Baby Bird Help

Have you ever encountered a baby bird fallen out of its nest? It is a deplorable situation. Usually, the baby bird has fallen from so high up that it is all torn up inside, and might die a painful death soon, if it cannot hold on, or "hang in there." The baby bird will be there in the grass or on the pavement, just crying out for its mama to come and rescue it. This will happen when there is a strong wind, or when the baby bird is almost ready to fly, but perches on the side of the nest and loses its balance.

The first thing to do is observe from a place where you won't be seen by the mama. The thing to do is to see if there is a mama flying around near the baby bird, trying to feed it or comfort it. This process can take awhile, possibly half a day, but it will be worth it. If there IS a mama, then your job will be to somehow place this baby back in its nest, or, if too high for you to reach, place it out of harm's way, where the mama can have access to feed her baby without having to worry that the neighborhood hoodlum cats will get it. The most important thing to remember is that a baby bird is much better off with its mother. But, if in the event you or someone would have to step in to help it, this is what to do.

I used to work at a school that was surrounded by trees and there were baby birds constantly falling out of trees needing help. If that baby bird has been sitting there all day where it dropped, without a mama bird to come to its rescue, then chances are that either she has abandoned it or she is dead because a cat ate her. Sometimes the mama bird will abandon the baby bird if she thinks it will not survive because it is too hurt.

If this is the case, then you must quickly take over the mama's job of feeding the little bird if you want it to survive. I have done so many-a-time.

1. Keep the bird warm. This can be accomplished by making a nest out of whatever materials you might have on hand, from paper towels to rags to paper from the shredder. Use your imagination. I have even used electric hot pads but you need to be very careful with these and put them on the lowest setting else you might have baked bird.....

2. Go the the supermarket and purchase some baby food-chicken, and baby food-fruit (any kind). Take a teaspoonful of each one and mix them together. Baby birds need protein to grow, that is why the mama brings them worms, so that is why you will feed it chicken, but if you have access to worms, that might be better. I personally, will not do the worm thing. I like convenience. The fruit is because most birds eat fruit and it provides them with carbohydrates. You will take a dropperful of this mixture and feed it to the baby bird with that eyedropper. If the baby bird will not open its beak, you must open it with one hand and feed it with the other. If it does not eat, it will die. You can tell if it has had enough because the chest area, right under the neck, or gizzard, will become visibly full. But another clue is that the bird will be satiated and will simply stop asking for food.

3. After you have fed the baby bird, give it a dropperful of water. Birds also need to drink water. If the baby is visibly bruised (I have helped this kind) you might give it some human baby acetaminophen (tylenol) in dropper form....(I would dilute it a bit) and give only one drop. A bird that has no feathers yet will have visible skin and that skin will be bruised in the spot where it took the fall. If the baby bird was not lucky to fall on a soft spot of grass, then it will be very sore and might die....but, there is always hope. Think positively.

4. Let it sleep. (Remember to keep the baby bird warm. Many birds will die from getting too cold). After feeding it, it will get sleepy just like any other baby, and it will need to sleep. You can wrap it up in tissue or something soft, and place it in the nest you have made, or if you are a female, you might wrap it up in tissue and place it in your bosom, under your shirt. I have often done this. That bosom place is the perfect temperature/warmth for a baby bird. The baby bird will want to feed often, maybe every hour on the hour....if it is awake...but don't wake it to feed it. It will let you know, believe me. Let it rest. Like all babies, it will need rest. Don't handle it too much.

5. Remember, only try to help birds that really need your help. The best place a baby bird can be is with its own mother. If you can somehow help them both get back together, that is the best route to take.

I have successfully helped and raised many abandoned birds in this way through the years. If you have found a bird and want to help it in this way, then allez-y (Go, go, go)! You will be doing a good deed for the environment and for nature. Your patience, love, and compassion will be returned in the satisfaction that you have helped another living being to continue on living, and saved it from a horribly painful death.

Good luck on your bird rescuing efforts!