Help - I've found a injured Juvenile Cormorant (2 Viewers)

[Scooby384]

Hello Folks. new member, here initially for some help with an injured bird i have just found. At the risk of getting some grief from experts on this site I will offer that despite my age I am a novice with regard to birdlife although I have a lifelong passion for the welfare of animals. this morning, at work, i saw what appears to be a small perhaps juvenile bird hopping and trying unsuccessfully to fly across our car park. I watched it for a while, it made no effort to move from approaching cars. There was no obvious sign of parents or similar birds. I believe it to be a Cormorant. I am in Sheffield, about as far from the coast as one can get in the UK. I have captured and boxed and placed in a secure and isolated room to give to time to recover. It is ringed but I an not adept at handling the bird safely and checking same. In the absence of any positive suggestions, it is my intention to allow the bird to recover strength and give it freedom in a few hours time. I have not fed or watered it at this time. It is feisty so any injury may be restricted to its wings or it is simply tired. I would appreciate any advice please.

 

[delia todd]

Hi Scooby and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators. Cormorants do breed inland, often on lakes where there are tall trees. We have some general guidelines here for the care of injured and baby birds.

You may find this site helpful for getting assistance to this bird.

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Could you post a picture? This is the time of year when seabirds May turn up “wrecked” inland, so you may have something like a guillemot or razorbill rather than a cormorant. I would certainly suggest taking it to a wildlife rehabilitation centre if possible.

 

[Scooby384]

Thank you folks for your help this quickly. I have read some of the attached info as well as other advice online. Initially the bird was seemingly trying to fly but in short bursts but then placed itself in danger of vehicles and refused to give way! Having captured and rested it, I have just released into into a nearby parkland pond (in the city centre!) where it has the company of countless other fowls but sadly none that it resembles. It immediately took to diving underwater for minutes at a time but I fear that the water may not contain the fish that it appears to be hunting. It made no effort to integrate with the various ducks and small geese. I will keep checking over the coming days to see if it has recovered sufficiently to try and follow it friends/ relatives but it was sad seeing it hunting without reward. Thank you once again.

 

[Prestdj]

i think its a shag and well done

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Welcome to BirdForum. As has been mentioned, your bird is a Shag. Quite a few have been displaced by storms over the past week or two. It will be a record of interest to local birders in Sheffield, as I suspect it's not a common species there. It's good that you've put it on a lake. If there are fish of any kind, it should be able to feed and rest, which is helpful.

 

[Scooby384]

Andrew that's very helpful. Having now studied photos yes I agree it looks more like a shag. I've just been to see it again and it was on the bankside on it's own. I may have been better trying to locate it to a larger water feature with more evidence of fish present. I suspect that I won't be able to capture as easily as I did first time so I am hoping for the best for now.

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

So if there are fish in the lake, the best plan is to leave it alone; hopefully it will feed, regain strength and move on. If there are no fish and/or the pool is too small or overgrown to allow it to fly off then the local RSPCA and/or wildlife rescue may be able to recapture it and then rehabilitate it. 🤞

 

[Scooby384]

Thank you for that. I have left a message with the local RSPCA but from what I have read online I shouldn't expect much help. I captured a an injured juvenile Peregrine a couple of years ago whilst dog walking and it was a challenge before I located a not nearby rapture recovery centre. A much happier ending but a more difficult capture! I am trying to post on local bird group sites. Thank you for all this lovely help.

 

[Chris G6 UXU]

Hello and welcome to the forum, enjoy and all the best.

 

[Kits]

Welcome to Birdforum. Well done on your rescue.

 

[Scooby384]

Thank you for the warm welcome and, kind words and helpful advice. The best humans are on the animal websites!

 

[KC Foggin]

Hi Scooby! It's good to have you here with us Enjoy!

 

[Scooby384]

Hi Scooby! It's good to have you here with us Enjoy!

Thank you.

 

[Fritz73]

Hola! Welcome to Birdforum