We Rescued an Injured Baby Bird…Now What?
My youngest daughter had just wrapped up her cross country training with her school teammates a few evenings ago. She was stretching and then she started motioning for me to bring the truck over to where she was cooling down. A baby bird had fallen out if its nest and she wanted to get on top of the truck to try and place the bird back in the nest.
Long story, short...the truck wasn't tall enough, plus the bird was covered in mites, had a mangled leg, and there was no mama bird in sight. Guess where that bird was later that evening?
We constructed a makeshift nest in our garage and tried to feed the bird water with an eyedropper and give it meal worms usually reserved for our leopard gecko. The bird was too shocked and too sick to eat or drink. After a quick phone call, my daughter gave the bird a little dry bath in Sevin dust powder to try and kill off the mites. I told my daughter that I didn't have high hopes for the bird's survival.
The next morning, that baby bird developed an appetite. Every time we approached, that little mockingbird was in full-on feed me mode. Its beak was wide open and ready for anything we dropped in it. The bird is very vocal and obviously getting stronger.
About a week has passed since the nearly lifeless bird was found on the ground, and so the question is "Now what?"
We have no problem continuing to feed the bird, but will this bird ever be able to survive when and if it learns to fly. We don't really know how bad off the leg is and whether it will heal and become strong. Even if the bird were 100% healthy, how do know when it is ready to fly?
We asked around and we were directed to bird rehab person in Palestine, but because of the bird's leg issue, they couldn't accept it. They have so many other birds in rehab they wouldn't be able to focus enough attention on an injured bird. However, we just learned that the folks at the Austin Wildlife Center would take the bird. We will use that option if we cannot find a reputable rehab organization or person closer to Deep East Texas.
I know, there are numerous birds every day that fall out of nests and end up not making it. But, my daughter is the one who will not allow us to kill June bugs or spiders when they come into our home. Not to mention, we have become its surrogate mom over the past week, so we'd like for it to have a sporting chance at survival. So, if you know of any place or person around these parts that would take rehabbing this bird seriously, please let us know.
Baby bird rehab