Baby birds ALL READ PLEASE? (1 Viewer)

Well its seems for all the good will intended on this and other forums with regards to advice abouy baby birds, people are still asking how to feed, how often, what do they feed etc etc...

...so could we please have a sticky thread that helps people with these regards? after all we are only human and if we find a baby bird and we dont no what to do and we come here and ask and we get directed to a thread that tells us to contact a rescue center or put it back theres no real advice on how they should be cared for, and in my eyes if you want and can help a baby bird on his way in life then you should, there are to many that would just walk away, and to many that say "its nature" there is very little on the internet that i can find that gives good sound advice.

what do you think?

The advice is simple and clear. Leave them alone. I know that sounds harsh and uncaring, but it is in the best interests of the baby bird. In the majority of cases the parents will be around even if you can't see them, just waiting for you to go away. Different for sick or injured adult birds of course. There are many excellent places devoted to caring for them. Contact the RSPCA (SSPCA in Scotland).

Whispers: I see what your saying. However, surely the best thing you can do for the bird/animal is return it to it's parents/nest and if this is impossible or the bird is injured/ill then it needs to get to a rescue centre asap. Hence this sticky which gives excellent clear advice. http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=36564
But I wonder how many of those looking for help actually read it before posting their plea for help.

I've noticed that even when they ask for a local rescue centre close to them and are given one, they still seem more inclined to 'keep' the bird and try and raise it themselves. I guess you can't force someone to give up the bird and that is when a sticky with feeding advice for different birds like you suggest would be helpful to at least ensure it is fed the right food. But would it just encourage them to keep it (probably), which is not in the bird's best interest (bare in mind you have no idea who the person is that has found the bird and most probably have no experience and are unlikely to rear a healthy wild bird).

If there was to be a new sticky, I would like to see it inclue a list of (or link to) a page giving rescue centre locations/contact numbers as it seems many don't know where their local one is. Then underneath advice on feeding/care while the bird is still in their care but emphasizing that returning it to the parents is the best thing and if not then how important it is to get proper help. This could work for uk, but obviously listing contacts for all countries would be impossible!

Ken Hall said:

The advice is simple and clear. Leave them alone. I know that sounds harsh and uncaring, but it is in the best interests of the baby bird.

Click to expand...

Quite agree. However many of those seeking help have already had the bird in their care for several days or more. Therefore it may be too late or impossible for other reasons to return them. That's when they need other advice.

Thanks kezza you put it much better then i did lol i get so many calls with regards to baby seagulls and this is a hard one becuse they are not fledging when they leave the next, my advice is to always leave well alone mum is doing her job, but sadly i am getting in baby seagulls every day because people think they are on there own and calling all the time [had the local paper up yesterday so they will help at getting the point across]

but i also have in a baby magpie and the wren who is now ready to go, butpeople as you said will pick them up and take them home, then panic because they dont know what to do, but i have to say its easy to learn the baiscs and after all its life skills which play a part, and if it makes that person feel good that they have helped then thats a good thing, and then they might then want to take more of an intrest in nature and then find out that its best to leave them were they are, however from the recent posts i have read its not people who just pick them up its when there little lives are in danger that makes them react to helping, so if we had a sticky thread that gives advice on feeding imprinting, shelta and release and also the bits about leaving them how there parents are with them when they fledge etc etc then thats a good thing, i came on here with regards to learning more about garden birds and raptors etc as this is my down fall, and i first read the baby bird thread and said "fat lot of good that is" when i had this bird already, and as he was handed to me at home i had no idea where he came from....

so.....