# Found An Injured Baby Magpie...Help Please



## Heather-Mole (May 16, 2006)

Yesterday me and my friend saw a baby magpie sitting on the floor, I know they have to spend some time on the ground to learn how to eat and fly but this one had its wing hanging on the ground so I thought maybe it was broken and s/he was limping. Well we did catch s/he and I brought her home I'm feeding s/he kitten food and soaked bread to keep s/he hydrated. I will try and post some pics soon. On a closer look I found its his/her right leg which appears to have something wrong with, it cracks when I move it so I thought I best not touch it. S/he might recover on its own but I found him/her outside my school and I knew once home-time came all the boys would have been kicking her/him around on the floor or a cat would have got him/her. I'm not sure how old s/he is either still growing his/her feathers so not to young that she/he should be in the nest but old enough to be learning to feed on his/her own. 

If theres anything else I can do for him/her please let me know and any info you could give me on them would also be great...


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks for helping this injured Magpie, Heather. The kitten food is OK, but I would not offer much bread at all. Magpies are members of the Corvid family and eat pretty much everything much like crows and ravens. You could add hard boiled egg yolk to the diet as well.

It would be best to have the injured wing and leg looked at and treated by a vet or experienced wildlife rehabber. I wouldn't count on the injuries healing well on their own.

Will look forward to updates and pictures.

They are really very handsome looking birds: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Magpie

Terry


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

Hi Heather,

Yes Terry is right - you really need to try and get the magpie to a wildlife rehabilitator. I can't recall where you live, but I think it may be like me in London. If that is the case, then your best bet is to ask Mum or Dad to take you to where I volunteer which is London Wildcare in Beddington ( between Croydon and Sutton). Their website with address is http://www.londonwildcare.org. If you don't live in London then let us know so that we can find somewhere for you to take him.

Re the food - we feed the corvids at the Centre, dog food mashed up with cheese, egg, (raw meat such as chicks/mice - which you won't have but maybe mince beef or something) as in the wild they would feed a lot on carrion ( dead animals).

Without putting you off - if his wing is broken then it may be suggested to put him too sleep, but it may not be, just injured but without someone having a look you just can't tell. If he is a baby ( i.e. is gaping his beak for you - he will need feeding every 30 minutes by hand from about 7,30am to 8.00pm at night - not easy when you are at school I know, so if you leave him a dish of food and water he may try and feed himself. 

Good luck with him and let us know if you need any more help. 

Tania x


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