Anyone know how to take care of a baby sparrow? Update pg.2 - uh oh!

[C.Ann]

This is the strangest thing ever.. DD's DH came home from work last night, got out of his truck - and found a baby sparrow hanging by one leg on the section of the vehicle where you open the little door to fill the gas tank!! No idea how (or when) it got there - and certainly no idea how it survived his driving home..

DGD was in tears.. With the exception of not being able to fly, the bird seems to be fine - but it's definitely a baby.. It will hop around, try to flap it's wings, but can't get off the ground.. The bird is up here now - as DD and DGD just arrived for the next 12 days and they didn't know what else to do with it..

So far the bird has taken water, but can't seem to manage bird seed.. DGD went on a worm hunt and (a little gross here) "chopped" up the worms in small pieces to try to feed it to the sparrow, but so far no luck.. It does chirp - and does open his/her mouth..

If DGD or my DD sit on the grass and put the bird on the ground, it will hop around here and there for awhile and then hop up into their laps and go to sleep.. Strangest thing I've ever seen.. When I put my hand out to pet it a bit when they first brought it up to show it to me, the bird didn't even flinch.. Was quite content to sit in the palm of my DGD's hand and actually started to fall asleep..

Obviously they can't keep it forever, but are afraid to release it when it's not able to fly.. And the second concern is getting the bird to eat something..

Anyone have experience with this sort of thing? DGD knows, understands, and accepts that eventually it will need to be released back into the wild - but not until it's able to fly..

What do we do until that's possible?

I still can't believe the tiny little thing survived on the side of my Dson-in-law's truck like that!!!

 

[mousey]

Do you know any wildlife rehabilitators. Maybe the SPCA knows of someone who could advise you how to care for the bird or maybe they will take the bird and rehabilitate it so it can be released. I wonder how he got in the gas cap area??? Hope someone can help you!

 

[dawson5]

Try bread and milk and feed with an eye dropper. If you have a shoe box around, keep him in there over night (put something heavy on top so he cannot escape). I would put a hand towel in there also. Call the humane society or dept of natural resources and see if they have a program that will help you.

My mother used to bring home every stray animal imaginable when I was a kid. Luckily we had a great vet who helped her and only charged for items/supplies, not services. She would nurse them back to health and adopt the adoptable ones out.

Good luck.

 

[C.Ann]

Do you know any wildlife rehabilitators. Maybe the SPCA knows of someone who could advise you how to care for the bird or maybe they will take the bird and rehabilitate it so it can be released. I wonder how he got in the gas cap area??? Hope someone can help you!

Hmmm.. Didn't think of that.. Maybe the EnCon office up here might be of help.. I can call tomorrow - just hope the poor little thing doesn't starve before then..

It's really something to see how this bird has attached itself to my DGD and DD..

 

[C.Ann]

Try bread and milk and feed with an eye dropper. If you have a shoe box around, keep him in there over night (put something heavy on top so he cannot escape). I would put a hand towel in there also. Call the humane society or dept of natural resources and see if they have a program that will help you.

My mother used to bring home every stray animal imaginable when I was a kid. Luckily we had a great vet who helped her and only charged for items/supplies, not services. She would nurse them back to health and adopt the adoptable ones out.

Good luck.

You know, I was thinking bread and milk - but wasn't sure if it would be okay or not..

Little birdie is in a good size box - with a little blanky to sleep on - and the box will be put in the bath tub tonight (with the bathroom door closed) just in case it manages to get out.. I think that's highly unlikely though - unless the bird is suddenly able to fly..

 

[Mouse House Mama]

If it is a baby you need to keep it warm. You cannot feed a cold bird. It can kill them. Get a tupperware or shoebox etc., put some paper towels inside and then put a heating pad underneath it with a towel on top of the pad. Then put the box on top an put the pad on low. Get a desk lamp and put it over the box and leave it on. Make sure it is not too hot in the box (around 90 degrees). A baby bird needs to stay warm. Sparrows don't eat seed. You need to get Kaytee Exact handfeeding mix. You mix it with water and then put it in a syringe and then feed the bird with that. Be careful not to overfeed and not to get air in the syringe. Once the bird gets a little bigger you can ask the pet store for pellets. I forget the name of them. You soak them in water a few minutes and then feed them with a tweezer or by hand. Whatever works for you. I am currently raising 2 baby starlings (don't ask) and I have raised birds my whole childhood. Good luck and I hope the bird does okay. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[C.Ann]

If it is a baby you need to keep it warm. You cannot feed a cold bird. It can kill them. Get a tupperware or shoebox etc., put some paper towels inside and then put a heating pad underneath it with a towel on top of the pad. Then put the box on top an put the pad on low. Get a desk lamp and put it over the box and leave it on. Make sure it is not too hot in the box (around 90 degrees). A baby bird needs to stay warm. Sparrows don't eat seed. You need to get Kaytee Exact handfeeding mix. You mix it with water and then put it in a syringe and then feed the bird with that. Be careful not to overfeed and not to get air in the syringe. Once the bird gets a little bigger you can ask the pet store for pellets. I forget the name of them. You soak them in water a few minutes and then feed them with a tweezer or by hand. Whatever works for you. I am currently raising 2 baby starlings (don't ask) and I have raised birds my whole childhood. Good luck and I hope the bird does okay. Let me know if you have any questions.

I'm so glad I posted this here! We had no idea..

How long do you think it will take before the bird is able to fly? And what then? Just release it right here?

 

[Mouse House Mama]

It depends how old the bird is. Does the bird have feathers yet? If not then a few weeks. If you are going to release it you have to train it for release otherwise it won't know what to do. Let me see if I can find you some better info.

 

[mrsv98]

I have successfully raised two barn swallows who were left out of the nest. At first we kept them in a box for warmth and fed them ground beef mixed with water so it was very goopy. Once they got old enough to start flapping around, we gave them flying practice by letting them fly short distances from shoulder to shoulder. Once they seemed strong enough, we took them back to the barn and set them free.

Essentially, keep him warm, find something soft, feed him often and keep your fingers crossed!

 

[buckler]

I can't vouch for how good this info is, but here's a Youtube video of how to make DIY baby bird food for sparrows. She uses cat food and soaks it in water.
http://www.youtube.com/user/nickandfallon#p/u/14/7yapSutzKLY

Youtube of same person feeding a 3 day old sparrow
http://www.youtube.com/user/nickandfallon#p/u/23/JedLK3cXwBc

But I'd only do this until you can find a professional to take care of the bird. By the way, it may be illegal to keep a wild bird.

Another link with more info from someone that raised a baby sparrow
http://hubpages.com/hub/Raising-a-baby-sparrow

 

[mrsv98]

I have successfully raised two barn swallows who were left out of the nest. At first we kept them in a box for warmth and fed them ground beef mixed with water so it was very goopy. Once they got old enough to start flapping around, we gave them flying practice by letting them fly short distances from shoulder to shoulder. Once they seemed strong enough, we took them back to the barn and set them free.

Essentially, keep him warm, find something soft, feed him often and keep your fingers crossed!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

http://www.starlingtalk.com/babycare.htm

Try this website. I think it will help you. The care is the same for Starlings as it is for Sparrows.

 

[C.Ann]

It depends how old the bird is. Does the bird have feathers yet? If not then a few weeks. If you are going to release it you have to train it for release otherwise it won't know what to do. Let me see if I can find you some better info.

Oh yes - it has feathers and all.. It's not a "baby" baby - if that makes any sense.. I will check back tomorrow to see what you find.. Thanks so much for the help.. Right now I'm going to dash down to the trailer and make sure my DD is made aware of this info..

I have successfully raised two barn swallows who were left out of the nest. At first we kept them in a box for warmth and fed them ground beef mixed with water so it was very goopy. Once they got old enough to start flapping around, we gave them flying practice by letting them fly short distances from shoulder to shoulder. Once they seemed strong enough, we took them back to the barn and set them free.

Essentially, keep him warm, find something soft, feed him often and keep your fingers crossed!

Thanks for your help as well.. Gotta run now..

 

[TheBigBadWolf]

I used to be a wildlife rehabber, although squirrels, foxes and wolves were my specialties. Here is a good article for raising orphaned birds. http://www.petplace.com/birds/foster-care-of-orphan-wild-baby-birds/page1.aspx
There are also YouTube videos on feeding orphaned birds although I haven't actually watched them and can't swear to how good they are. You might want to view some of them, though.

Good luck on saving the baby bird.

 

[buckler]

The last link I posted had something interesting in it that you should be careful about. Again...don't know how accurate this info is.

"It should be noted that you must NEVER give water to your baby bird. It will get all the water it needs from the formula. If you try to get it to drink, there is a very good chance it will drown, or get pneumonia."

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I can't vouch for how good this info is, but here's a Youtube video of how to make DIY baby bird food for sparrows. She uses cat food and soaks it in water.
http://www.youtube.com/user/nickandfallon#p/u/14/7yapSutzKLY

Youtube of same person feeding a 3 day old sparrow
http://www.youtube.com/user/nickandfallon#p/u/23/JedLK3cXwBc

But I'd only do this until you can find a professional to take care of the bird. By the way, it may be illegal to keep a wild bird.
Another link with more info from someone that raised a baby sparrow
http://hubpages.com/hub/Raising-a-baby-sparrow

Sparrows and starlings are not protected under that law.
Oh- and don't give it straight water. They get their water from their food. If you give them just water it can drown them.

 

[buckler]

Sparrows and starlings are not protected under that law.
Oh- and don't give it straight water. They get their water from their food. If you give them just water it can drown them.

Thanks for verifying about the law and the drowning thing.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Thanks for verifying about the law and the drowning thing.

No problem. I actually just found out about the law since we now have 2 starlings.

 

[C.Ann]

Thanks for all the replies - the listing of links - and so on..

I'm happy to report that "Peeps" (name chosen by my DGD) is doing very well today.. He/she has eaten the bread and milk suggested and was quite vocal all day - happily chirping away..

He/she made a few attempts to fly today - and was successful on a few short trips.. I'm starting to think that this bird is a little older than we originally thought and probably has a slightly bruised wing.. Definitely no problems with the legs as the bird can hop around very well..

Based on what I witnessed today, I wouldn't be surprised if Peeps will be well enough to fly off on his/her own before the end of the weekend..

All in all, I think we'll have a happy ending with this little bird..

Thanks again to all who took the time to help out..

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Glad to hear it!