Bird Help needed ASAP

[Alix]

Any of you out there know much about birds? My problem is that I have a baby crow trying to learn to fly and I think its hurt now. It WAS sitting in a planter just outside my back door. It has now fumbled its way off the deck and down onto the driveway. It looks like it might have hurt its wing. I called the City to see if they could be helpful. Their suggestion was either leave it alone to nature, or put it in a box and they'll get here when they get here. *sigh*

At the moment I'm doing a little of both. I'm sitting on my deck watching over it so the resident cats, coyotes and other predators don't eat him and I'll put him in a box when I have to go to work. Meanwhile, the parents are squawking and freaking out and driving my dog to distraction.

If anyone has any real bird experience I'd love some help. I have a lot to do today but I'm not going to do much of it unless this poor baby gets looked after.

 

[MrsLMB]

Oh Alix .. that's a tough one. We have so many baby birds around us each year and we see that happen a lot.

There is an area in my neighbors yard that is very dense brush and we shoo the babies into the brush when that happens. At least that way they aren't exposed to the predators. Often times they calm down when they aren't exposed and eventually do make it out ok. The parents will go into the brushy area and feed them.

So if there is some kind of area like that around you, you might try getting him over that way.

I just hate when that happens .. I know nature should take it's course but I sure as heck don't want to see that happen.

Let us know what happened.

 

[Addie]

Do you have an Audobon Society branch nearby you? If so, give them a call.

 

[GotGarlic]

I don't know if you have them where you are, but in our area, there are wildlife rehabilitators who take in wild animals who are orphaned or injured and take care of them till they can be released. Our vet gave us the name of one when an opossum with babies in her pouch was hit and killed by a car in the alley behind our house. She came and picked them up, too. hth.

 

[Dawgluver]

We have wildlife rehabbers here too. I've put babies back in their nests after they've fallen out, do you know where the nest is, Alix? Though it sounds like baby may be too big for the nest, it might not hurt. Shooing it into the brush is good.

Crows are pretty tenacious and will divebomb and scare away cats. Unless the baby's wing is actually broken, I would let the parents take care of it. It sounds like they're already upset, and doing too much might traumatize them more.

 

[Alix]

Under other circumstances, I'd probably have left it alone. However, the combination of being on my driveway (that I needed to use) and all the coyotes we've seen in the neighbourhood lately meant I needed to do something for the little guy.

So here's the update. Mom and Dad crow spent quite some time yelling and trying to encourage their baby. He was hurt badly enough that he couldn't even hop far, let alone fly to safety. The wildlife guy showed up at about 1030 or so (about 2 hours after I called) and he carefully picked up the baby and took it to a wildlife rehab place. He told me that the little guy did have something wrong with its wing and possibly something with its foot too. They will call me when he is better and have me point out the general direction I think the nest is in and return baby to the area.

Mom and Dad crow just about broke my heart. They spent the rest of the day looking for their baby and calling with that soft burr they sometime use. I felt so badly for them! I wish I could speak bird and explain where their baby went.

I've watched birds for years and this little guy was in trouble. He'd not been able to get up, and he was so scared you could see where he'd been on the deck and driveway because of the poo trail. I'm hoping they got him to some help in time.

I know we should let nature take its course, but if I'm the agent of either help or destruction, I'm going to choose help as often as I can. I was NOT going to run over this little baby and there was nowhere to put him that would have been safe for him. Keep your fingers crossed that he got to help in time and he will be able to come back to his Mom and Dad soon.

 

[Andy M.]

Brava, Alix for caring for a helpless creature! Real karma for you.

 

[Dawgluver]

What a good foster mom you are! I wish you could speak crow too, poor parents.

 

[Alix]

I'm sure there are lots of folks out there who are rolling their eyes at me, but its nice to know some of you understand what I mean. Thanks all!

 

[GotGarlic]

I certainly understand. I was driving home one day and saw a young cat in the road that had been hit by a car but was still alive. Other cats were in the road with it, checking it out. I was afraid they would be hit, too. I put the cat in my car and took it to an emergency vet about 10 miles away. They said it had head injuries, among others, and asked if I wanted them to try to save it. I said no and they put it down. I couldn't just leave it there suffering. Sometimes you have to do what you can.

 

[Dawgluver]

Sad, GG, but a good heart, you did the right thing.

A recurring theme here. We foodies are also great lovers of animals!

 

[Steve Kroll]

I hate to sound like the heartless cynic in a sea of good will, but I always leave these decisions up to mother nature.

That, and if it didn't survive I figure it would be one less crow I have to keep away from my cherries and grapes.

Yeah, I know. I'm mean.

 

[Dawgluver]

Sad, GG, but a good heart, you did the right thing.

A recurring theme here. We foodies are also great lovers of animals!

Except for Steve. (j/k )

 

[Steve Kroll]

Except for Steve. (j/k )

At least it wasn't a wascally wabbit. I'm like Elmer Fudd when it comes to wabbits in the yard.

 

[Dawgluver]

At least it wasn't a wascally wabbit. I'm like Elmer Fudd when it comes to wabbits in the yard.

You need a beagle.

 

[Alix]

I hate to sound like the heartless cynic in a sea of good will, but I always leave these decisions up to mother nature.

That, and if it didn't survive I figure it would be one less crow I have to keep away from my cherries and grapes.

Yeah, I know. I'm mean.

I often do too. However, in this case I would have been the cause of its demise as it was directly in the path of my vehicle. I couldn't do that to a poor little baby. OK, not so little, but you know what I mean. Not having either cherries OR grapes (JEALOUS!!) I am fond of both crows and magpies. They're raucous and boisterous but I like their attitude and that they are nature's clean up crew. With coyotes around the crows never go hungry if you get my drift.

We don't have bunnies, but we have hares. The year I planted blueberry bushes and they ate them down to tiny nubs I was ready to be Elmer Fudd and make hasenpfeffer too!