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Help with identifing baby bird (1 Viewer)

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Portishead123

Member
Hi all.
I have come here as I found a baby bird in the garden 3 days ago. He was blown out of a nest in a storm. I happened to see him face down virtually dead not moving.. No parents were coming. So I picked him up. I have been feeding him soaked dog kibble and wet cat food since and some meal worms.

From my attached video, Can anyone identify him. He's going good now and eats like a loony every half hour to hour in the day .

Am I feeding it the right stuff? How long before he's ready to take to a tree!!!

https://youtu.be/cPWhPf0JQ_Y

Thanks for any help.
 
Hard to say what it is - lots look the same at this age.
If it stays alive it will feather up pretty quickly, and then we can ID it. It should take 7-10 days.
You are doing well feeding and caring for it, but you will not be able to release it back into the wild as it will not get the parental guidance on where to find food, what to eat, etc etc. If you do release it, it will likely starve within days...... so, you have two choices, either accept you have a pet for life or find someone with an aviary, or better a wildlife rehab centre and give the bird to them. Personally I'd recommend the latter. If you do a Google search I'm sure there'll be one in or around Bristol.

Mick
 
The green stuff looks too large for such a small throat, I would use smaller bits (what is that green stuff?).

I guess it is some kind of songbird, in which case it will start fluttering in about two weeks and must be fed for another week or so. I think it has the same life expectancy as an average songbird raised by its parents. I guess once it goes outside it may join a flock of other fledglings and see what the others are doing (yesterday I saw a creche of four different songbird species). They do rely on instincts much - you peck on small insects and that's it, and your instincts and foot structure lead you to to hang sidewise on trees or under branch or whatever.
 
I believe it's possibly a goldfinch. I have found a nest high up and there is a finch coming and going but no other chicks. I put him in the box under the trees and feed him. He makes a lot of noise and the parent finch comes up by the high nest but it looks like the nest has a hole in it. Maybe he fell out. The green stuff is soaked dog kibble. I give him smaller pieces usually.
I don't think I can get to the nest to put straw on and even put him in it.
 
Hi Portishead and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators.

Is it possible to get a hanging basket, that you can suspend from a branch, perhaps, as high as you can safely reach?

Well done for trying to help this wee mite. Trying to rear a bird as young as this is extremely difficult. We have some general guidelines here for the care of injured and baby birds.

Good luck - and please let us know how you get on.
 
That's a good idea. I was thinking perhaps I could fill the existing nest with hay but I think it's too high and if it doesn't work I've got to keep going up and down.
I just fed him again. The parents definitely come. Are they likely to take him on? Will they know?
 
If it's their chick, the chances are good that they'll take over the care.

And if you do try this option, just try keeping a 'distant' eye on things, rather then risk scaring them off. If it doesn't work, at least you've tried and you may be able to contact a wildlife rehabber. I'm sure there's a very reputable rescue centre in Somerset.
 
Well, here he is hanging in his new nest. Definitely a few finches cheeping out there.
I had a couple flying around me whilst hanging it. I have an ipcam pointed on it if I could only figure out how to do port forwarding...
Hopefully a bird will take up the job or I'll Have to bring him back in. Feeding him every hour up a ladder is no mean feat. At least he starts making noises then.
Screenshot_20170705-123408.jpg
 
Well done and good luck!!!

Portishead said:
I have an ipcam pointed on it if I could only figure out how to do port forwarding...
Click to expand...

I don't know what system you have, but someone in this forum, may be able to help you figure it out.

Don't ask me, I haven't a clue about these things!!!
 
Just reinforcing the message that those pieces of green stuff are too big and very dry looking which won't help the swallowing.

Small pieces of minced meat would be good.


A
 
If it's a Goldfinch, or there are no other species nesting in the tree (pretty likely), then yes that's the nest. If you get him in there he'll be sorted.
 
Well, in that case I best give it a go. I've disturbed it all a bit at the moment so perhaps I'll do it tonight. You don't think it will be a problem? He appears rather more livelier than his siblings if he indeed came from there...
Here he is today.. Corrected link
https://youtu.be/JFTNu02SHDY
 
Last edited:
Can I just reinforce what I said earlier. If you have to rear it to fledging there is no point at all letting it go - it will die from starvation. HOWEVER, if you are successful in getting it 're-adopted', and there seems every possibility you might, then all is good. Again, all credit to you for the time and effort you are putting in.

Mick
 
Do you think putting him in nest in the evening with his brothers and sisters is a good time? He'll start chirping for food then first thing in the morning... Hopefully parent will feed him.
 
As good a time as any. However young birds in the nest are programmed to 'scatter bomb' if faced with a potential predator - so take it slowly and if they show any sign of this then abort. If they do then don't try to collect them and put them back, they will just do it again. In that case just leave them for the adults to locate and feed where they are.

Mick
 
Mission accomplished - I have managed to have a look in the nest and grab a pic or 3 whilst wavering around at the top of the tree with wife hoping I don't fall on her Then we snook him in. All appears well at the moment. Two become three......
Time will tell!!
DSC_1389-768x1366.jpg
DSC_1394-768x1366.jpg
 
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