Hello. Signs of an imprinted bird? (1 Viewer)

[BertTheBird]

Hello forum. 3 weeks ago I found a nestling spotless starling after it and it's two siblings fell out of their nest, which was in the wall of my house. The other 2 babies were dead. I estimate he was around 10 days old at the time. After putting him on a high place near the nest and waiting several hours it was apparent that no parents were around.
Now we are three weeks on and he is thriving, flying well, taking several daily baths, and progressing albeit slowly with eating on his own.
My question is, how do I know if he is imprinted on humans? My gut feeling is that he has and is probably not suitable for release, but I would like to hear from people who are knowledgable (what should I look for, how do I know) as I haven't been able find much online.
Thanks very much.
PS. I live in a very rural area and there were no bird / wildlife rehab centres locally, hence he stayed with me.

 

[delia todd]

Hi Bert and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators. I shouldn't worry too much about imprinting. Let him go in your garden, and gradually reduce the feed that you give him. He'll soon learn to forage for himself and will then join up with other starlings.

He'll be fine.

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

 

[Kits]

Welcome to Birdforum. I hope you enjoy your visits.

I would let him free in your garden with food and water available and gradually decrease the amount of food you provide.

 

[BertTheBird]

Hi Delia. Thanks for such a prompt reply! I'm just wondering though, from my research online I discovered that starlings imprint between 7 and 14 days old, and everything I read says that an imprinted bird will never be suitable for release. Would you be able to expand a little on your reply please?

 

[delia todd]

It's a bit of an urban myth really. Many, many, such birds are successfully released after being rescued from situations you describe.

Let him go and gradually reduce the feed so he becomes less dependent on you. It'll work out fine.

 

[BertTheBird]

Ok thanks for your reply.

 

[KC Foggin]

Hi there and a warm welcome to you!
We're glad you found us and please join in wherever you like.

 

[Chris G6 UXU]

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

 

[R T]

Hello forum. 3 weeks ago I found a nestling spotless starling after it and it's two siblings fell out of their nest, which was in the wall of my house. The other 2 babies were dead. I estimate he was around 10 days old at the time. After putting him on a high place near the nest and waiting several hours it was apparent that no parents were around.
Now we are three weeks on and he is thriving, flying well, taking several daily baths, and progressing albeit slowly with eating on his own.
My question is, how do I know if he is imprinted on humans? My gut feeling is that he has and is probably not suitable for release, but I would like to hear from people who are knowledgable (what should I look for, how do I know) as I haven't been able find much online.
Thanks very much.
PS. I live in a very rural area and there were no bird / wildlife rehab centres locally, hence he stayed with me.

Hi,
I think you are right, probably imprinted. A big problem is predator awareness. Dogs and cats, even human (there are some nasty kids (and adults out there!). I think it won't register the threat. Not sure if raptors.crows,gulls will be instinctively seen as threat, but suspect not, think parents teach them this. So be hyper vigilant if you let him free fly in your garden. If you don't want him as a pet you may find some cage bird keeper who would take her on. Zoos & bird collections would be a very long shot, (wild birds pose a disease risk.) but worth a try. If you keep her get a big cage and let her fly free in house. Warning, when they first do this they fly towards light and risk hitting window! But will learn..Or build an aviary.
Sorry not good news, but an expert may disagree.
Good luck.
Regards

 

[Fritz73]

Hola Bert! Welcome to Birdforum

 

[Lisa W]

Hi, welcome to the forum.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Hi and welcome to BirdForum.

Rich

 

[BertTheBird]

Hi,
I think you are right, probably imprinted. A big problem is predator awareness. Dogs and cats, even human (there are some nasty kids (and adults out there!). I think it won't register the threat. Not sure if raptors.crows,gulls will be instinctively seen as threat, but suspect not, think parents teach them this. So be hyper vigilant if you let him free fly in your garden. If you don't want him as a pet you may find some cage bird keeper who would take her on. Zoos & bird collections would be a very long shot, (wild birds pose a disease risk.) but worth a try. If you keep her get a big cage and let her fly free in house. Warning, when they first do this they fly towards light and risk hitting window! But will learn..Or build an aviary.
Sorry not good news, but an expert may disagree.
Good luck.
Regards

Thanks RT. Today he went outside into a DIY aviary that we built, opening up directly from a spare doorway into part of the house. He has zero awareness of our outdoor cats who are prolific hunters and who would gladly have had him for lunch.
He has been flying around indoors for about 10 days, and we are lucky to have a double storey area inside the house about 6m high by 7m wide 8m long and he has been out from dawn to dusk daily doing as he pleases, mostly with company from humans or dogs, and now he can go directly to this DIY aviary from this area and see the outside world. He knows where the windows are inside and only had a few minor mishaps when he was learning to fly, so not at great speed, and has now learned. He just seems very, very attached to me, he'll leave whoever else he is with and fly to be with me, and will not leave me if I am in the room, often accompanying me sat on my head or shoulder wherever I go througout the house, and come dusk he will only settle and fall asleep on my shoulder. I will see how he goes over the coming days with adapting to being outside more, and more on his own. The wind spooked him today, but he has no fear of people, even strangers, dogs or cats. I am fine with keeping him if need be, but it would be lovely to give him the chance of living a normal starling life wild and free. It is hard to know right now, as all of our neighbours have 4 or 5 outdoor cats and many free roaming dogs that come and go on the road and lanes... my feeling at the moment as far as his survival skills go, is that he would be dinner within minutes. Hoepfully he will learn. If not then I will take care of him.

 

[maplekong]

How did it go?