Injured Bird...help

[Danustouch]

I awoke to the sound of a sqwauking bird....i thought it was just right outside my window. My husband had left the window in our office wide open..and apparently, the bird flew in.

Unfortunately...our three cats found it. I couldn't watch them kill it, when it was right in my own house. I wrapped the little thing up in a t shirt, and put him in a box. He's sitting on my desk right now in the box. He doesn't appear to be bleeding, but it looks like he cannot fly. I don't know what to do with the poor thing. What should I do??????????

[GoddessofWisdom]

Call animal control


They will set his wing and keep him until he's able to fly

[Danustouch]

I called the animal control officer. In my town, they only take care of domesticated animals. Their advice was to put him under a tree outside. Right now...i have put him in a little box, with some food and water, and put him in a room, with the door closed, so that the cats can't bother it. I'll wait until my husband calls, and see what he thinks I should do. Poor little birdie.

[jili]

I've already e-mailed Danustouch, who's done an excellent job in taking in the injured bird.
The important thing to remember is when one comes across a bird in that situation is to put it in ventilated box in a resonably warm area (not too warm, not too cold) as the bird will probably be in shock. Keep other pets and children away and avoid talking and loud noises as this is a wild animal not used to being confined and cannot escape like it normally would be able to do. Do not try to offer food or water. Wash your hands after handling bird and box ( I know, common sense, the mommy side of me has kicked into high gear, sorry) Contact SPCA, animal control or a local licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Use the phone book or go on-line. There's probably a lot of folk out there that can give more advice and resources than I.
I've volunteered in the past with a licensed wildlife rehabilitator who worked closely with Fish and Game. The healing process is amazing. There have been birds that were so injured I did'nt think would have a chance and they pulled through and others that came in I thought would be fine but were'nt. As time went on I learned a lot.
Many organizations that help animals, especially wild ones depend on donations and any however large or small are always appreciated. Supplies are always appreciated too. Hope this helps. :)

[Danustouch]

Thank You Jili...I did wash my hands:) But unfortunately, there is no wild animal help organizations around me:( I live in hickville, where most people would just fry the poor thing up for dinner :(. So i'm just going to keep an eye on the poor little fella...and see what happens. Though right now, I'm just trying to give him some space.

[Old Witch]

First of all, what kind of bird is it? Find the no. of your county extension agent (Dept. of Agriculture) and see if he can give you the no.of the Wildlife officer for your area. If all else fails, do a little ritual for it and put it in the hands of the goddess.If you have pet birds, keep it well away from them. The West Nile Virus is no joke.

[Danustouch]

the little fellow died :( I put him in a box, in my bedroom, so that he could have some peace. When I went in to check on him, he had escaped from the box. I found him underneath my bed...he'd already passed on to the other side. Poor little thing:(

[Old Witch]

Blessed Be to you and the bird...

[Danustouch]

thank you. BTW....I think it was some sort of wren. He was gray, black and white, with a black crest on his head. i just buried him a few minutes ago.

[GoddessofWisdom]

Oh no I'm sorry to hear that and you might hate me for what I'm about to say but in this world it's survival of the fitest. Maybe he was a runt and wasn't even supposed to survive as long as he did. You did the best thing possibel. He now nows that atleast one life cared about him enought to try to help:(

[Danustouch]

I know Goddess...natural selection, and all that:) It's odd..injured birds seem to gravitate towards me. One time, I was at the laundromat, I was just about to walk outside and have a smoke, when a bird flew into the big glass windows outside the building. I ran outside, and there he was on the sidewalk..laying down. At first, I thought he was dead...i nudged him softly with a stick though..and he moved. So I ran inside, got a towel, and picked him up. Soon, he began to look around, and his breathing seemed steady. I just cradled him softly. He could have flown away at any point, I wasn't holding him tightly at all. After about 15 minutes..he just..flew off. He wasn't injured..apparently..just in shock. And he didn't seem in too much of a rush to fly off once he started to come out of the shock. I watched him fly into a neighboring tree..then he flew back, and perched on one of the rafters overhanging the building..looking down at me. Quite unperterbed. :) I was hoping this would be a similar scenario...but...Nature has Her reasons:)

[jili]

Ahhhh, I'm sorry the bird passed away. It's always sad but I'm glad you've had success in the past. I just had to check in on you before I went to work. The bird was lucky you were there to at least give it as peaceful passing over that it could have. Take care and thanks for helping it.

[Danustouch]

Thanks Jili:)

[Yvonne Belisle]

Please be advised that the laws in the US are pretty messed up on things like this. Most birds are illegal to keep in your home for any length of time. So call the vet when something like this happens if the bird is an adult and can't fly and ask who is licensed to care for wild animals. There is always someone you might be surprised.

[Laiste]

:(

[MystOld]

Originally posted by Yvonne Thomas
Please be advised that the laws in the US are pretty messed up on things like this. Most birds are illegal to keep in your home for any length of time. So call the vet when something like this happens if the bird is an adult and can't fly and ask who is licensed to care for wild animals. There is always someone you might be surprised.

Very true. In our town animal control and even the vet recommended the bird be left outside under a tree, especially if it was very young (then perhaps its mother might come back for it). Then again my family ended up foster parents to a countless number of birds including a mourning dove who had broken her wing and stayed with us for 3 years, as well as a few squirrels. *shrugs*

[Yvonne Belisle]

We have done quite a few too ourselves. I tend to put the animal over some beaurocrate ruling.

[Danustouch]

Well..this was an odd case, too. The bird actually flew INTO my house..lol. I didn't find it in the yard or anything. I called around, the nearest Audobon society was about 45 minutes to an hour away...and the person they usually send for such things, wasn't there. Then I called the Humane Society..and they said to just put it under a tree..that there wasn't much they could do. They volunteered to give me the number of the DEM, but they said that the DEM would automatically euthenize..they wouldn't try to fix him. Since the bird wasn't bleeding badly, i thought he may just have been in shock. Or perhaps, that he'd injured his wing. So I was going to wait until my husband got home, to take a look at it. He seemed shaken, and such..but he didn't look on the verge of death. So...I took the advice of Jili, and put his box in the bedroom, with the door shut, so that he could recover from his shock without the cats harrassing him. And..while he was in there, he crawled out. I found him under the bed. So..perhaps the strain of crawling out of the box, was too much for him. Maybe took all of his effort. So he passed on:) I'd put the animal ahead of beurocratic red tape, too!

[jili]

I'm sorry Danustouch. I should have emphasized a closed box where the bird could not get out. Punching airholes into the box gives ample air ventilation and keeps the bird confined. It's my fault. I didn't give enough information.:(

[Sequoia]

awww jilli please don't blame yourself! sad things happen, but things like this are NOBODY's fault. *hugs* Sometimes creatures die, they have to, life cannot go on forever. But it's nobody's fault when they do. That bird had a purpose in dying there. We don't know why yet, but it must have.

*HUGS* danu. .. I'm sorry!! I know what that's like. . . when my cat had kittens my brother's cat would catch birds and mice and bring them inside trying to get attention for herself because she was pretty much ignored. I always felt so horrible, because it seemed she always killed my favourite little birds. . . these tiny brown ones that like to live outside my window.
But even THAT was for a purpose. So sometimes things happen, but for a reason. I think everything happens for a reason.

*hugs* don't get too down. You gave that bird comfort in it's last hour, something it wouldn't have had. Perhaps it will even remember you "next time around" ^_~

[Danustouch]

Jili..please dont' blame yourself. I knew what you meant..but I didn't have a box like that in my house. So..i found a box with an attatched lid...and i propped it open , just enough..to let in air..Well..the little fellow pushed the darn thing open, or wormed himself out. I felt bad too..but..i tried, you tried..we can do nothing more than that:)

[talamh]

The wren is considered to be the guardian of the winter mysteries. There is a legend that the birds agreed that the king of all birds would be the one who flew the highest... so the wren perched on a the back of an eagle so that when it flew the highest.. the wren.. the littlest.... flew higher still.. and so is the king of all birds.

There is quite a history and mystery concerning the wren.... Why did he come to you? Maybe one of life's little mysteries. bb talamh

[Danustouch]

Thanks Talamh....a couple of friends told me what a book called "Animal Speaks" (about animal totems)said about the wren. I'm trying to be still, and think about how the message applies to my life:)

[jili]

Thanks Danustouch, I'm just a jelly-head when it comes to explaining things. I'm just so darn sorry that there's no real help for wildlife in your area. I used to go 50 miles every Saturday to volunteer and was very lucky to be trained by someone who has been saving wildlife for over 20 years. The things learned in those three years were more valuable to me then gold. I live in a big city where all the wild places are quickly being gobbled up and the animals have no place to go and it was great to learn about all the local wildlife. Well, when my life settles back into a normal routine then volunteering will definetly be on the agenda.
And as to there being a lot of laws pertaining to wildlife then yeah, I can sympathize with those who want to help and are frustrated and seemingly thwarted by "The Law" but in some instances there's good reason for the health of the animal and the humans. I could tell many stories but will spare everyone:) Another time perhaps. I'm just glad you're not angry at me. Bye for now.

[Danustouch]

Nope..not angry at all. I admire you for what you have done for our furry friends. Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Jili :)