Hello All!! I'm so very happy to have found you. I'm hoping someone can help me. Here's the story, I'll try to keep it short:
Two days ago I was out walking my dog when I noticed someone cut down a tree from their yard and dumped it down the bush road where I walk. The tree was just cut that morning as it wasn't there the night before. My dog heard the squeaks from within. Inside were 6 pileated woodpecker babies. Eyes open, and feathers JUST starting to show. 3 were already deceased. Must've been with the fall of the tree. The person just left them there to die, miles from their mom and dad.
Obviously I could not leave them there to die. I took the 3 survivors home. They were so weak they could barely lift their heads for the syringe of ground up worms. After a few hours they perked up. I started to call authorities for 2 reasons. To have these birds taken care of and to find the frigger who did this. And these are the answers I received:
Ministry of Natural Resources said they did not want to get involved as it was on private property that the illegal dumping occurred, and to contact the SPCA to have them look after the birds.
Humane Society (SPCA) told me to bring them back to where I found them and let them starve to death. They didn't want to get involved either.
Are these not a protected species, once even on the endangered species list? Nobody cares. I can't find help.
As for the babies:
I have 2 females and 1 male. Hope, Glory and Courage. Courage (the male) was having a hard time standing once he was strong. I've now realized his right leg is not working. Has no response in even his little toes. It's always pulled right up to his body. He tries to maneuver with his wings, but doesn't have the balance to even extend his neck to eat at times. The other two are doing great. I'm feeding them Exact Handfeeding baby bird formula and they are really taking to it.
I just don't know what to do. I certainly can't kill them or let them starve. But clearly Courage will never be okay. He won't be able to hang onto trees or ever even fly properly. No where in our small city do we have any wildlife rehabilitators. It's so sad.
Can someone give me pointers on how to raise them? What to feed them? And how to manage Courage? Will they know how to fly on their own? And Pileated Woodpeckers stay with their parents until fall to learn how to hunt down their insects. What do I do then?! OR is anyone experienced with them are willing to raise them?
I currently have 2 cats, 1 dog and 1 rabbit in addition to these birds! I feel like I'm running a zoo (and loving every minute of it!)
Thank you for any response! o
Two days ago I was out walking my dog when I noticed someone cut down a tree from their yard and dumped it down the bush road where I walk. The tree was just cut that morning as it wasn't there the night before. My dog heard the squeaks from within. Inside were 6 pileated woodpecker babies. Eyes open, and feathers JUST starting to show. 3 were already deceased. Must've been with the fall of the tree. The person just left them there to die, miles from their mom and dad.
Obviously I could not leave them there to die. I took the 3 survivors home. They were so weak they could barely lift their heads for the syringe of ground up worms. After a few hours they perked up. I started to call authorities for 2 reasons. To have these birds taken care of and to find the frigger who did this. And these are the answers I received:
Ministry of Natural Resources said they did not want to get involved as it was on private property that the illegal dumping occurred, and to contact the SPCA to have them look after the birds.
Humane Society (SPCA) told me to bring them back to where I found them and let them starve to death. They didn't want to get involved either.
Are these not a protected species, once even on the endangered species list? Nobody cares. I can't find help.
As for the babies:
I have 2 females and 1 male. Hope, Glory and Courage. Courage (the male) was having a hard time standing once he was strong. I've now realized his right leg is not working. Has no response in even his little toes. It's always pulled right up to his body. He tries to maneuver with his wings, but doesn't have the balance to even extend his neck to eat at times. The other two are doing great. I'm feeding them Exact Handfeeding baby bird formula and they are really taking to it.
I just don't know what to do. I certainly can't kill them or let them starve. But clearly Courage will never be okay. He won't be able to hang onto trees or ever even fly properly. No where in our small city do we have any wildlife rehabilitators. It's so sad.
Can someone give me pointers on how to raise them? What to feed them? And how to manage Courage? Will they know how to fly on their own? And Pileated Woodpeckers stay with their parents until fall to learn how to hunt down their insects. What do I do then?! OR is anyone experienced with them are willing to raise them?
I currently have 2 cats, 1 dog and 1 rabbit in addition to these birds! I feel like I'm running a zoo (and loving every minute of it!)
Thank you for any response! o
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