Springtime Reminder - Baby Birds and Mammals

[TAWhatley]

Hi All,

Please, please, please keep in mind that there are laws and reasons for these laws about birdnapping baby birds that you think are in need of your care. Many species of young birds =have= to spend a few days basically on the ground while learning to fly and forage. Their parents are almost always right there with them. Please don't be rescuing these babies .. they don't need to be rescued.

Also keep in mind that at least in the United States, it is illegal for anyone to possess a wild bird of any species aside from European Starlings, English Sparrows, and Rock Pigeons (note that Rock Pigeons are protected in some states). Thus, unless you hold the necessary state and federal permits, you could be subject to very large fines and jail time for having any protected species of bird. Also, don't be going out and getting non-protected species of baby birds that really aren't in need of your help .. trust me .. you can't raise them as good as their parents will. Sparrows, Starlings, and Pigeons have very different dietary needs, and if you don't know how to care for them, don't even attempt it .. find someone in your area with experience and turn the little ones over to them. If you've never raised a hatchling songbird .. get ready .. feeding every 15-20 minutes from daylight to dark .. if you aren't up to it, then don't do it.

Certainly, this does not mean that you should not assist any bird in need of help. Just be aware that if it is a protected species of bird, you are =required= by law to take the bird to the nearest state and federally permitted wildlife care facility that accepts such birds. Same goes for baby mammals such as jack rabbits, raccoons, and opossums. Just be very sure that you are truly "rescuing" a baby and not kidnapping it.

These tiny and fragile little creatures all require very special care and many require a diet that is completely unique to their species. If you feed them the wrong diet, you will end up with a very unhealthy youngster who will be suffering from Metabolic Bone Disease or other maladies that will cost the baby its life.

Use your head, use your heart, and don't undertake something you aren't qualified to do.

Terry

[christina11]

Thanks for that note.

[pdpbison]

Hi Terry,


Yes...


Too, even 'if' for raising them, they will still need the necessary introductions for them to their wild fellows, and or their socialization into their wild fellow's society and economy and territories and so on...and all this requires it's own requires special efforts and understandings for each specie's particulars.

And for some species, it is pretty close to impossible to do, or to do very well.

Probably it is good to plan ahead, and at liesure, find out 'who' there is in one's area who has the Licenses and or who works under the license holders for various species, as well as who as a private or Lay practioner person, might do similar things with some species, in association or co-operation with various Vets and License holders.

It can be hell trying to find out this stuff when one is holding the fadeing Baby Bird with one hand, and on the 'phone with the other, on a Friday night, of a holiday weekend...or as may be...

Mocking Birds particularly, as older 'Babys', long before they fly, spend their time in little bushes and on the ground and have almost no fear of anyone.
One can walk up to them, talk with them, pick them up and so on very easily.

This is their normal recourse, and their parents look out for them from above. But most people would assume the Baby 'fell out of it's nest', when that is not the case at all...


Love,

Phil
Las Vegas

[TAWhatley]

Very good points, Phil. Thank you!

I would add to my original post that there are times when you may have no choice but to do your best with an orphaned or injured bird or animal because there are no other alternatives (no rehabbers or vets that can or will assist, for example). I feel for anyone finding themself in this position.

Terry

[pdpbison]

Hi Terry,


Ohhhhhh, so true!

Maybe we could run through a general list of all-'round Good Supplies to have in ready...

Spring...is juuuuuuuuust around that corner...!

Lord help us!

Phil
Las Vegas

[Happy]

Great Post Terry & I know you do this at least once every yr.. I tell so many people of this same thing, as the Fish & Game etc. does, but sometimes I feel it's like telling people not to try & beat the Train over the tracks, my Dog won't bite, or don't leave babys/children in a car in the Hot Sun, but every yr. it happens over again. A must post many times as I forget that younger people are born everyday that have never seen these things happen... Glad there are people like you..... Happy

[TAWhatley]

Bumping up as a reminder for the 2007 baby season.

Terry

[TAWhatley]

http://www.wildliferehabber.com/

http://www.nwrawildlife.org/page.asp?ID=94

http://www.iwrc-online.org/

http://www.wildlife-international.org/

Terry

[littlestar]

I'd like to add, please if you have Chimney Swifts in your chimney let them be. If you can't stand the noise you can put insulation in the bottom of your chimney to muffle the noise. These little guys are the hardest to rehab because they have a total different diet than all other birds and are hard to rehab, most don't make it. I had a guy where I used to live remove baby Chimney Swifts and bring them to me, I wasn't very with guy but I had them eating and very healthy until I let a friend of mine take over. She rehabbed many more years than I did and lost every one on me. It's also against the law to remove them from your chimney, so please let them be and let the parents raise them until they are old enough to leave. I'm in the mist right now of rehabbing 9 baby starlings and not sure how many more I will be getting, but I use a diet that comes the closest to their diet in the wild. I know when they are released they will be healthy. It's not an easy job feeding babies because they are so demanding.

[Maggie-NC]

Maryann, I am glad you brought this up about chimney swifts. Not only do they have some different diet requirements but I have always been told that there is a point in caring for them that they need to be released or they will die. It is a fine line there because sometimes you can release them too early. I did that one time and had to retrieve 4 from our yard because they were not quite ready.

Chimney swifts are really unique and so very helpful in catching flying bugs. They are close-knit and when you release babies (and these are the exception in that you try to release them late in the afternoon when the adults have come out to forage for food - other songbirds should be released in the mornings) even though you may not be able to see adults in the sky, as soon as the babies take wing, many adults literally swoop down and take the babies with them. It is an awesome sight.

Another thing, baby wrens are, to me, the hardest to raise because they also require really special diets. Don't attempt to try it.

[TAWhatley]

Just bumping this up to remind everyone to be responsible and to do things within the law.

Baby bird season started with a peep on Thursday last week but has now come ROARING in over the weekend. It seems that once the first baby sparrow of the season comes in then the flood gates are open and it is baby season flat out .. we're there at this point. From one call on Thursday about a baby bird, I'm up to now 8-12 a day .. truly .. baby season has arrived here! I've got baby birds and will post pics when I can.

Please folks .. let's be responsible about any baby birds that are found.

Terry

[littlestar]

Thank you Terry for bringing this back up.
Our baby season will be starting soon and have put the word out if they find any baby birds to get them here to me because of the diets they need and the laws protecting most birds. I know everyone means well, but most don't know right diets they need, they have to be fed all day long and can't skip a meal, they are very demanding and require a lot of care, plus babies with no feathers need heat, and what ends up happening is they lose the babies. Remember there are many of us on this board that can help you, so please ask. I might not be on much being I have so many things going on, but email me being I always my outlook express open.

[jenzizcool]

thank you for this post i wish i had a printer i would print it out and pass around flyers with it on them lol. and i am sad that i didnt see this eirlier but i still think me taking the fledgling was the best course of action due to all the cats and the fact that is was in a busy allyway/drive way for the building and even when he was moved he would go right back there

[TAWhatley]

Bumping up for this year .. baby bird season is well underway in Southern California.

Terry

[ellen lawson]

Yes spring is here! I have raised a partialy blind baby finch that was chucked from the nest. She /he has a spastic neck that seems be getting better, and cannot see well. I'm sure she sees colour and shapes to some digree but has no depth perseption. I had a dickens of a time getting her started on the feeding seringe, and then because of her spastic movements I had to guide her head at each feeding even though she wanted the food. She seemed dizzy as well as spastic, so I bought a naturopathic product called "vertigoheel" and put it in the formula. It has been a wonderful aid in the birds own ability to control its her self. When she becomes disoriented now she doesn't panic she just focuses on finding her perch and once on it immediatly calms down. I help by putting everything that has to be moved back in the exact spot.
It was way past the time of self feeding and she was still not exploring for food simply because she didn't know were to look. So I hung a sprig of millet right in her way on her perch, so that she would bump into it as she moved about. Then I put a bit of formula on the millet at her head hight so that she could smell something familiar. This worked. Then I put a food dish at het perch so that her toes would touch it, and placed a bit of the formula on top of some of the seeds. the hardest part was listening to her yell for food and wishing i could relent and feed her! I held out and within an hour she was paying attention to the dish at her feet. When she figured out it was food she started eating and didn't stop for ages. I think part of it was the fun!
She has found her water dish (small so she won't fall in )with the virtigoheel and vitamins. Even though she can drink from the dish, I am going to put a small critter drip water bottle next to her perch so that the shinny metal end will attract her and she will (hopefully find the water) this way I know that wherever she is she can find one or the other. I'l keep you posted but I think we (the finch now called "Piper") will win. She likes all the house sounds and enjoys herself even if her life activities are limited. She doesn't know any other life anyway.
She knows our voices and likes to hear us talking, birds do love crowd sounds and her's are people!
Cheers and happy spring! Ellen