Injured Wild Bird - Advice please

[dyeman]

I have an injured wild bird, maybe some kind of sparrow? Anyway, I have called a local wildlife rehab person, but they were out and I am looking for some advice on what to do until they call.

I think maybe it has a head injury, it holds one eye closed most of the time, and will not move its legs much. It does move it's wings a bit. It also has a strange yellow powdery substance on it's wing. I have attached some pictures. I of course have not brought it in my house, I wrapped it in a towel and have it in the garage.

Any suggestions would be appreciated including what kind of bird this is.

[Lisa B]

scott,
I would think it is a sparrow also. (tho I dont know alot about wild birds)
The eyes appear cloudy, and that is not a good sign.
There is a woman up here that I have delt with for several years . Her name is
giselle, and her is 973-702-1957

John and Giselle

Avian Wildlife Center
Raptors, passerines, wading birds, waterfowl, (No pet birds)
(she sends pet birds to me)

she might be able to give you some advise.
Let her know, Lisa from Sussex County Exotic Bird Club sent ya.....
(that is how she knows me)

[Joel]

I would keep it warm for now & contained, if you have any bird pellets or whole wheat bread, I would moisten that with clean hands and squeeze out most of the water, then roll into little small ball like clump, open beak or have someone help you. Push rolled ball of well moistened but not dripping wet bread or pellets into back of mouth gently & it should swallow, repeat as needed. If ya can't get it to rehabber soon, then do that every couple/few hrs. and can also push some scrambled egg into back of mouth, I would not give it plain liquid unless you know exactly what you are doing there. If you keep for whatever reason, go to pet shop and buy some insect food and moisten that also to add to your handfeeding diet. Of course be gentle and careful how you hold it & how you open the beak in case it does have a neck or head injury/concusion etc..... Good luck to the lil guy.

Originally Posted by dyeman

I have an injured wild bird, maybe some kind of sparrow? Anyway, I have called a local wildlife rehab person, but they were out and I am looking for some advice on what to do until they call.

I think maybe it has a head injury, it holds one eye closed most of the time, and will not move its legs much. It does move it's wings a bit. It also has a strange yellow powdery substance on it's wing. I have attached some pictures. I of course have not brought it in my house, I wrapped it in a towel and have it in the garage.

Any suggestions would be appreciated including what kind of bird this is.

[dyeman]

Thanks for the advice, I hope the rehabber calls soon. I know squat about taking care of wild birds.

[Monica]

Incase you still need info.....

That bird is more closely related to a black bird than any sparrow! I can't guess on any age (though fledgling of course so atleast a few weeks old), however I can tell you for sure that that bird is a young robin red breast....

Here is a photo of another young robin...



As for young birds, dry dog or cat food (moistened, with about 30% protien, and around 9% fat, with preferably meat as the first ingredient) mixed with applesauce, and vitamens/minerals into a oatmeal like mash would be a good idea to feed. You would probably want the food to be somewhat warm, if not room-temp warm, and of course feed in small amounts... You might also want to grub around for some worms, if you are up to the job...

[dyeman]

To everyone who provided advice, I am grateful. However, the rehabber never called and I could not get the baby to eat. He died last evening. Knowing he was a baby Robin makes sense, there was an adult Robin on the ground near where he was after I moved him.

Since he was a baby, I imagine he probably fell from the large Oak that spreads over our driveway.

I feel very bad, but I was simply out of my depth, and I couldn't get anyone local to respond.

[Monica]

I know how that feels, as I've been handed baby birds several times without the experience to care for them, nor with the transportation to get them to a place that could properly care for them. The robin that you had found appears to had problems from the beginning (from who knows what) and I doubt it would have been something as simple as falling from a tree. I just really hate to say that some things just happen...

[Joel]

Dyeman......next time, if something like this ever happens again and the baby does not swallow the food you were advised to force feed - by placing/pushing that lil wet ball of food back into the birds mouth (as far as it would go), please repost asap for further instructions/advice that may help.

Originally Posted by dyeman

To everyone who provided advice, I am grateful. However, the rehabber never called and I could not get the baby to eat. He died last evening. Knowing he was a baby Robin makes sense, there was an adult Robin on the ground near where he was after I moved him.

Since he was a baby, I imagine he probably fell from the large Oak that spreads over our driveway.

I feel very bad, but I was simply out of my depth, and I couldn't get anyone local to respond.

[dyeman]

Joel:

I will certainly do so next time, I was getting conflicting advice from a rehabber recommended by the Carolina Raptor center. Someone they recommended for song birds. She told me to just keep it warm until the local guy could get to me, because she said if I tried to feed it I would probably do more harm than good.

I finally tried your suggestion when it became plain no one was going to call. I opened his beak and forced the food in, but he was so weak I was afraid I was going to suffocate him. I didn't even know it was a baby, I thought it might be an injured Sparrow. I am going to have to educate myself better on wild birds.

Originally Posted by Joel

Dyeman......next time, if something like this ever happens again and the baby does not swallow the food you were advised to force feed - by placing/pushing that lil wet ball of food back into the birds mouth (as far as it would go), please repost asap for further instructions/advice that may help.

[Stasia]

Sorry to hear that the little one didn't make it, how wonderful of you though to have tried so hard to help him, I'm sure it was comforting to him to at least be warm.

Stasia