If you've found an injured bird in the wild, you probably want to help it heal until it's ready to return to its natural environment. That said, it can be difficult to care for a wild bird and there are little guarantees that it will recover. Before you take him out of his environment, you need to be absolutely sure that he actually needs help. It is common for young creatures to come out of the nest, as they have to learn to fly and survive on their own. Although featherless chicks can be raised by humans, you should first try to bring them back to their nest; adult specimens, on the other hand, cannot be kept in captivity. Only intervene if the bird is injured or in shock; adult wild ones should be taken to wildlife recovery centers as soon as possible.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Save the Bird
Step 1. Recognize the type of bird
Not all birds you find on the ground need care or help. Some raise their young on the ground, such as the plover, the refectory, seabirds, as well as all species of chickens and ducks. Also, in order to properly care for the specimen, you need to know if it is a seed or insect eater or if it is prone to certain diseases. When trying to locate the species, pay attention to the different parts of the body. Young animals have different characteristics than adults, but it is generally possible to distinguish the species by evaluating the shape, weight and colors.
- What is its shape or silhouette? How large is it?
- What characteristic signs does it show? And in which parts of the body are they located?
- What are its colors? On which parts of the body are they located?
- Is it a bird of prey or a songbird?
- Where did you find him? In a wood? A swamp? A field?
Step 2. Determine your age
At this point, you need to understand if the chick is still a nest or a more grown specimen that is learning to fly; in the first case, it is still too small and cannot move much, so it may have been pushed or swept out of the nest. Most of the smaller creatures have not yet developed the distinctive markings or colors and either do not have feathers or just have soft plumage. The adolescent specimen, on the other hand, can move its wings and is preparing to learn to fly, has developed a thin layer of feathers and is beginning to show slight characteristic signs; it is quite normal for it to come out of the nest at this age and it is harmful to catch it.
Step 3. Check its grip
Put it on a finger and see if it is able to hold on; if it has a strong grip, it is young and does not need to be recovered! If, on the other hand, it attacks weakly or is unable to remain upright, it is probably a nestling; try to find its nest before attempting to occupy it.
Step 4. Check if he's injured
He may be disoriented due to an injury; if he has crashed into the window or you see him standing still on the ground, he is likely in shock. Birds can recover from this situation with rest.
- If he is alive but not moving, know that he may have a blood clot or concussion; if so, he needs to rest in a dark, quiet place to heal. Handle it very carefully when you pick it up.
- If you have a broken wing or leg, avoid touching it, but call a bird veterinarian right away.
Step 5. Free him from possible impediments
If the bird got hurt because it got caught in a rope, thread, or string, you need to hold it steady until you untie the tangle; grab him firmly by the wings, otherwise he may fidget as you try to save him, potentially causing injury to you and himself.
Step 6. Get it
Use a towel or a pair of gloves for this. When you want to retrieve an orphaned or stunned bird, you need to cupped your hands around its body and grab it while holding it upside down, so that it can breathe; gently pin both wings, but don't squeeze them.
While it is possible to grab a small songbird with a towel, raptors, such as hawks or owls, must be grabbed while wearing a pair of gloves; pay close attention to their beak and claws. If you are inexperienced with this type of bird, you should call the wildlife association or center so that more experienced staff can retrieve the bird
Step 7. Place the captured specimen in a box lined with a towel
A pet carrier is also good for this purpose, the important thing is that it is well ventilated, so that the bird can breathe; eventually, you can make holes to allow air circulation. Then put the container in a warm and dark place; if the bird is injured, it simply needs to rest and recover from the shock. Check it every half hour.
- Do not keep an adult specimen indoors. You should leave the box outdoors in a safe place where dogs and cats cannot reach it; it should also be far enough away from house or street noise.
- If after an hour or two the bird has recovered from the shock, you can release it back into nature; open the box or carrier away from the house and let the bird fly away. If he hasn't healed yet, he needs further treatment. Consult a veterinarian or wild bird recovery center (such as LIPU).
Step 8. Call the wildlife recovery center immediately
In many areas it is illegal to care for wild birds without a permit, especially if they are migratory or native birds. If you have found an injured adult specimen, you are unable to care for it without the advice of an experienced ornithologist. Call the bird center or search the internet to find a competent association; the staff can provide advice on injured wild birds.
Method 2 of 3: Feeding the Wild Birds
Step 1. Feed an adult specimen only as needed
When it comes to adult birds, the advice is not to feed them, especially if you are not sure about the species or its nutritional needs. Also, if he is injured, he may not be able to take solid food; if you still have to feed him and you know for sure he can eat solids, make sure to get him foods appropriate for his species. Ask your vet or bird rescue center staff for more details.
- Insect-eating specimens may eat mealworms or small crickets, but not large worms (such as earthworms) or ants.
- Those who eat seeds can be fed a fortified mix.
- For those who eat fruit you can offer diced berries or fruit; be sure to cut it into pieces suitable for the size of the bird.
Step 2. Find the right food for the chicks
Nidia need soft food; in nature they are fed with the food regurgitated by their parents. You can try to mimic this way of feeding them by offering them canned dog or cat food, which you can also soak in water to make it even softer.
- In pet stores you can find ready-made bird food solutions.
- Do not give the chick seeds, sugar water or bread; they are extremely harmful substances at this age and the bird could suffer from malnutrition.
Step 3. Use a syringe to feed the featherless babies
The chicks must be fed this way. You can find this tool in pet shops or in the pharmacy in the children's department; Fill it with canned wet food for dogs or cats or baby food (preferably fruit). Be careful not to push the tip of the syringe too deep into your throat, otherwise you could choke the animal.
If you can't use the syringe, use a toothpick; put some food on the tip and offer it to the bird, being careful not to sting it
Step 4. Feed him often
When he is still small he must eat every 15 or 20 minutes from sunrise to sunset; when he is hungry, he usually calls with his mouth open, but you should not feed him until he exhibits this behavior. It is quite normal that in the evening you do not call attention to have food. That said, if you have caught a specimen that is not yet a week old, it can ask for food every few hours even at night; in this case, you can feed him again.
- His goiter (the end of his throat) can expand as he eats, which is normal; however, when you feed the bird, you don't have to fill it completely. Its swallowing reflex starts when the food reaches the goiter and the bird should stop when it is full.
- Do not give the chicks water, because in this phase they absorb it directly from the food they eat; if they drink it, they may inadvertently fill their lungs rather than their stomachs and may die.
Step 5. Stop feeding him with the syringe when he starts to move
As it grows, you may notice that it begins to develop feathers and move around its shelter. This is the growth phase in which it completes the formation of the plumage and it is important to provide it with a varied diet.
- If he's an insectivore, you can start giving him some mealworms or crickets that you can buy at the pet store.
- If he eats the seeds, start giving him the regurgitated millet or the seeds previously soaked until they sprout; after a few days, you can add seeds, nuts and bird food to the mix.
- If he's a fruit-eating specimen, you can start feeding him fruit purees before moving on to berries or diced regular fruit.
Method 3 of 3: Sheltering the Wild Birds
Step 1. Put the bird in a box and not in a cage
Wild birds are not as domesticated as pet birds; if you put him in a cage he can get scared and he could get injured trying to escape. The ideal is to get a well-ventilated box lined with a towel, especially for adult specimens that have lived in the wild all their life; furthermore, the darkness calms him and a confined space gives him a sense of protection from predators. Make sure the box has holes for air to pass through.
Remember that this is only a temporary solution; the ultimate goal is to set him free and not to keep him as a pet
Step 2. Place his shelter in a dark and quiet place
The bird is silent as it tries to heal, so you don't need to be alarmed if you don't hear it sing or chirp in the box; in fact, the quieter his "nest", the better for his recovery.
- If it's an adult, you need to keep the box outdoors, away from home as much as possible.
- If it is a chick instead, you must keep it nearby to constantly monitor it; however, you can choose whether to keep it indoors or outdoors. If you decide for the second option, place it close to home anyway and offer it a protected and thermally insulated shelter to give it warmth.
Step 3. Keep it warm
Especially if you got it back at a young age, you need to make sure it doesn't get cold; there are a few ways to ensure a warm nest. If it is an adult specimen, it is sufficient to put a cloth and some grass to warm it; if it is still a featherless nest, it needs a greater source of heat.
- You can pour hot water into a water bottle and wrap it in a paper towel; you can also put paper tissues around the bird so that it doesn't get burned on contact. This is a great solution if you have decided to leave it outside.
- Alternatively, you can make a nest out of towels or old T-shirts and use a pet carrier. He constantly leaves an electric warmer under the container, night and day, in order to raise the temperature of the whole carrier; this is an ideal solution if you keep the bird indoors.
Step 4. Give him plenty of rest
If you see it all gathered up on itself and it doesn't move, know that it is not dead! He is just sleeping and needs to rest; he will let you know when he wakes up and is still hungry. Stay close to him while he sleeps, as the moment he wakes up he absolutely needs attention.
Step 5. Give the chick adequate space to move and start developing feathers
After a few weeks, you may notice that several of them start to grow; at that point, the animal tries to move its wings and drag itself into the shelter: this is the stage of adolescence and it is extremely important that the animal has enough space to move and be able to learn to fly. Supervise him carefully, but give him adequate space to move.
- To make sure you successfully introduce it to nature, take it outdoors once or twice a day; hold it in your hand and if it tries to fly away, don't stop it. This exercise allows him to strengthen his muscles and helps him to learn the flying technique; over time, it will likely try to fly farther and farther and for longer and longer periods, but it is likely that it will come back to eat.
- To prevent him from getting hurt in the house, you can teach him to avoid mirrors and windows; put it in front of a glass and let it tap it with its beak; repeat the exercise several times to learn not to collide with these objects while learning to fly.
Advice
- Always wash your hands after caring for and holding a wild animal; birds can be carriers of many diseases. You should take him to the vet or a wildlife recovery center as soon as possible.
- Do not allow small children to touch wild animals.
- Let the bird rest if it needs it; do not force him to stay awake, as this could make him very tired. He needs to rest to heal and grow.
- He will prefer to stand high, for example on a table or shelf, rather than on the ground. That way he'll feel safer, like he's in a tree.
Warnings
- You don't have to throw it in an attempt to make it fly; if it fails, you don't have to force it at all costs.
- Do not put him under the tap to make him drink water, he could choke and maybe even die.
- Do not give him food for human consumption, as it may cause him to die.
- Do not force its beak to open, the bird may bite you.
- In many areas it is forbidden to take care of wild birds independently without a permit; your attention should only be a temporary solution or in any case until the bird is able to fly away on its own or until you find a specialized center for recovery. You can also call LIPU or other animal welfare associations.
