# Baby blackbirds / robins (pics)



## Chris Y (Mar 5, 2007)

This week I've been hand-feeding a couple of orphaned blackbirds (Turdus Merula) and a Robin (European - Erithacus Rubecula). 

I've had fed pigeons before, but this is my first 'real' time with songbirds, and I'm finding the 20 minute feeding regime a little tough sometimes! However, they're mostly easy to feed - just a little puppy food mixed with a touch of water and some insect-mix, held in front of them with tweezers. Wait for the gape, and "let 'em have it". In that way they almost feed themselves. 

Contrary to some advice I've been given (isn't that always the way) I've also found they really need some water given to them by syringe. They can't take it out of a dish yet (except the Robin, who sorta can), and they stop being able to swallow properly if they don't have water every now and again. The puppy food is moist, but apparently not *quite* moist enough.

Giving them the water was like a revelation too - they were enthusiastic about the food, but absolutely ecstatic about the water! I added some critical care formula, and it's really boosted them. You have to be real careful with the water, as obviously they can aspirate, but they seem to have the right idea of when to swallow and how. They generally put their beaks around the syringe, I press the plunger slowly, and they swallow. When they've had enough they turn away. I wasn't expecting giving them water would be quite so easy!  

As ever, the story is slightly tinged with sadness - there was another blackbird in the bunch, which unfortunately died. We're presuming head injuries, as he lost balance. Also there was a dunnock (Prunella Modularis) who seemed to be getting on well, but on the 3rd day of having him he went downhill fast, stopped eating, slept most of the day, and then died unexpectedly. I've no idea of the reason.

Anyway, back on with the encouraging part of the story - here's some pics:


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

What a little cutie, and that expression on the last pic...LOL it's priceless.

I'm glad you discovered their need for good ol'e H2o. 

Thank you for sharing.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Lovely photos, Chris. And thanks for the feeding and watering information, l have no experience at all about raising song birds and would probably go into a blind panic.

Where do you buy the insect-mix?

Cynthia


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Really great photos, Chris, I especially loved the last one. What an adorable
little one you have there. I did take care of a jouvenile Robin briefly who was self feeding and recall that one insect item on the menu was a bit harder for the Robin to eat as it was dry. So it makes sense to me what you are saying about them needing water to help things slide down and this is of course true for us as well. Great pics. thanks for sharing.

fp


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Wonderful pictures. I love songbird babies so much and they are a joy to work with. The food does look a little dry. Could you dip about every 3rd piece in water rather than having them try to drink because they can aspirate easily.

When we rehabbed songbirds I always liked to have soaked Science Diet with every meal and one or two pieces gave them enough liquid.


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## naturegirl (Nov 7, 2005)

Hi Chris aren't they just adorable babies. 20 minutes can seem a lot sometimes especially when you have other things to do but the outcome is fabulous and without your intervention they wouldn't be here today huh? Great job!! Love the baby robin. 

Cindy


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

I must say, Chris, those are just the most fantastic pictures! WELL DONE!! 

That last one is absolutely priceless! Looks like "he" is saying, "FEED ME and MAKE MY DAY!"

What a wonderful posting...Keep up the great work and PLEASE keep us updated!

Shi & Mr. Squeaks


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## Chris Y (Mar 5, 2007)

Can't type for long as little one is chirrping at me again just by my shoe! I let them out every now and again so that they can explore (within reason) and stretch.

This is particularly important with the one we call 'medium blackbird' (there was 'small', 'medium' and 'large' in the set) - who had a leg break after falling from the nest. Seems it's healed, and the leg is straight, but there is some muscle or tendon damage at the hip-joint, which is swollen. 

Not sure whether to give him anything (i.e. meds) for the swelling, or wait for nature to take action. Little fella can't or won't put any weight on it, and as such pushes himself around on his wing tip and the other leg.

When I got 'medium' from the wildlife center, he was in a nest cup. All well and good, but these guys are at the stage now where they wouldn't stay in the nest for long - indeed 'small' is bouncing around all over the place! It also meant that 'medium' couldn't move properly in the nest cup, and was sat around on his poops all day. I had to trim the vent feathers a little to remove some of the crusted poop. Lovely 

The food I'm giving them has been moistened with water. It's Pedigree puppy food, available from most stores in the UK, plus SA-37 (vitamins/minerals supplement), mixed with some insect mix (more on that in a bit) and a bit of water added. It's fairly moist, but even so, they seem to still crave a syringe full of water every now and again. 

I'm well aware of the dangers of aspirating, and as such was reluctant to give them any water for a few days, but it became apparent that ever with the moistened mix, the little blackbird was not swallowing well after a couple of days. He'd pretend to swallow, then shake his head and it would come out again. Also they looked a little sub-par on the 3rd day of having them, particularly 'medium'. 

So I resolved to put a little bit of Critical Care and water on the sides of medium's beak. That went well, and he gaped for it, so I put some more at the very front of his beak. I've also put it at the very back of the throat, missing the glottis entirely. After that they both seemed to take to the syringe so naturally that I just kept doing it. No problems so far. Wouldn't like to do that with a very sick bird though.

I'm giving them approx 1ml every other feeding time. Sometimes the little 'un likes more and gapes like mad, so I give him more, but if he has too much his poops become a little watery!

Cynthia: The "insect mix" is a tub of dried insects that I picked up at a garden centre, or possibly Pets-At-Home. Can't remember which. It's called 'Dawn Chorus' Dried Insects. I reckon you could also use Haith's Insectivorous instead, and that's what I plan to get next time.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Wonderful pictures, Chris! Thanks for sharing and bringing smiles  

Terry


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## Chris Y (Mar 5, 2007)

Very quick update..

The Robin today came on leaps and bounds. It finally discovered that it could pick mealworms up for itself, kill them and eat them. Also today was its first bath. Clever little robin!

Little blackbird is still doing well. Eating tons, making a mound of poop, peeping while sleeping. All the cute stuff  He can also fly a little now, which means he's even harder to keep in one place! Medium is also doing OK. Looks like he may be trying to use his legs a bit more, which is encouraging. 

I'll just leave with a cute piccie of the little blackbird taking control of my cell phone.

Caption anyone?

"Hello, wildlife rescue? Yeah, these people aren't feeding me enough!"


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Chris Y said:


> "Hello, wildlife rescue? Yeah, these people aren't feeding me enough!"


ROFL  Great pic and caption, Chris!

Terry


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Keep up the great work, Chris!

What a cute picture! I think that caption will do just fine!!

Shi


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## Chris Y (Mar 5, 2007)

Have got a couple of videos of these guys now, being cute:

First one is the baby robin taking a bath:

http://www.youtube.com/v/G5NK9b8O1ps

Second is the little blackbird practising his songs:

http://www.youtube.com/v/lD5BM_m0uzQ

Little blackbird and robin are very funny. They'll try and steal each other's worms, there's been some playful tail munching, and I swear little blackbird actually attempted to eat the robin whole on one occasion! 

They're flying around the place, chasing each other at warp 9, and I feel like some sort of mom looking after two unruly siblings


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## Hato (Apr 19, 2007)

*RE: Babies*

Wow, Chirs, great pictures and video!! You made my day!


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Hi Chris


The videos were so good!

Do you feed them fruit - like grapes, apple? They really love them.


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Chris,

Thanks for the adorable pictures and videos.

I really enjoyed looking at then.

Linda


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## Chris Y (Mar 5, 2007)

Thanks all 



Lady Tarheel said:


> Do you feed them fruit - like grapes, apple? They really love them.


They do when they're older I guess. Right now they're in a confused state of growing up where they don't want to be fed, but don't really like the 'adult' food either. 

So, I let them eat some mealworms which I leave out on the floor, and if they're still hungry, they come to me for more of the puppy chow. They also have mixed seeds, some fruit (mostly raisins/sultanas) and wheat/oat flakes to munch on. At this stage it's all about exposing them to the kinds of food they'd meet in the wild. They may not like it at the moment (little blackie keeps stomping all over it!) but they can at least experiment.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

The reason I mentioned fruit is to help prevent metabolic bone disease. Songbirds are particularly prone to get this, causing their legs to become useless. I visited a wildlife shelter at our coast one year and they told me they had never had a case of this because they fed theirs fruits. At that time, we had about 3 mockingbirds that were down with this disease and once we started feeding them grapes, apples, berries they totally recovered. After that, we made fruits a part of every meal and had no more cases. We also sprinkled calcium carbonate powder on their soaked food at least once a day.


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## stach_n_flash (Mar 15, 2006)

thank you for sharing they are cute 




Quick question I cant post a thread I wrote a long one and it didnt post so I wrote another one and copied it then tried to post it and it didnt work. Thinking it was a glitch or something I sent it again but I dont know


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## Chris Y (Mar 5, 2007)

Thanks for the tip, Maggie. I wasn't aware that fruit could prevent the bone disease.

However, with the exception of the medium blackbird (who is off his legs because of a leg break early in his development) all the birds' legs are fine. They do get calcium/vitamin supplement (SA-37) daily, so they're doing well, and it won't be long until they're given full adult foods and released.


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