Found Baby Bird

[sandycheeks]

I found a baby bird just now in my yard. I do not know what kind of bird it is. I found another one exactly like it the other day with it's head bitten off in the exact same spot. I will get a picture but my camera batteries are dead and are currently charging. It has some feathers but most of it's body still has bare skin showing. Any advice on what to feed it or what to do with it would be great.

[sandycheeks]

I found another one very close to where I found the first 2. It is dead and has a bloody wound on the back of it's head. There are 2 squirrels in the tree chasing each other (not Sandy). Would a squirrel do that to baby birds? I will get some pics in a second.

[farrelli]

The pics will help. Once posted, I'll alert our bird person. Food depends on species. I think usually wet cat food is good, but not always.

[sandycheeks]

Here are some pics238220238219238217238218238216

[sandycheeks]

The bird's stomach doesn't look normal to me. It is sticking out like it is very full. But maybe that's normal or maybe it just had big meal. like I said there are two squirrels chasing each other in that tree for quite a while now. It is not the tree that the raccoon is in. It is the tree that is right up close to my back deck.

[sandycheeks]

The first 2 pics are of the dead bird in the grass. The last 3 are of the one that is still alive and is now in Sandy's mud room. I closed the door just in case she tried to come in through her doggie door and bug the poor baby bird.

[farrelli]

I just PMd psychobird, our bird rehabber.

[farrelli]

In the mean time, I think dark, warm, and quiet are good. And I know not to give water to most birds.

[sandycheeks]

I have it in my mud room it is sort of dark and quiet in there. I have not given it anything yet. It is moving around well and seems to be in okay shape.
We rescued a robin years ago and we ended up digging up most of the old yard getting worms for it. After a while we read online that they would eat hard boiled eggs (I know it sounds horrible) and grapes. We brought it outside once it started to fly around the house and poop everywhere. It looked like it's mom came and chirped at it and they flew off together. It was my first wildlife rescue experience with the second being Sandy. I don't drive but my wife does and she will be home soon. I know there are a couple wildlife rehabilitation places near here that we could probably take it to.
I will hold off on giving it anything until I get some advice on here.
Any idea what kind of bird it is?

[tree-queen]

Maybe a robin? Or a starling? Unfortunately the indoor photos and outdoor ones are so different it is hard to tell.

I've rehabbed birds forever. Usually a slurry of cat food works at least to start. No water. Only adult birds can have water. Keep the baby warm, and see if it will gape for you- that means the baby is hungry. You can use a syringe or the edge of a spoon to gently put a bit of the cat food-goo in the beak. Then wait for the baby to swallow, and do more. Slow is fast, baby birds are enthusiastic eaters but you can hurt them by overfeeding especially right away. The crop on your baby is located at the chest area, you will be able to gently feel it with your hand- you want it squishy, not hard or overfilled. Watch closely for air to go in to it as that is dangerous, you want to have there be just food in there.

Feed the cat food warm, also, but not hot. Many bird species will vomit food into their young's beaks so it comes out warm.

[sandycheeks]

There were definitely robins nesting in that tree recently. They were dive bombing the squirrels that were climbing the tree. I haven't seen them doing that in the last week or so though.
As you can see I live in south western Ontario, the most common birds around here are robins, starlings, mourning doves and grackles. At least in my yard.
If it is a robin could I try feeding it mushed up worms? I have cat food (indoor only cats) that I will try for now.
The two different pics are the same kind of bird unfortunately the outside ones are of this birds dead sibling.

[tree-queen]

Robins can't subsist on just worms but do fine with the cat food mash also. Worms do make an okay treat but only if you know it to be a robin- they can carry Gape worms. I know Robins eat them in the wild but I also know other species can get super sick from it, including my favorite birds, Starlings, which are insectivores and my forte. For them you would use a bit of egg with the cat food mash. But start with cat food to hold the baby over until someone better with Robins or whatever it is gets here.

[sandycheeks]

The bird is definitely cold to the touch. Does it need a heating pad like a baby squirrel? It's lower stomach doesn't look normal like it is sticking out. It will not open it's mouth for us. My wife is currently holding it in her hands to try to warm it up. It is not making any sounds or making any attempt to be fed. Should I try to feed it the cat food mush even if it is not asking to be fed?
Please advise ASAP as I do not know how much longer this little one has.

[Milo's Mom]

yes heat and when warmed it should gape for you so you can feed it

[tree-queen]

Yes warm it. They can burn easily though so you need to be very careful.

Many baby birds have weird belly areas, however the actual "stomach" where digestion occurs is the crop which is under the throat at the chest. You can take a photo of the weird areas and post too for help.

If you cannot get baby to eat, you may need to try and encourage- but only once it is warmed up! If you must you can gently put the corner of a tweezer in the beak to help encourage her to open her mouth. Then put a DROP in. They are very, very delicate.

They eat very often also. So do tiny, tiny amounts, especially if you have to make the baby eat, and do it very frequently. Eventually baby will gape for you.

[Chickenlegs]

Go to Starling Talk online. There's an excellent baby formula for most birds on there. Put the little guy in a small plastic tub lined with tissue. You can put that into a bin lined with paper towels or fleece, with a heating pad under part of it. Not too hot but they do need to be warm. Is there an injury on this little guy? If he's dehydrated add some water to the food. Put a drop on the side of his beak where the beak flanges are. See if he'll swallow. Just need to go slow and not get anything in his nares (nose holes). He should poop after he eats. Baby bird poops are encapsulated and the tissue makes for easy cleanup. Psychobird will fix you up to help this little guy.

[sandycheeks]

I don't see any obvious injury on it. Do you think it is for sure starling? I have it in a beach pail with a towel it. Will it gets it's nails caught in the towel like a squirrel?
Here are some better pictures.

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[sandycheeks]

Never mind the little one didn't make it. We waited until after dinner to get some food ready for it and it passed away while we were eating dinner. That's 3 dead birds I found by my deck in the last 2 days.
Thanks for the help guys.

[Baxied]

:grouphug I'm so sorry Sandycheeks! At least the poor babe was safe and warm at the end. Thank you for trying. :grouphug

[psychobird]

So sorry I didn't see this earlier, I am swamped with babies,this time of year should probably direct people over to starling talk if they can't bring them to a rehabber
1. Baby birds always need contact warmth, heating pad on low. Hot water bottle, rice buddy, those therma care things you can put on your back can work in the over night, or 8 hr handwarmers.
2. You cannot feed a baby until it is warm, do not feed a cold baby, they cannot digest it because the digestive system has shut down to keep the brain , heart and lungs alive during hypothermia.
3. Do not give water to a baby bird, you can kill it. Better way to hydrate is cut fresh blueberries into bite sized pieces and use tweezers to feed. Feed at least every 1/2 hour and go on starling talk or get him to a rehabber if a federally protected species.
4. ALL native birds are federally protected, only non natives are starlings, English sparrows and pigeons, there are some finch type species out in California called mannikens and some parrot colonies here and there.
Btw, this guy was a English sparrow
Sorry I couldn't help in time, I'm am just swamped and barely have a moment to breath, birds need to eat every half hour and the phone just doesn't stop

[psychobird]

If baby bird turns red and open mouth breathes it is too hot,
Open mouth breathing is different than agonal breathing where it looks like they are gasping for air

[Saverywood]

Aww.. Rest in peace sweet little baby birdies.:Love_Icon
:grouphugYou both tried so hard to help and were so kind :grouphugYou are much appreciated!

[Fireweed]

Aww, poor little birds. Rest in peace, sweet ones... :(

Thanks for trying to help and giving this one a safe, warm place to journey into his final sleep. :grouphug

(Squirrels will kill baby birds - or store them somewhere to eat them later whether they are dead or not. They will also eat baby bunnies, mice, voles, and eggs, for example. Just an idea for you: When I see squirrels near a bird's nest, I usually put a squirrel buffer on the tree the bird's nest is in - like a metal or hardware cloth upside-down cone. If the tree is close to other trees, the squirrels will just jump from one to the other, so a cone is only going to protect the birds a little bit. But if the tree is sitting by itself squirrel-jumping distance from other trees, the cone works beautifully! Protects the birds from other predators, too, regardless. I have some permanent buffers on some favourite trees that woodpeckers and flickers come back to again and again.)

[sandycheeks]

Wow I had no idea that squirrels will kill baby birds. I knew they would eat bugs and I thought maybe they would be interested in an un-hatched egg but I thought they were considered herbivores.
There is no real reasonable way to stop the squirrels from going in that tree. It is probably 50' tall and is next to my neighbour's 50' tall tree. The branches touch each other. There are a whole string of maybe 5 trees that are touching spread a across our back yards. The squirrels use it to go long distances without having to go on the ground. Sandy can come to me from 3-4 yards away and never touch the ground.
I will keep an eye out for any other little ones that need help. I found 3 total baby birds under that tree in almost the exact same spot.

[Fireweed]

They mostly eat plant material/bugs - but are opportunistic and will take advantage of a situation once in a while if you know what I mean. :tilt
I just thought I'd throw the idea about the buffers out there for you or anyone else. Sometimes it can work, most times it won't. :grin2