Help found baby bird

[MollyBear361]

Found baby bird dogs were poking at. Maybe a sparrow. Feathered yellow beak. What do I do. Can't find a nest!

[pappy1264]

If it is feathered, it is probably a fledgling, and mom and dad are feeding it on the ground. Can you get a pic? Keep the dogs leashed and watch for mom and dad.

[MollyBear361]

Argh.. I had to grab him so the dogs wouldn't get him. My daughters dogs. She brought them over for dinner. brought dogs in. Put baby back where she was found. Shes screaching her head off. I hope mom comes. Will they take it to the nest?????? Its almost dark here soon.

[kastillo]

If you can't do this before sundown, You could try early in the morning, take an old plant hanging basket, and put a makeshift nest in it with a t shirt, etc. Hang it as high as you can in a tree near where the baby was found, then watch to see if mom is coming to feed it. The idea is to keep it safe off the ground, and give mom access to feed it, watch from a good distance.
Good luck!

[MollyBear361]

I put him in a tree and mom came and flew off and baby tried to follow and fell back down on ground. So mom can't take her back to nest? I don't know a long term solution if baby can't g et to nest??

[kastillo]

No mom can't actually carry the baby to the nest.
She can encourage it, though. Can you get the baby to safety in a hanging basket, it probably won't try to fly after dark, songbirds have poor night vision.

[pappy1264]

I always use hanging flower baskets hung on a low branch. That is a little fledge, who has to learn to fly still.
't

[farrelli]

Some birds apparently intentionally fledge on the ground, some accidentally end up there. I had one of the former in the yard of the offices across the street from my house and every night at dusk (because there are lots of cats) I'd go out and put it in the crotch of the tree it always stayed under. Come the morning mom would be back feeding it on the ground. I did this for about 1.5 weeks until it disappeared. It had some tail feathers at that point, so I'm hoping it flew away.

[MollyBear361]

Problem is my neighborhood has lots of cats. I don't have a hanging basket. Ugh. I put him in a squirrel feeder but he hops out. Where will he sleep on ground at night.

[MollyBear361]

What about a box. Should I put it in a box and up in tree? At least for the night?

[kastillo]

You could try. But it might fly out of that too. If you end up having to keep it protected (inside) tonight, the old myth that the mother won't take it back if it has your smell on it, isn't true. Songbirds have a very poor sense of smell too.

You could protect it tonight, and try again in the morning.

But I'd try the box thing first, keep trying till it gets dark, hopefully it will settle down when it can't see.

[MollyBear361]

I put him back in the squirrel feeder with some hay. Hopefully he will stay there. No idea about tomorrow.

[MollyBear361]

I'm not sure what I'm trying to try tomorrow? They can't get him back to nest right? He's just supposed to hangout until he can ffly and hope a cat doesn't get him??? Poor guy.

[pappy1264]

You can keep him in for the night, and put him out in the morning for mom to feed. That way he will be safe.

[farrelli]

My guy would stay in the tree if I put him up there after dark. I'd always check after awhile to make sure he was still there. Yours may be different and you'll need to take him in.

[MollyBear361]

He's still there. But he's only chest high. That makes me worry. I hope he makes it.

[MollyBear361]

Baby bird tucked in for the night in the squirrel feeder. My dogs and cat are inside. Hope he makes it. Night and thanks!

[Nancy in New York]

Don't you think it would be better to bring him in and get him on low heat?
I wouldn't leave him outside overnight, there is no chance mom will get him tonight, you could try tomorrow morning.
Do you have a small container to put him in and away from your other animals, just like you would do for a baby squirrel.
Yikes, I feel he is just going to be cold and alone and a sitting "duck" for a predator.

[pappy1264]

Any updates?

[Squirlgirl]

If you don't have a hanging basket you can use a Cool Whip container or the like. Something big enough where Mom or Dad could Sleep with him at night. poke holes to add string and poke holes on the borrom, putting on the feeder would make hin a sitting duck for nighttime preditors.:grouphug

[kastillo]

Good morning! Any news on the little fledgling?

[MollyBear361]

I'm so sad. I checked on the guy last night before I went to bed and he was sleeping. My husband was up first and said he was dead at the base of the tree he was in at sun up. . But he didn't look bloody or chewed up or anything. Now I wish I had brought him in. I'm not sure if he died of starvation or cold (it's not cold here it's on seventies at night but he was alone). Or maybe the dogs had already hurt him before I saw him. Now looking back I wish he had slept inside... So sad. Sometimes I think it would be better not to be an injured animal magnet. It hurts.

[MollyBear361]

He was nested in a bunch of hay I swirled around to resemble a nest. so I didn't have him just sitting on an empty feeder. . I was going to find him a better nest this morning. Poor guy.

[Fireweed]

Sometimes I think it would be better not to be an injured animal magnet. It hurts.
:grouphug :grouphug :grouphug :grouphug

You're right, the dogs could've injured him more than you know. :( So sorry.
Rest in peace, flutterbug. :Love_Icon