# Questions re australian magpies - broken legs



## kamz

I have been asked to contact someone in melbourne re two magpies - I have very little information at this stage. understand that one has a broken leg, and the other has two broken legs. The one with a single broken leg has the leg loosely danging midway down the leg. The other has both legs broken and is living under a bush and being handfed. 

What I was curious about is whether anyone has any idea as to their prognosis if taken to an avian vet for treatment? will they be put down? I am ringing the person in the morning to get them to take the birds to a specialist avian vet, who should treat them for free as they are native australian birds. 

any indication would be good - i know i dont have much information to give 

thanks susie


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## c.hert

You can tape up somehow broke legs with sticks and stuff and on the pigeon-net there are people who can tell you how to do it with maybe a picture but yes the vet is just wonderful and the prognosis for broken legs is wonderful so it is worth taking them to the vet..Make sure they don't put down the birdies and maybe someone would have a link to help for you to take the birdies too---its a waiting game now. Please get these birds and bring them inside to keep secure until help arrives maybe a large dog carrier or something but secure for now... They are helpless under a bush---please bring them inside for now until the helpers arrive on the post about broken legs...c.hert


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## kamz

thanks for the information c.hert about the broken legs, and the good prognosis - the person who has found them is taking them to the avian vet, and will offer to be involved in their care post operatively if needed. My boyfriend wont let me rehabilitate them post operatively here  otherwise i would do it. The person who might be looking after them if needed is retired and has more time to devote to their care. (i work full time as a nurse). i'll post once i know the outcome of the trip to the vet.


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## kamz

just a brief update. the finder took the bird (only 1, in the end) to the avian vet, who said they had no compunction in putting the bird down. One foot had no nerve function, and was broken above - the ankle? That foot was bunched up as a useless fist. The other foot was broken just below the bird equivalent of the elbow/knee. The bird was unable to take off to fly. 

i am very sad to hear they put the bird down - it used to pull itself over to the owners doormat in the morning for a feed, and wait beady eyed for the owners.

i think perhaps next time i will take the birds myself :/ i think with surgery the bird could have regained some meaningful function - with one useful leg


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## c.hert

People differ in their decision making and it is after the fact now and you did the best you could under the circumstances and you were not there to control the conversation with the vet for the other people handled it---the bird is at peace now---In the future for your knowledge there is a lot to do early on with seemingly nerve damage on one foot and it at that stage could have been splint and massage in order to get some function back into it as well as the other leg---you did the best you could--thank you for your concern about the bird and at least the people took the bird to the vet for a proper examination and they called the call and they were in that situation and who knows it could have been the best one---I was not there and you were not there so its just a matter of professional people calling a call with good reasons...so sorry and thanks for trying to help that bird....c.hert


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## Bella_F

kamz said:


> just a brief update. the finder took the bird (only 1, in the end) to the avian vet, who said they had no compunction in putting the bird down. One foot had no nerve function, and was broken above - the ankle? That foot was bunched up as a useless fist. The other foot was broken just below the bird equivalent of the elbow/knee. The bird was unable to take off to fly.
> 
> i am very sad to hear they put the bird down - it used to pull itself over to the owners doormat in the morning for a feed, and wait beady eyed for the owners.
> 
> i think perhaps next time i will take the birds myself :/ i think with surgery the bird could have regained some meaningful function - with one useful leg


That is very sad news! It would be so nice to think that, with human intervention, an injured wild bird could benefit from our knowledge of medicine, but sadly vets are so quick to kill animals that we take to them trustingly for care. I have become very wary of the avian vets in my city of those reasons.

Magpies can definitely survive with only one good leg, and even with multiple fractures to both legs if they get a chance to heal in safety.

I have one partially disabled magpie friend who I've named `Busted', and I've known him for years. Both of legs were badly broken at some stage in his life, as well as one ankle. So one foot is permanently bunched up, he has a bad limp, and his legs are kind of splayed outwards in an awkward way . He likes to sit down on his tummy when his legs hurt, but he generally gets around just fine.

I met him some time after his legs were broken and mended, about 4 years ago. In spite of the disability, he has a mate, a territory which he successfully protects, and he raises babies every year. Maybe his legs hurt him, and maybe he'll get arthritis. But to me he looks like a strong happy bird, living his life with companionship and plenty to do. A vet would have killed him, and I can't see how that would have been a better option that what he has now.




I also know local birds who have had far worse injuries and gone onto survive for many years...missing eyes, multiple broken legs, horrific injuries from hawk attacks.


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