I have a baby bird.

[spatch]

I have a baby bird.

He does not need a name -- I'm not even sure if "he" is the appropriate pronoun -- but he needs help. We had a wicked thunderstorm go by earlier this evening and lots of trees lost limbs and branches and stuff. As I was walking up the hill to get home, I saw him lying on his back in a big crack in the sidewalk. Water was running through the crack and he was kicking madly.

Kick, kick, kick. He's got fight in him. He didn't want to drown in no stinkin sidewalk crack. I was not sure if he was kicking to right himself or if it's instinct or if he bonked his head in the fall or what. I couldn't see the nest anywhere in any of the nearby trees so I don't know where the heck he came from unless the nest was lost too. I knew I had to at least move him out of the sidewalk crack, though, before he became completely waterlogged and lost his will to kick. Two ants ran off him while I moved him. Ants are scavenging bastards. I have no qualms burning them up with a magnifying glass the next time I see them.

The little bird is a fledgling but not all grown up yet. He's got his feathers, though his head is pretty bald, and some parts look as if they weren't fully grown yet. He's got this weird spike of feathers on his back behind his head that don't seem to belong anywhere but sticking up.

Strange little fellow. I like his attitude.

I rummaged through my backpack and got out the box my headset is supposed to live in (not anymore) and gently picked him up. Nothing looked broken; his wings looked like they're where they need to be, and both legs are definitely not broken cause he likes to kick.

I took him home and padded the box down with bits of crumpled up toilet paper and tissue. I figured he might be kicking cause he wasn't in a nest-like environment, so I was gonna give him one. So far the cats have not figured out I have a Snack on premises and with any luck and determination they're not going to notice. I still haven't figured out which species, feline or avian, will be put behind the single bedroom door tonight. I guess I could also keep the bird in the nightstand drawer; the box is closed a tidge with enough room for air to circulate, and I could keep the drawer open a tad.

Tomorrow I'm going to call Animal Control or a local shelter and figure out what I can do with him. Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

Tonight he is staying here and drying out. I can already hear him rustling about in the box; he's getting his strength back. Good baby bird.

Comments

[luckimunki.livejournal.com]

I work at the local Audubon Center where we rehab many baby songbirds. I would *not* recommend letting him imprint on you; you'll never get rid of him, and he'll never learn to live on his own. If he's a fledgling, he may be able to eat on his own. Mealworms, seed, or fruit depending on what kind of bird he is. I would check up on him every hour or other hour or so and give him some of that cat food mix if he starts gaping (opening his mouth real wide). We use a syringe with no needle for that at the center.
Look up Audubon in your phone book and they'll direct you to your nearest wildlife rehabber.

[byrneout.livejournal.com]

I'm curious. How do you care for a baby bird without allowing him to imprint on you? I would have assumed that it came with the territory.

[luckimunki.livejournal.com]

Basically, you have to just try to leave it alone. It's adorable and you want to pet it and hold it, but you can't. When you feed it every fifteen minutes (it gets less frequent as it gets older), you shouldn't talk to it or pick it up (unless it is necessary for the feeding). If it flys to you (which it may), just pick it up and put it back in its little nest. Minimize contact and just do what you have to to keep it alive and well and that's it.