Temporary baby bird care

What to do while you wait

A dark, quiet place

Keep the animal in a dark, quiet place indoors, in an enclosed or covered container. For most species, a cardboard box is perfect. If your home is small, a closet or a bathroom is an excellent spot. A basement, heated garage, or spare bedroom will also work.

Keep children, pets, and people away from the room the animal is in. Remember that it is injured and frightened, and we want to keep its stress down as much as possible. Unlike our pets, wild animals are not comforted by people talking to them, petting them, or looking at them.

A heat source

Baby birds rely on their mother or father to keep them warm. Keeping them warm will reduce stress on their system, once their body doesn’t have to fight to keep its temperature up. Some examples of an appropriate heat source:

• a clean sock filled with dry, uncooked rice, and microwaved for one minute
• a plastic bottle from the recycling bin filled with hot tap water 
• an electric heating pad set to “LOW” and placed under half of the box.

Re-heat water bottles and rice socks as necessary. Once they have something warm to snuggle up to, most baby will go right to sleep.

FEEDING

BEFORE WE START:

• If the animal is dehydrated, starving, or suffering from trauma, its body may not be strong enough to digest food. Trying to feed it can cause bloating, shock, or death. Please alert our volunteers if your baby seems injured or weak before proceeding with these directions.
• DO NOT feed anything other than the foods listed below! If you feed the wrong food to the wrong species, it can cause serious digestive problems and death or lifelong issues. These foods are only acceptable TEMPORARILY and until intake is possible. ABSOLUTELY NO MILK!

ACCEPTABLE FOOD OPTIONS:

• Small cut up blueberries (first choice!)
• Small pieces of earthworms (only for some species)

* Feed small pieces with tweezers when the baby “begs”. This behavior is when the baby cheeps and opens its mouth wide and reaches upward. Feed until the “begging” stops. This should be repeated every hour until intake.

 

Why shouldn’t I give water?

• Trying to water can accidentally end up with the liquid in the animal’s lungs. This can cause pneumonia, and death.
• If the animal is injured and having trouble standing, or if it panics trying to get out, it could fall into the water dish. This can cause hypothermia, or even drowning.

IF A WRC Team member gives you alternate information, please follow their advice.