# Baby bird - what is it? What does it eat?



## fuzzhead_smurf

I work at a petstore, and just yesterday I told my boss we should put up a sign saying that I can take care of injured and baby birds, but he said no because we might get too many and get out of control. But he calls me today and sayd "Be careful what you wish for, we've got a baby bird here for you." 

My problem is I don't know what it is. It's quite small. It can easily fit into the palm of my hand. (I could probably fit half a dozen of this little guy in my hand) He's dark brown and black-ish and has a huge bright yellow beak. He looks like the baby birds from the mentos commercial. I also need to know how much and what to feed it. I've got some baby bird food mix and I've been giving him little amounts, but he still acts hungry. Does this species eat bugs? If it does, I can buy tiny crickets from work. Any suggestions now would help. Thanks.


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## Skyeking

I can tell you that it is definitely NOT a dove or pigeon, but I am sure someone is going to come along and help identify the baby and help with the diet.

Meanwhile here is a starling link where you can find out what species you have and hopefully a recipy for their diet:

http://www.starlingtalk.com/


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## Maggie-NC

Congratulations, it appears that you have a wonderful baby starling. They are one of my absolute favorites to raise and are much easier to care for than many of the other "songbirds". When we were first learning to care for songbirds, my rehabber friend gave us several baby starlings because she said they were pretty easy to raise.

Do go to the Starling-talk link Treesa put up. There you can find diets and other great information to help you. The nice thing about songbirds is they "gape" for you so you don't have to prize open their beak.

Couple things I will mention. Keep this baby nice and warm. Also, you probably know that pigeon's crops are in the center of their chest. Songbird crops are at the side of their neck. While she is still without full feathering, when you feed her, look on the side of her neck and you will see a little bulge. Keep an eye on that and just make sure you don't feed too much. Many of them don't know when to stop begging so we have to monitor their intake and not overdo the food. Also, if you are giving it food such as a quality dog/cat food pellet that has been soaked in water and softened, you don't have to worry about water. If you do give them water, do it with a small syringe (like a diabetic syringe) and when they gape, insert it past their air hole and give very tiny amounts at the time so as not to aspirate them. Also, give them 2-3 small pieces of fruit - we mostly used grapes and apples (kinda squished to make them not so hard) with every meal. We also would sprinkle calcium on the soaked pellets. Both the fruit and calcium will help prevent them from getting metabolic bone disease which can cripple them.

They will sleep a lot and like to be in a soft bed. We used margarine containers, filled about 3/4 full with either crumbled tissue, paper towels or even wood shavings. Then, we placed a soft cloth on top of that and lots of tissues on top of that. The container should be built up to allow the baby to poop over the side as much as they can. When he is settled in the nest and goes to sleep, you can place one tissue on top of him to help keep him warm and feel secure. They can still breathe with just the one tissue loosely laid on top of them. 

Well gee whiz, I can get going, can't I? Good luck and keep us posted on how this baby does.


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## TAWhatley

That is actually a baby sparrow  The advice and diet from the Starling Talk site is applicable for this little one too. They are delightful little birds to raise and usually wickedly difficult to wean unless they can "learn" from an older or adult sparrow that is self feeding.

Terry


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## kittypaws

That is a tiny baby - good luck with the feeding. 

Tania xx


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## Maggie-NC

Well oops  - sure looked like a starling mouth to me. I did question myself momentarily because of its size relative to the amount of feathers. In any event, most everything I wrote would still pertain to sparrows - who, by the way, are also pretty easy to raise and are so, so sweet.


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## TAWhatley

Lady Tarheel said:


> Well oops  - sure looked like a starling mouth to me. I did question myself momentarily because of its size relative to the amount of feathers. In any event, most everything I wrote would still pertain to sparrows - who, by the way, are also pretty easy to raise and are so, so sweet.


I just happened to have a couple of baby sparrows about that size to go "eyeball" and also a baby starling for comparison.  

Your advice was right on regardless!

Terry


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## docbjb

I just have to laugh looking at that little beak...he looks so disgruntled for a baby in that first pic!

What a cutie...good luck with the little guy.


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## warriec

what are you feeding it, hope you are giving the right diet otherwise you may kill the bird. do u have acces to insects


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## pdpbison

Hi fuzzhead_smurf,




What a cutie..!


Yes, looks like a "Sparrow" to me also.


He MUST be kept decidedly "warm" for now and for some while yet...about one's own body temperature is fine, so for sure HE is that temperature, so...

Do you have a way to do this? An electric Heating Pad works well...with one or two layers of towell on it...and some little padded thin bowl on that...test where he is going to be, with the underside of your wrist. Protect from any indoor drafts.

No Water should be given to him, nor other liquids...they too easily aspirate liquids and die from it.

He should get his hydration from small wholesome fresh live Bugs, such as May Flies, or other tender kinds one can catch by a porchlight at night...or Crickets which one finds under boards in the yard and so on, or can buy. and or the other items mentioned below.

Or, also, what I do, is feed them Canned Sardines, the 'small' slender size ones, "Two-Layer" to the little Can, because these have a higher proportion of skin and tiny soft Spine than do the fat large ones...and should be "Water Pack"...the skin and tender spines are very good for him...as is the flesh.


Fresh raw Sushi-Bar-fish also, and or bits of fine Fish skin or ( safe, clean, food grade, from food grade raw Fish, of fish guts cut up tiny,) is very good for them also, and you can get at any Sushi Bar...

He needs Chlorophyll ( which normally he would get the intestines of Bugs who eat plants, when he is fed those Bugs ) and he needs correct Fruits also...


So, you can go to a Health Food Store, and get some powdered or other Super Greens, "Chlorella" or the likes, as well as mincing up a little fresh Parsley or Cilantro to boot.

Get some 'Goji Berrys' also while there...and tere or at a grocery, get a new just for him, small Bottle of Olive Oil.


Take a little saucer or bowl...splash a little fresh, brand new Bottle, Olive Oil ( never from an old one ) and with little pre-soaked cut-up bites of Goji Berrys, Sardine, and a little minced Cilantro, some cut up ripe Cherry...mix some "Chlorella' or other Chlorphyll-Green-Powder into the little small splash of Olive Oil...and, lightly rub these prospective bites into the 'Green' Olive Oil on the saucer, and with a finger tip, have the bite lightly sticking to your little-finger tip end...and in that way, put a bite FAR into his mouth when he gapes and is asking, so that way he can swallow it easily.

If you make a 'Cheep!' sound every time you intend to immediately offer or place a bite into his mouth, he will soon learn this, and his initial "Cheep!", you can answer with a "cheep!" and soon as possible then, with a nice food bite, and then make your 'Cheep!" again, when you are about to place the bite.

Pre-soaking the semi-dry Goji Berrys is a nice and proper way for him to get his 'Water', as too with the other items which are hydrated in their own ways...


Too, or lastly, get some fresh ripe Cherrys, or if you can not, get dried ones, dark kinds, and pre-soak them and cut them up into tiny bites for the day.

He needs things in the Cherrys which I do not know are pesent in the Goji Berrys, for his Bones and Nerves to be nurtured right....but do not neglect the Gojis, since these in their ways are also very good for him and supply needed things...and might just have those 'Cherry things' in them also...but do both.


Otherwise, this diet is easy to put together, easy to do, fun for you and him, and will be very very good for him. He will be happy.

Probably, about one third or two-fifths Bugs and Fish...and about two thirds thereabouts fresh ripe soft Fruits or rehydrated dried ones as above...and a teaspoon of minced cilantro a day...would be decent proportion wise.

Any semi-dried Fruits to be rehydrated for him MUST be free of "Sulfites"...so be very careful about this, buy 'Organic" or 'Sulfite free' only.


Once he is pecking on his own, you can offer small whole Seeds and Grit in addition to these other kinds of tiny bites for him to peck at.


NO earthworms...and no Bugs which seem nasty or hard.

Any tender Bugs with Wings, the Wings should be removed, and any Bug of whatever kind should be fed Head-first, and be killed right then before feeding unless totally soft and weak as May Flies are...and can be cut up for easier digestion, and smaller bites, also.

He needs a fiar amount of protean...so, raw clean Fish, and right Bugs will do very nicely...and for everything else he needs, the other items will do wonderfully.

His Nest-bowl should be shallow, so he can poop off side of it easily if he likes.


Good luck..!


Phil
Las Vegas


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## BirdDogg10

Awww, he's cute!

In that first pic he kinda has "What do you want?" look on his face, LOL.


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## creatures289

OK, I haven't read anyone's posts, but this bird is wildlife. Wildlife is protected by law. If the bird is migratory, it is a federal offense to keep it. I was a wildlife rehabilitator in NJ for many years. Baby WILD birds should NEVER be raised alone. They cannot be successfully released as they will not fit into society. They become imprinted (used to humans) and they don't know how to find food. You should contact a wildlife rehabilitator in your area ASAP. Search the web for wildlife rehabilitators in your state. If no luck, contact fish and game in your state. 

I have seen this too many times where people raise wildlife and what a disaster. Diets are wrong, illness and then if they ARE released, the poor things cannot fend for themselves. Rehabilitating wildlife is very serious and to get involved in doing so, you can contact your local fish and game and inquire about becoming licensed. Local vets cannot even take in wildlife unless they are licensed, so unless you know everything about the species, they are doomed when being cared for by anyone who is not trained.

Renee


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## TAWhatley

Hi Renee and welcome to Pigeon-Talk. English Sparrows, European Starlings, and feral pigeons are not protected under state or federal law. Here in Southern California none of the state/federally permitted centers will take non-protected birds for rehab. If members of the public leave such birds at the centers, they are euthanized unless someone like me has a working relationship with the centers to take such birds.

I do agree that a single wild bird cannot be successfully raised from a tiny nestling or fledgling state without becoming at least somewhat imprinted on the caretaker. It has been my experience, however, that tame/imprinted sparrows, starlings, and pigeons can and will "wild" up if they are able to be with others of their own kind.

Anyway, sometimes there simply is no other choice for a little non-protected species of bird other than to be raised by someone who may not have a lot of training but who wants to save the little bird.

This whole business of non-protected species of birds is a real sticky wicket all the way around.

Terry


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## pdpbison

Hi Renee,


Yes, as Terry mentions, Sparrows are 'technically' regarded as 'feral' Birds, or not as an indigenous Species anyway, and are not a protected Species or restricted under any State or Federal laws.

Too, there are many Species of Birds where one is ostensibly forbidden by law to aid or help or render assistance to, while under the law, one can shoot as many as one likes, any time one likes, or, in some cases, one can only shoot as many as one likes during 'that' hunting season.


Too, in reality, no one with a federal licence and almost no one with any state licence, is going to so much as wiggle a little finger to save Baby Sparrows, or Baby Starling or Pigeon or Dove or any Bird Baby else unless it is an Eagle maybe, or a 'prestige' Bird of some kind, a 'Whooping Crane' Baby or something.

The federally licenced Wild Life Rahabbers I have talked to get brought a great many orphan Baby Birds of widely varying species, and they just throw them all into the trash or incinerator or otherwise dump them perfunctorily, refering to them as 'garbage'.

Or the few who sort of make some effort at saving and raising them, have perfunctorates and under license helpers at seperate locations, and in the one case where I met some of these people, their knowledge and practices and rate of loss, and quality of care, were all appauling.

Bringing a Bird or Baby Bird to them, was to condem it to sickness, death, neglect, bad care, and unlikely survival if ever released.


I think one 'reason' so many Licenced 'wild life rehabbers' are so negative about any one else doing it in any way whatever, is that their own methods and raising for release understandings are so bad, they can not or will not imagine any one else's could be anything but worse.


I do not tend to get Baby Sparrows very often now, but when I lived across town here I uded to get brought a lot of them.

They always did well, and when ready flew out and joined the Wild Sparrows in the back yard, and assimilated just fine, assuming their places in the Sparrow Community. Some would go out and come back in a few times before staying out for keeps.

When I raised lone Sparrow Babys, these tended to become interested in the outside world a little later, or slower, while being very sociable with me for a period also.

They would perch on my shoulder or fly over all the time to see what I was doing...so, I'd take them out and pretend to graze Seeds, hunt for Bugs, show them stuff, and they'd enjoy that and take to it "Like a Duck to Water"


And soon, if not already, they would enjoy to fly out by day to join other Sparrows, and fly back in at Sunset...

I would just open the front door here, stand outside a moment, and see a tiny 'dot' in the sky which was comeing my way, and "ZOOOOM!" in he'd fly, like a shot, and he'd been watching for me to open the door, since I would know that come just-about-Sunset, he'd be ready to come back in, or at least I would offer the option.

Then, after a while, they would fly out and stay out for several days, then maybe a few weeks later I would see them come back, ly in, visit for a little bit, or spend the night maybe, fly off, and I would not see them again.

They are very smart Birds, and they can do very well in becomeing 'wild', and joining their Wild fellows, even if raised by people.


None ever got stuck on me, and all "bonded" with me as any Baby will with a surrogate parent, if one is kind and deferential with them in their terms of it. If one gives them what they need and in ways which fit with their sensibility.

The bond dissolves as it is supposed to, as it naturally would with their biological parents, once they are self sufficient enough in their own sense of things, and are feeling their emerging not-a-baby-no-more, but getting to be an adolesent, modes of being.

So, I never had any problames, nor did they, in that regard. 


Most places, there is no one to raise these sorts of Babys...so, even if it is less than perfect, the only other alternative for them, is to perish as Babys, and never get to have any chance at all.

So I do not advocate anyone does this indifferently, or without at once making every effort TO learn more, and to understand these Babys needs...


But we all have to start somewhere...


And sometimes, that is the only chance that Baby will have, too...is if someone does.


Best wishes!


Phil
Las Vegas


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## pdpbison

Hi f-s, 


I forgot to mention...!


Many times, fallen Sparrow Babys are not at all far from their Nest, and, can be put back into it if you can locate it.


Please consider this...


This IS the ideal, when ever possible to do...( so long as the Baby is not sick, anyway, or injured, where, then, one can still care for them to get them well, and THEN put them back.)


See if you can find the Nest, and see what you think...


Best wishes!


Phil
Las Vegas


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## Lovebirds

pdpbison said:


> *Hi Renee*,
> 
> 
> Yes, as Terry mentions, Sparrows are 'technically' regarded as 'feral' Birds, or not as an indigenous Species anyway, and are not a protected Species or restricted under any State or Federal laws. etc ...............
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Phil
> Las Vegas


WHOA!! I clicked on "first unread post" or whatever it says and up pops Phil talking to "Renee" and I'm like......."what the heck is HE talking about now??" I don't do wildlife rehab....and then says "as Terry mentions".......so I scroll back up some and see there's ANOTHER RENEE!! LOL
I thought one or two of us had really lost it!!


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## pdpbison

Oye!


But I did not write it in those huge "RED" letters!


Really I didn't!


Lol...


Hi Renee!


Phil
Las Vegas


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