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Coal Tit care (1 Viewer)

Linda S

Member
England
Hey everyone.
Do coal tits imprint on humans?
I live in an area with lots of cats so when I found a very small bird on the ground in my garden I put it up high under some honey suckle where I had a small wall pot (random). No parents visible. It was chirping all day long. Kept an eye on it but he decided to jump from the pot. When I went outside he quickly waddle towards me with its beak open wide (omg it was just the sweetest thing! My heart melted) anyway cats heard him and were laying in wait. Brought him in and fed crushed mealworm moistened with mineral water which he chomped down. He had no fear of me and fed from an artist paint brush. I've had him a few days now and in that time his yellow baby beak seems to have changed. His poop is regular formed and silky moist. He is preening now and today he slept on a perch. The thing is he only seems to come alive when I'm near. I put him in a cardboard box but he wouldn't move. But when he sees me he chirps away. Like to perch on my fingers and nestles and sleeps in my sweatshirt tied around my shoulders. He's come on loads. I give him hourly flying lessons in the garden. He can't fly far at all yet. I'm hoping he will gain strength in his wings daily but he seems to like to be near me. I spend most of the day outside so he can other birds coming and going and today he started to chirp outside flying to and from me. I hope I haven't made things difficult for him but his chance of survival was better with me than without.
 
Hi Linda and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators. Very well done on what you have achieved so far. He soon realised you were the provider and would chirp every time you came near in the hope you would feed him, he would do this in the nest. It sounds like he is just about ready to become fully independent.

Thanks so much for caring for this wee guy and giving him the best chance.

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

I would suggest you leave the bird alone in the garden for as long as possible so he gains independence.
 
I stay with him on the garden at all times. He rumages through the vegetation mostly. There are too many cats and kites so until he becomes strong in flight I don't take my eyes off him. I'm sure it won't be long though before he flies off and doesn't come back x
 
That's sounds like a good thing :)
Yes it is. I am slightly confused though...he seems very attached to me. Completely lifeless in his box but when he sees me he chats, flaps his wings and today he did the strangest thing...he became very interested in sitting on top of my head then he became very excited and was flapping his wings like crazy grasping my hair...any ideas why?
He seems more confident outside today too.
He has bouts of flying and rummaging in vegetation then starts to nodd off on the ground...when I pick him up he nestles on me and sleeps.
 
Hi, welcome to the forum. I hope he is in the wild and living on his own soon.
 
It should drop off eventually, or he may scratch it off. Best to leave things to nature as far as possible really.
 
Do fledglings sleep a few times during they day??? I guess they do being so small.
He seems very healthy, eats well...cannot get him to eat insects although encouraged foraging and digging but he's not interested just love juicy mealworms with ground sunflower hearts.
 
Your kindness paid off Linda :)

My little friend has flown. He became quite a strong flier..then come around 6-7 in the evening he would become very excited and fly out and stay out all night..returning for 2 days for food...its been 6 days now with no sign of him. Great experience 😊
 
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