Injured Wild Bird
With World Earth Day approaching, it is the perfect time to learn how we can help the birds and other animals with such needs today. Unfortunately, birds can easily injure themselves, and if you come across one, it’s important to know what to do. The best course of action is to reach out to a wildlife rehab immediately.
Herpy signs that create them to beaches themselves
First, though, if you spot an injured bird, you should know that you ought to treat it gently. Signs that the bird is an adult songbird in distress: some of the following: on the ground even if not moving; won’t fly away when approached; easily captures (e.g. the bird won’t bite, no way for the bird to fight back); very puffed up feathers; eyes closed, squinted, crusty, weepy, swollen, bleeding; you saw blood; evidence of blood or wounds; visibly injured limb (dangling leg, drooping / hanging wing, wings not symmetrical); tries to fly but cannot.
If you find an injured adult bird, here’s what to do:
Get someone to keep an eye on the bird while you search for something to contain it. Window collision victims are particularly susceptible to predators and other hazards, and a guardian can help keep the bird safe until you’re able to return with a proper holding container.
- Find a paper bag with no wax, or a small cardboard box. If you use a cardboard box, make a few small holes in it. Squeeze up a clean, unscented tissue or a paper towel and place it in the bag or box as a soft item for the bird to grip.
- Get behind the bird, bring both hands down and over the bird — but be careful not to leave your fingers open, so the bird can escape.
- Set the bird upright in the paper bag or box, and carefully withdraw your hands (and the paper or box) without letting it escape. Be sure that the bag or box is sealed tightly.
- Place the bird in a dark, warm, quiet spot, away from children and pets. Do not interact with, talk to and handle the bird as that will cause additional stress. Never feed or offer water to a bird.
- Call your local wildlife rehabilitation facility right away. Birds that have collided with windows frequently suffer internal issues that aren’t evident externally even when the birds appear glossy-eyed and stunned.
If you find a baby bird without much or any of its feathers, and know where the nest is, putting it back in its nest is the best thing to do. You don’t need to worry about parents rejecting the bird because of your scent, because birds have a terrible sense of smell. But if you can’t find the nest, fake one with a small container or flat flowerpot lined with leaves or dry grass.
Make sure to keep the substitute nest in the same area where the baby bird was found and look out for the parents to come back and feed the baby bird. But, keep in mind, when you are not sure or don’t know what birds need, you should always consult the professionals. The same goes when feeding a hurt bird. Proper diet and nutrition required to help a bird is only known to trained professionals.
Injured Wild Bird
What to feed an injured bird & an unfledged chick
Feeding a sick bird is best left to professionals. After getting an authorization from specialists the next thing you need is to know what to feed them so as to not damage them. Go with small bits of fruit, cooked rice or pasta, or mealworms that you can easily digest and steer clear of bread and milk that might upset your stomach. They can have water in a shallow or fixed dish but for the risk of drowning do not give them water directly. For featherless baby birds, it is best to reunite them with their parents, but if that is not possible, they can be fed a combination of moistened dog or cat food, mashed hard-boiled egg and some fruits or vegetables. Use a dropper or syringe carefully to make sure you are not forcing food into their throat. It is always better to get professional advice before feeding any injured bird.
Keep in mind that if a bird is injured, it can go into shock very easily, and most of the time, die from the shock. DO NOT try to force feed or water the bird. You take the bird outside and open the box every fifteen minutes to test if the bird is able to fly away. If it isn’t moving after a few hours, you can try looking up a local wildlife rehabilitator where you can call for guidance on what to do, and ensure the baby bird gets the care it needs to survive!
If you’re into watching and taking care of birds, you may want to pick up our Birdfy feeder. You can watch your feathered friends from a distance, without challenging them or the experience of seeing the way they live. Keep in mind, we all share a duty to care for this Earth and all the creatures that call it home.
MD Imdadul Haque is the founder of BirdzFly, a research-backed resource on North American backyard birds. Drawing on years of independent study into bird identification, behavior, and migration patterns, he writes in-depth guides designed to help US birders understand the species in their own backyards — from common feeder visitors to seasonal migrants passing through.
