Did you know that May, June and July are the three months of the year one is most likely to stumble upon a baby bird that's fallen out of its nest?
If you happen to find a baby bird on the ground, the first thing you should do is look around for its nest and, if you can find it, replace the bird. If you can't find the nest, assess the bird. Is it injured? Is it a nestling or a fledgling? The Interwebs tell us that a fledgling is fully feathered, can flap its wings and hop. If the bird you've found is a very young nestling or if the bird is injured, it's a good idea to consult a veterinarian for suggestions. It is possible to hand-raise a baby bird but the mortality rate is very high and they require a great deal of special attention.
However, if the bird is a healthy fledgling (see above photo), it's likely that it hasn't actually fallen from the nest, but rather has left the nest. Simply place the bird in a nearby bush or tree where it is not in imminent danger. Odds are likely the bird's parent is nearby and will pick up where you leave off.
It is not, in fact, advised that you panic while standing outside in your pajamas and hustle the little guy back to your apartment in a hand towel. It is further unnecessary to build the bird a nest out of a milk carton and some old socks and attempt to feed it mashed-up hard boiled eggs with a tweezer and water from an eye dropper for several hours.
Now you know.
JEM
I just want to know if you literally stumbled over it. Also, what sound do German birds make?
ReplyDeleteThat just shows your humanitarian side. I love the story. Tell Jake that a little American pride would be nice regarding the "Americans build bad houses" fodder. Stick up for the place of your upbringing. It will always be apart of you even if you do get an awesome education in a foreign land. (I am joking, by the way)
ReplyDeleteI sit here with a tiny, dead baby bird, wishing I had read this blog a little earlier.
ReplyDeleteMashed up hard boiled eggs!? Isn't that cannibalism? Then again what do I know you're the sweet humanitarian bird expert.
ReplyDeleteThats a very cute bird. Is it still alive? I hope the best for your new found foreign friend.
ReplyDeleteTo Skip: Actually Jake stumbled upon it (literally, it was sitting in the middle of the sidewalk) near our apartment while he was walking to work. He made me come out and tend to it to ease his conscience.
ReplyDeleteTo Summer: After seeing all the devastation from tornadoes recently in the states, I'm starting to side with the Germans, too. Why do we insist on building our houses out of toothpicks?
To Tom: My deepest condolences.
To Noah: Actually, the egg isn't the baby bird, it's more like the bird version of the umbilical cord. That's what nourishes the baby bird while it's developing. At least I hope that's the case. If not, I probably just gave the little guy mad bird disease.
To Dana: I hope so. After I read that I should just put him back, I did that and left him up in a tree near the scene of the crime. I came back a few hours later and he wasn't there anymore. I'm going to go ahead and assume that's a good thing. Mostly just so I can sleep at night.
I hereby award you the prestigious Alston Humanitarian Award for your tireless (if unnecessary) efforts in protecting the German Avian Population. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteJaz, I couldn't understand what you were saying, or why, buy I do have a Michaelson bird story that I could tell you sometime.
ReplyDelete