What the heck is it? (1 Viewer)

[OhioHummingbird]

Greetings!

I joined this group because I have been searching for the type of bird we rescued a few weeks back and can't seem to find a description that fits! We live in Southeastern Ohio on a farm. The young bird had just started to get pin feathers when we found it on June 5th. The nest was most likely in the eaves of the house (it was the only one we found) and the young bird was on the ground. No other birds were in the nest so we hesitated to put it back. We have been feeding it a mixture of catfood, boiled egg, applesauce and bird vitamins...he (or she) is thriving and flying. It is about 7 1/2" from the tip of the beak to the end of the tail (which is relatively short). The beak is long and tapered and is a dark color. His frame seems fairly slender and the feathers are brownish gray with darker streaks (small elongated spots) on his back. There is some white under his chin, around his eyes and on his chest. Any thoughts or advice about what to do next would be appreciated. If it's necessary, I can post a picture next week. Thanks!

 

[AdrianB]

Welcome! It might be worth posting your question in 'Birding Identification Q&A'. Greater chance more people can see it. Unfortunately, I'm not too brushed up on North American birds. Good luck!

 

[Katy Penland]

Hi, OH! A warm welcome to you from all of us on staff here at BirdForum!

Below is the URL for info we give people who find baby birds. You really need to get this bird to a rehabber so it can be re-released into the wild. In any case, as the bottom of the below info page says, it's illegal for any of us in the US to keep wild birds captive (except for certain federally unprotected species such as European Starlings, House Sparrows or Rock Doves). If you can post a photo, I'm sure someone here can help you ID it so you'll know for sure.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=36564

For future reference, just a thought on the empty nest you'd found... It could be that this bird was the last to fledge, so returning it to the nest would've still probably been the best thing as the adult birds would have continued to feed it. All this assuming, of course, that that was in fact the nest the chick came from and that the adult birds were still around. There's no truth to the old myth that chicks that have been handled by humans will be abandoned by the parents; only disturbance, predation, or something innately wrong with the chick will cause nesting adults to abandon their nests or young.

Please keep us posted on what happens, will you? :t:

 

[Marmot]

Hi Ohio H.

Welcome to Birdforum.

I would do as Katy says they have the necessary knowledge and equipment for to deal with this.

 

[OhioHummingbird]

And if we need to "punt"?

I appreciate your advice, just wish I had read it before we started taking care of the little guy. I have a strong hunch this is a European Starling...ergo, unprotected. I have been researching local rehabbers and starlings are not what they want to save it seems. I am contacting the Ohio Audubon Society to see what other options might be available. If push comes to shove, and our choice is do it ourselves or let the bird die...do you know where we might find the best way to rehab him? He is very attached to us and has no fear of humans (or dogs or cats for that matter). We actually tried to set him free and he wants none of it...he just flies back and lands on our heads to play with our hair. We have been unable to get him to peck at his own food although we have placed a seed and suet block in his cage. He still does the "feed me, feed me" routine. The cage is large but does not allow for any serious flight. My daughter lets him out to fly around one or two times a day. All input is appreciated.

 

[Katy Penland]

If it is in fact a starling, then there's no legal problem with you keeping the bird, and it sounds like it's becoming so dependent on your family that it probably wouldn't be releasable into the wild. Have you tried offering it live mealworms? I understand these can be bought at most larger pet stores or even ordered over the internet, although they're not exactly cheap. At least it might encourage the bird to keep eating until you can contact someone who can better advise what to feed it over the long term. :t:

 

[salty]

hello, welcome to bird forum!