# First Nestling Sparrow For 2006 ..



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

http://www.rims.net/HPIM1902.JPG

Terry


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

OH MY...that is such a tiny, naked and helpless little baby!!!! Look how small it is next to those pennies!!! Terry, you've got your work cut out for you! 

Best wishes and luck for this year's baby bird season, I have a feeling you're gonna need it!


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks for the good wishes for this tiny little one, Brad .. they will be needed! These little sparrows are pretty tough little babies in their own right but really a lot of work and a lot of luck to get them raised.

Terry


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Where in the world do you find such a tiny creature?? I don't know that I would even see it if I walked by. God..........so little. That's scary. I'd be afraid of squishing it accidently......


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Lovebirds said:


> Where in the world do you find such a tiny creature?? I don't know that I would even see it if I walked by. God..........so little. That's scary. I'd be afraid of squishing it accidently......


Hi Renee,

Actually a very nice young fellow named Marc found this little one in his yard yesterday .. I don't know how .. BUT people find them by the dozens each and every year. Marc kept it going until he could get it here today.

It is truly amazing that such a tiny, naked, blind (eyes closed) little one will raise up, gape, and readily accept food from a human caretaker .. they are very dear little bird beings and catch on to being fed every bit as quickly as a baby pigeon or dove .. starlings the same .. wait til those little "daffodils" start coming in .. so homely they are precious.

Terry


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Wow, what incredible detail in your photo! Even the little feather tips on his wings and tail are visible. Interesting proportions regarding size of mouth to size of body.   Please pardon my ignorance, but are the light colored areas on his upper back air sacs? Glad this tiny one is in such capable hands! Guess you have to be really careful not to throw the baby out with the bedding!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Terry,

WOW! What a tiny little thing. 

What do you feed a little one that age, and do you use a dropper?

I know there are plenty of these baby sparrows in Calif. around this time of year, as I rescued one that had fallen from a big old tree, in a friends yard when I was little. The one I had was a little older. I fed it baby oatmeal from a dropper, probably wasn't the right food, but it did quite well.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Terry,

Can you give a brief run down of what needs to be done for it to pull it through? I know that I would be running around in panicky circles if I found a bird that tiny.

Cynthia


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Oh wow, Terry, sure brings back good, good memories. When they're that tiny, you can sometimes be afraid to even handle them. You're right about them opening those pretty little beaks to be fed. I hope you get some starling babies in soon so everyone can see how beautiful they are. After I raised starlings I never again thought of them as ugly.

I wanted to add that my avatar shows two little baby redbirds in the foreground and two little baby sparrows in the background. They were just a couple of weeks away from going into the aviary to "get wild" again prior to release. The species sure stick together but at that age they get along really well. I sure do miss rehabbing them but until you rehab songbirds you would never believe the work involved in caring for them. Give me a pigeon any day.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Cynthia, Treesa, and all, here is a link to some very good information about the care and diet for baby sparrows and starlings: http://www.starlingtalk.com/babycare.htm The MacDiet works well for them also but is a bit more complicated to make. Once I have lots of sparrows and starlings here, I will switch to the MacDiet but for this little one am using the StarlingTalk diet.

Just to give you an idea of how quickly they develop: http://www.rims.net/sparrow.htm

I'll have to locate some nestling starling pics and post them later.

Maggie .. love your avatar! (and yes, pigeons are much easier)

TerriB .. yes, those are little tiny air sacs.

Terry


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## christina11 (Jan 20, 2006)

What a precious little sparrow and lucky for it to be found being soo small and helpless.

I used to have a sparrow that had all her feathers and but was still to young to eat on her own and fly for that matter and the parents were not around at all so i took her home raised her and before i new it she was flying after my feet outside altho she did make a few hard landings also lol .Knowing she had to be fed every hour or so i carried her in a basket with a tiny nest in it she would peep for all the food she wanted even took her to the mall with me and ppl were amazed by how tame she was.
Its amazing how we can all help these little creatures of this earth get threw life.


Also with feeding the sparrows and starlings can we feed them parrot formula too ? its the kind were you can feed them from the start of an egg all the way too the day they learn what seeds and bugs are?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> (and yes, pigeons are much easier)


That is why I stick to pigeons, they are such survivors. I would be completely out of my depth with other birds, but hopefully with your help could keep it alive until I got it to someone experienced.

Cynthia


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Starling Pics At ..*

http://www.rims.net/2005May01/

Terry


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

christina11 said:


> Also with feeding the sparrows and starlings can we feed them parrot formula too ? its the kind were you can feed them from the start of an egg all the way too the day they learn what seeds and bugs are?


Hi Christina,

If you're referring to Kaytee Exact or similar hookbill forumlas, then no. These really don't have the right nutrition for baby sparrows, starlings, or other little passerines. The diet on the StarlingTalk site works very well for sparrows and starlings. There are other diets needed for other types of passerines, and it's really important to feed the right diet when they are babies.

Terry


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Terry, thank you for the baby starling pictures. What a "wad" you had in those last pictures. When I would have that many at one time, I'd sit down at the table and wrap both arms around them and slide them up close to me and they'd go fast asleep. Heaven! Sweet little flower faces.


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## JGregg (Jul 28, 2003)

Starlings are real little sweeties, so are the english sparrows. Speaking of flowers, my Mom's pet starling from many years ago was named "Daffodil", and my pet starling (who is still with me) is named "Peony".

I hope that no problems develop with the new baby. You go with your bad self Terry!


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks, "J"! I call all little nestling/fledgling starlings my daffodils because their big, open, beaks look just like a pot of daffodils starting to bloom. Little sparrow is doing well .. will try to get day to day pics but just got in a big stuck on a glue trap from animal control and need to get going on that.

Terry


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Sparrow - Day 6*

http://www.rims.net/2006Apr21

Terry


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