Questions about rescuing birds
- What kind of birds will you take?
- How do you rescue/capture an injured bird?
- What can you feed a bird until you are able to get it to The Bird Rescue Center?
- How do you transport a bird to the Center?
ANSWERS:
Q. What kind of birds will you take?
We see more than 125 different species of birds each year. We treat all native species of wild birds.
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Q. How do you rescue/capture an injured bird?
Catching an injured bird is not usually a problem since the bird is often incapable of moving and is too weak or shocked to put up any sort of resistance to handling.
Pick the bird up by grasping it gently around the shoulders so that the wings are held against the body and cannot flap. At this point the bird can be placed in a cardboard box with a soft towel on the bottom and a cover on the top. Be sure to have a box prepared in advance so that you minimize the time spent holding the bird.
If you are having trouble catching the bird, or you are afraid to touch it, a towel can be used. Simply drop the towel lightly over the bird. The darkness will calm and immobilize the bird so that it is easier to pick up.
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Q. What can you feed a bird until you are able to get it to The Bird Rescue Center?
It is best to give the bird no food or water but to immediately bring the bird to the Center. Never try to force water into a bird. If you do not know how to properly administer the liquid, you can send it down the trachea (tube leading to the air system) rather than the esophagus (tube leading to the digestive tract) and choke or kill the bird.
If a bird has been deprived of food for a long period of time, fluids and food must be re-introduced carefully so as not to cause further damage to the bird’s organ systems.
DO NOT GIVE MILK OR BREAD TO BIRDS.
They are not mammals and therefore milk is not part of their natural diet. Milk may also cause diarrhea leading to dehydration and bread does not provide the protein and vitamins needed by small babies.
What we feed at the Center:
Baby birds are hand-fed a diet of worms and special formulas tailored to the particular species. These are diets which have been developed over a period of years and are continuously adjusted and improved as we learn more about the nutritional requirements of the various species which are brought to the Center.
Knowledge of a species’ natural history is an important guide when preparing the array of food to offer to adults and young as they approach the fledging stage. Some birds eat more fruit; others eat more insects, while others concentrate more on grains. Furthermore, their dietary requirements will vary with the seasons. An awareness of all these facts dictates what we feed.
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Q. How do you transport a bird?
The container:
To carry and protect the bird during the trip to the Center, use a cardboard box lined with a soft towel. Cardboard causes less feather damage than a wire cage when transporting an exited bird that might be jumping around inside the container. Punch small holes in the box to allow for sufficient air but minimal light.
The padding:
Do not use shredded paper or cotton to line the box, as these can easily get caught in the bird's toes or get wrapped around its neck. As well do not use green grass cuttings, as the dampness could give the bird a chill. Finally, do not use an old bird's nest. These may harbor mites and vermin harmful to the bird. For younger or injured birds, a towel or facial tissue can be bunched around the bird to provide support and prevent it from resting in an uncomfortable, splayed position.
Placing bird in box:
When possible, prepare the box ahead of time to minimize the time spent holding and handling the bird. Once the bird is tucked safely in its box, a lid with holes punched in it or a towel can be placed over the box to prevent the bird from jumping out and to also give it some privacy. Frightened birds find darkness calming.
When transporting a raptor (bird-of-prey) or large waterbird, take care to insure that the bird is securely contained in a box. It can be very dangerous if such a bird were to escape into the car as you were driving down the road.
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Questions about baby birds
Questions about other bird issues
