[email protected]
Wildlife Species: crows and raccoons
New Jersey, Northern region (Sussex)..... 973-702-1957

Giselle Chazotte Smisko, Avian Wildlife Center
Wildlife Species: handle all wild species of birds and specialize in raptors and songbirds


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New Jersey, Northwest

New Jersey, Northwest region, Hunterdon County (Califon)..... 908-832-6430

Freda Remmers, Raritan River Wildlife Refuge
[email protected]
Wildlife Species: small mammals
New Jersey, Northwest region, Warren County (Broadway)..... 908-835-9991

Donna Fox, RN (executive director), Rocky Springs Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Inc.
[email protected]
Wildlife Species: small mammals, fawns
Comments: for 2003 hope to be ready to be licensed to do songbirds, waterfowl, and screech owls


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New Jersey, Southern

New Jersey, Southern region (Vineland)..... 609-696-1128

CritterMom suragate mother for orphaned wildlife
Wildlife Species: squirrels, rabbits

Yellow-Rumped Warbler (?) Getting Better

Dear Katy,
Thanks for the help. From the photos I've found on the net since your posting, it looks like she could very probably be a female yellow-rumped warbler (or maybe a pine-siskin?). I just checked on her and she seems so much better than she did earlier: taking short flights around the garage (she couldn't fly at all earlier) yet refusing to fly away from me in the backyard when offered the opportunity.She drank some water for me yet I haven't seen her take food ( I provided some grass-seed and a couple of worms- I don't know what they eat normally). I'll check again first thing in the morning. If she still seems injured in a day or so then I'll contact a rehabber. Or do you think I shouldn't wait?

Hello spicydog and welcome to Birdforum.net

Do keep us posted on how you get on with the bird.

Regards

Hi Spicydog, welcome to Birdforum.

hello, welcome to bird forum!

spicydog said:

Dear Katy,
Thanks for the help. From the photos I've found on the net since your posting, it looks like she could very probably be a female yellow-rumped warbler (or maybe a pine-siskin?). I just checked on her and she seems so much better than she did earlier: taking short flights around the garage (she couldn't fly at all earlier) yet refusing to fly away from me in the backyard when offered the opportunity.She drank some water for me yet I haven't seen her take food ( I provided some grass-seed and a couple of worms- I don't know what they eat normally). I'll check again first thing in the morning. If she still seems injured in a day or so then I'll contact a rehabber. Or do you think I shouldn't wait?

Click to expand...

I'd almost suggested a possible pine siskin, but they don't have yellow rumps -- yellow in the wings and sides of tail, though, mostly visible only in flight. I'd think you have a Myrtle race of Yellow-rumped warbler, which can look sparrow-like with its streaky plumage.

Warblers will eat mealworms, not earthworms (too big); their diet consists of gleaning insects and small caterpillars out of trees and leaves. If you can get mealworms from a local pet or feed store, set that out and see if your bird will take it. If it's flying unrestrained in the back yard, I'd think there's no reason to call a rehabber, unless you want peace of mind from getting a professional's opinion, which can never hurt.

Here, when we get injured birds (the bulk are pine siskins) from window strikes, the key is whether they can fly. If they can't fly away within 15-30 minutes, then I physically sit outside (to discourage rock squirrels and jays from "poking around") until the bird can fly off. If the weather's cold and the bird doesn't startle by my coming close to it, I'll sometimes hold it cupped in my hand for warmth until it can fly off. Or if it's late in the day and the bird still hasn't taken off, I'll then bring it inside and keep it in a warm, dark box with water available and release it the next morning. If it still won't fly off, then I take it to the local vet who takes in all injured wild birds and rehabs them for free.

Keep us posted on how your bird fares, okay? And if you do get a photo of it, please attach it to your message here. I'd love to know what this little guy is!