Please help identify and offer advice on injured bird (1 Viewer)

[5clarks207]

My children found this injured bird about 24 hours ago trapped in some ice covered brush. We live in Oklahoma and are in the area hit hard by the snow and ice storm. I'm stranded at my house in 3 inches of ice and unable to take the bird anywhere, but want to help if I can.

It cannot fly and tends to maneuver in circles in this box. Sometimes it gets in really awkward looking positions and sleeps like that (or is too exhausted to move) for a while. We have fed it some birdseed which it has eaten heartily. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Gentoo]

Looks like an American Goldfinch. It's a good sign that's it's eating. make sure it drinks enough water. If it won't drink on it's own you may have to pour a little down it's throat but be careful not to pour it too fast or it will drown. If it's drinking on it's own then thats another good sign. If you're not prepared to care for it, I would do one of two things, take it to a rescue center (although I don't like those becuase they don't feed a proper diet). If you know of any local finch and canary breeders some of them will take in wild birds and care for them. Because they care for and breed birds of this sort, they will have a good diet to feed it and get it's strength back up beofe being released.

 

[5clarks207]

Thanks Gentoo. I placed a short tray of water in the box overnight only to find the poor thing laying in the water this morning. I felt horrible and removed it. Should I try to get some water in it using an eyedropper?

Btw...I cant take the bird anywhere since our area is shut down due to the ice storm. Unfortunately I'm all the poor thing has.

 

[Gentoo]

Yes you can use an eye dropper. I'm almost certain it's dehydrated. Give it as much as it will drink but not to exceed 5 or 6 drops per watering.

 

[JRE]

There's some advice here

 

[marcbarger]

Are you sure it's injured? Many birds get frozen to whatever they're sitting on in an ice storm. I've seen pheasants stuck so bad that they rip most of their tail feathers and chest feathers out trying to get loose and get away! So just because it was in a bush doesn't mean it's injured. The longer you keep it the less chance it probably has to survive if you aren't an expert at working with birds. It's in shock big time right now because it's in a box with a bunch of humans staring at it at close range. You'd be in shock too! If it's eating it's probably ok. You say it can't fly but how could it fly in a box? I'd go out to your garage, open up the box, open your garage door and see if it flies away. If it does great. If not I'd push it to see if it will.

 

[5clarks207]

Are you sure it's injured? Many birds get frozen to whatever they're sitting on in an ice storm. I've seen pheasants stuck so bad that they rip most of their tail feathers and chest feathers out trying to get loose and get away! So just because it was in a bush doesn't mean it's injured. The longer you keep it the less chance it probably has to survive if you aren't an expert at working with birds. It's in shock big time right now because it's in a box with a bunch of humans staring at it at close range. You'd be in shock too! If it's eating it's probably ok. You say it can't fly but how could it fly in a box? I'd go out to your garage, open up the box, open your garage door and see if it flies away. If it does great. If not I'd push it to see if it will.

Its in a large box with no top. I left the box on my back porch all day yesterday hoping it would fly away. The box has never had a lid on it. My kids found it and said that it looked like it was trying to fly but it never got off the ground. I did watch it take in some water and its eating alot of birdseed. Thanks to everyone for the advice.

 

[5clarks207]

Update and question about body position

Well, the little guy is still doing ok. He is still heavily favoring one side of his body ( I cant tell if his wing or leg is injured) but he continues to eat, drink, and sleep.

When he appears to be resting he still ends up in the wildest positions...in fact he almost looks dead. He will stand on his feet and tuck his head up under his legs so far that his neck looks like its broken. Sometimes its hard to tell if he's on his back, feet, or side. He's just all twisted up. But just when I feel sure that the end is near he perks up, starts eating, and his movements seem much healthier and normal.

Can anyone tell me about these strange contortions he gets himself into?

 

[birdpotter]

it sounds like you are doing what you can. Just from the picture, it doesn't look like it is much of a position to leave. Maybe it has gone through something terribly physically traumatic. Keep up your tender loving care and call a wildlife rehabilitator as soon as the area is good for travel.
Best of luck,
Elizabeth

 

[AmpelisChinito]

I just wanted to compliment you on your choice of seed! How did you know to choose nyjer? For someone that didn't know that the bird was a goldfinch, you sure could not have made a better choice of seed. Also, don't be disheartened if the bird doesn't make it; it's pretty hard to nurse an injured wild bird back to health. My neighbors have tried at least a dozen times, and have succeeded only a few of those times, and they have had parakeets for years. Don't mean to be a pessimist.

 

[Gentoo]

You should not just feed niger seed. Niger is mostly protein and fat and during the winter months, it will need some starch as well. For a Goldfinch and because I used to raise birds in the Fringillidae family, a decent canary seed mixture would be the best diet. While in captivity, it must be treated like one when feeding to keep it's health up. Make sure the seed contains a good variety. Here are some nutritional facts about the seed:
Rape Seed, 3% protien, 37 percent water, 80 percent fats and carbs.
canary grass seed, 3.5 perent minerals, 11 parts protein, 52 percent carbs and the rest water
hemp seed, 4.5 percent minerals, 12 percent protein, 16 percent carbs and 32 percent fat
niger seed, 18 percent protein, 16 percent carbs and 43 percent fat.

If you were to feed majority niger or other seed high in fat, the bird will become fat and unfit for the wild (or anything else). A decent Canary seed mixture which you can get at a pet store (if you can get to one) will have a balanced diet for the bird as the diet and nutritional needs are almost identical to Canaries.

 

[Katy Penland]

Hi, 5clarks207, and a warm welcome to you from all of us on staff here at BirdForum!

Have you called a local vet or bird rehabilitator? Even if you can't take the bird to them due to weather, you really need to get a professional on the phone and follow their advice.

 

[5clarks207]

Wow. Thanks everyone! It was so nice to wake up this morning and find so many words of encouragement and insight. AND...He's still with us this morning. Yeah!!

I've only been one to fill up bird feeders and watch..never knowing much about the birds I was seeing. So I didnt know what to feed this little guy but just happened to have some niger, (we call it thistle seed) left over from this summer. I also have a wild birdseed mix that I offered yesterday. He seems to prefer the thistle seed, but I'll continue to give both in hopes that his nutritional needs will be met. If there are any "people foods" or vegetables that might be better nutritionally please let me know.

We are getting hit with 5-10" of snow today on top of our ice, so it will be while before travel is possible. Gentoo...I'll go after that canary mix as soon as I can.

Katy, Great idea about calling a vet! I could at least get some advice by phone.

After watching for hours yesterday I've decided that its his right leg that is giving him the problem. He can flutter both wings pretty well but cannot stand up straight for very long on the one good leg. I think he just gets tired from the overuse of that side of his body and winds up in odd positions when he's too exhausted to try anymore. Last night he seemed to be learning to control his balance a little bit better.

 

[5clarks207]

Our little friend lost his battle. Thanks to everyone for all the help. I didnt expect to be this sad.

 

[cavan wood]

You gave it a good shot 5clarks207, but as indicated earlier it's not an easy thing to do. There's no way of knowing if it was injured because it was stuck, or whether it was stuck because it had some other problem. Perhaps it hit a window earlier, perhaps it had frostbite injuries, who knows. Koodos to you for trying.

Scott

 

[wolfbirder]

Dont feel too downhearted, you gave it a good shot at life. Did your very best.

 

[AlexC]

I've been quietly following this thread, but just wanted to say, 5clarks207, you did a good thing, so don't feel bad about it - considering the condition you talk about the bird being in, I'm sure it lasted longer with you than it would have faced with cold, non-feeding mother nature.

 

[5clarks207]

You guys are so kind. Thanks.

 

[birdpotter]

You did a good thing.