# Is this a Starling Baby?



## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi all...!


Today's arrive...slideshow for whom may be seen via...

http://community.webshots.com/slideshow?ID=392687642&key=kCSdWu


Now...is this a Starling?

It does not quite resemble those I have been able to find on the internet...


A Crow?

Or...?

Anyway, a pleasant little Baby! Good disposition, and hungry...all Legs and Beak...


Advice?

Admonishions?

Positive i-d from your wild Baby experience?

Lemme know...!


Guessing Starling-like or omnivore...I fed about one rounded tablespoon worth, divided into two sessions, of small bits of chopped ripe Bing Cherry, small bits of water-pack Sardine, and a few small bits of Wheat Bread moistend slightly...on all of which, a slight dash of "Nekton" Bird Vitamine and Mineral powder, and Chlorella...



Thanks...

Phil
Las Vegas


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Phil, 

That doesn't look like a starling to me and it doesn't appear to be a baby crow either, baby crows have blue eyes. It might be a jay of some kind or a grackle but I'm not totally sure yet because it's quite young still.


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## pigeonmama (Jan 9, 2005)

Oh, Phil,
Just what I needed after a horrendous day at work. I just had to laugh at your new baby. Starlings usually have yellow "lips", the rubbery edges of the bill. Still, could be a starling. If this is a starling, be ready to enjoy a fun little bird. They make wonderful pets, can sing most beautifully and even talk. I had one many years ago, when I was thin, unwrinkled, and had no gray hair. I would love to have another starling, especially if it decided being a house bird was more fun than being a wild bird.
Daryl
P.S. the way you feed your birds, well, if I die tonight , I hope to come back as one of your little rescues so that "Daddy Phil" can feed me the good stuff.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Ohhhhhh...golly....

Thanks Brad...! Thanks Daryl..!

What is it then????

Grackle?

Starlings have a much narrower Beak I think, even as Buh-Hay-Beeeees...so...

Heck, about the only Birds I DO see anymore, in the out of doors, are my Wild Pigeons, occasional fringe grazing Doves, and the wonderful Starlings close by here but almost never in my courtyard ( adults of course) calling from the Light Poles, Trees or other or grazing fresh watered grass, for Worms and other Insects...I see them alsp pecking at fallen fast-food things on the sidewalks sometimes, as do the Pigeons...

I never see Crackles in my part of town...and never see Crows...

Well, time to feed them again I recon...

Hope I am on the right track...!


Phil
Las Vegas


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Definitely Not A Starling ..*

Starlings look like Daffodils when gaping .. huge, huge mouths and the outside of the beak as well as the inside of the mouth is very, very yellow. I'm not sure what you have, Phil, but it ain't a daffodil .. ie starling.

Terry


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Asking Around Phil .. stand by*

Hi Phil,

Great pics .. some type of corvid I think but don't know for sure .. asking around .. will be back .. might not be tonight .. too many youngsters here ..

Terry


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Ohhhh... Thanks Terry...

You're an Angel...


If it is a Grackle, the little I was able to find on the net, said in effect, Carnivore mostly.

Omnivore sometimes when Migrating, eats Winter grains and Corn...hellaceous Hunters of small Creatures, Bats, Grubs, Frogs, small Fish, anything pretty much they can catch and eat.

 http://www.birds.cornell.edu/BOW/COMGRA/

...seems to say likewise more or less...

This next link...

http://www.nenature.com/CommonGrackle.htm 

...seems to feel I am a mite too far West for Crackles....so...hmmmm...

More general info at...
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Quiscalus_quiscula.html

Hard to find any images of Babys!


Really, this is a pretty big Baby! Compared to say my memory anyway of the Starling I rasied years ago, or Mocking Birds...


I made him a little Perch, for them huge Feet to have something to wrap the Toes around...he likes it. The 3/4 inch diameter Branch piece is about 1-1/4 inches up on little risers, so, not too high if he wobbles or anything.


Phil
Las Vegas


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Yahhhhh...seems a Corvid allright!

A lot of this is new-to-me...

Great disposition this morning, little wing flaps and squawks and happy moods to him. We did 'Hand Nest' a few times and he knows how to do it now, where yesterday, being all legs and elbows, he was not sure how to do it...now, he knows how and settles in to relax and day dream as I smother his back and head with little kisses..he just rolls his eyes closed and almost purrs.

Ate two tablespoons or so of mixed chow so far in the two hours since I have been up, Goji Berries soaked in Water and cut in half lengthwise, some sweet Ohio Gooseberries a friend sent me, Sardines, Lorribush Pellets for Parrots...dusted with supplimental powders...

Loves to eat! And I am scared of feeding him too much! if that is possible...so, I am being careful not to overdo...small meals, often...will be the de-rigeur...

Seems much happier today...has made the adjustment nicely...

Meanwhile...what is he???

Raven? Crow?

Should I be feeding various tender veggies also?



Phil
Las Vegas


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Phil,

I'll tell you what that little beggar is--it's a life support system for a mouth, and a big one at that! Seriously, why don't you take a profile picture so we can get a better idea? OH, NEVER MIND--THERE'S A LOT MORE PICTURES, DUH!

That damn thing could swallow a starling. One gulp.

Here's a webpage for crows that tells a few interesting things including a link at the bottom that explains (the best I've ever read) why you shouldn't try to raise a crow. I actually know some folks who did raise a crow every couple of years and it happened exactly as this guy said so he's not lying!

http://www.crows.net/orphans.html

Pidgey


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## pigeonmama (Jan 9, 2005)

Phil,
I'm guessing for crow. Too big to be starling or grackle at this young an age. Tell that poor dove, if the new baby says " Hey, look in here" , don't do it or she'll be his next meal.
Daryl


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Phil, 

I just looked at your more recent pictures of the new guy and I still can't decide what that bird is. It does seem to look like a crow in many ways from the beak and the closeup of the feet. But in other pictures, the legs and feet look flesh coloured. Any crow babies I've ever seen have blue/grey eyes and black legs/feet but perhaps this one is too young. I can't find any information whether or not nestling crows eyes go from brown when REALLY young, to blue when a little older than brown again as an adult....that would be very odd. What colour are the eyes....perhaps I just can't see it from the pictures. Also, considering the bird has that much feather growth, it *should* be even bigger than that if it were a crow, I'd think. A most unusal looking baby to me. Maybe it's a mutant crow


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Pidgey, Daryl,

Thanks!


I can not find any images of youngsters of this age anywhere on the net!

I did write to some of the websites for specific species, and so far, no one has written back...e-mails, I mean.

Locally, I hit the mother-load today, more on that later, but there ARE a number of experienced and dedicated rehabbers here, they are well organized, all working under the one-and-only, singular, sole, and no one else BUT her, of federal and state licened BEEE-HATCH, and each does different families of Birds, and, in 26 years of trying, today is the first breakthrough I ever had.

If I can meet with their Crow, or Grackle specialist, get a positive I-D on the Baby, and if I trust them, I will want to hand the Baby over to them...I have no decent way for this little Bird, as it grows, to get to be with any of it's own or similar kind, and I have no way to eventually assimilate them into the feral ways of their wild bretherin...so if the re-habber IS into these phases of the wider tableau, and is together in what they do and how they do it...I would prefer to hand 'em over...otherwise, I will keep looking and trying for some other alternative. 


So...we shall see what I can come up with.

I got the 'riot-act' read to me so far three times today for even having this Bird at all, incase it is something other than a Starling, and who knows, one of the gumpers might drop the dime on me so them appliance-white cargovans with the tinted windows do the starsky-and-hutch four wheel drift skid stops in front of my little abode, and...

But if if IS a starling...no one cares, so the Vans would all just idle a while while their radioes make static noise and voice things, and leave afterward while I try and get my front door back on to some hinges and rub some circulation back into my wrists.

I REALLY like this little Bird very much and am very fond of him of course, 'already'. He is very bright, understands the rituals and so on and learns very fast abstractions such as now, leaping to the front of the cage when I am going to get him out for feeding or just being out. In fact, he was waiting at the front when I got back from a fast errand. he is smart-as-can-be and very cute too...

I can tell now when he is 'full.

His neck, less than the diameter of say a 'pencil', shows very well the little lump of food he swallows...as the lump goes down, on his right side of his neck, it disappears into his discrete Crop there on his right side.

When 'full' the little lump kinda remains at liesure just about the height of his collar-bone area or shoulder...so, I figure that's the indicator for this Bird, since he will still with TO be fed, even if ( in my view of it, he is ) 'full'...



Anyway...

Thats my report for now!

I am waiting to talk with two rehabbers here that are part of the deal under the only licence holder in this god forsaken valley...


Wish me luck!

Be so cool if it IS cool, for this one to get to be among overlapping ages of others of their kind and on from there...



Love,

Phil
lasvegas


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Pardner,

If'n it comes downta' a shootout, you be lettin' us kinfolk know so's wekin' gathuh' up thuh' lohng' guns n' rahd' ohn' owt'!! Ah' bin' a'hankerin' fo' a liddle fun!

Pidgey


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Pidgey said:


> Here's a webpage for crows that tells a few interesting things including a link at the bottom that explains (the best I've ever read) why you shouldn't try to raise a crow. I actually know some folks who did raise a crow every couple of years and it happened exactly as this guy said so he's not lying!
> 
> http://www.crows.net/orphans.html
> 
> Pidgey



Pidgey,

Thanks for the link...I really enjoyed reading it.

Linda


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Just called the people who found the Baby...

Found in their grand pa's backyard in a suburban part of town. Cats and some Dogs and neighbor kids routinely prowl or cross the yard routinely, and when found hobbleing in the grass, a smaller (than this Baby or similar sized at most) adult Bird of Black color with lighter breast was squalking from a Tree...


One 'Crow' expert who is an out-of-state federal licence holder for wildlife, wrote me ( e-mailed me ) back, whom I had refered my image link to, and he says "Not-a-Crow...not-a-Raven, but that it is a Starling..."

But I think we know that Starlings have different lips and Beaks at this age...so...

This seems to leave Grackle I guess...

Otherwise, he seems happy, active, sociable and a fast learner who like most this age, really like their semi-naked head tops kissed and to be in Hand Nest now and then. Well, his head top has a coat of fine, fine brown 'hair' on it maybe 1/8th inch long and feathers comeing in on the middle and back of his neck...Lol...

A 'hot' little head too!


Lol...


Phil
l v


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Phil, 

You never answered my question about the eye colour. But as I've mentioned anyways, crows have blue eyes when young. 

This could be a boat tailed grackle actually. They are larger then common grackles which *could* explain it's much bigger size. Terry recently posted some pictures of them from her trip to the park. Nothing to give you any insight but it would seem that they are in your area in the west.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Brad,


Oh...! the eyes...hmmm, more or less 'dark' anyway, like Obsidian, so, not 'blue'...

I will try some web-searches on Boat Tailed Grackles...


He spent most of his day on the type-writer pull-out of my desk here, where some indirect Sunlight filters in. Tomorrow I will take him outside a little to get more, in-the-shade of course, or in the Sun a little if a toward dusk...him and Dove Baby...

I think the cage bores him...an 'Action Bird' as so many tend to be...


I have been reading on how easy it is to neglect their need for Sunshine, and hence making their Vitamine "D"...so...

Thanks Brad!

------- I was just editing my typos when I heard back on the phone from the inner-circle gal here who works under the licence-holder...and, sending her my e-mail link to the images she says "Grackle"...

She does Grackles in a big way, and, so, I will hand the little guy over to her tomorrow.

She has big aviaries and lots of them of all ages getting raised or rehabbed for their eventual relleases and she knows her subject pretty well it seems...so...

Golly...another Bird adventure...and little Dove Baby will miss her pal...

So will I...


Phil
Las Vegas


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Thanks Phil, 

Yes, this person sounds like she's got a good setup for this bird to go to. My original guess was a grackle or a jay but there are no jays in North America that really look like that...colour-wise anyway. I"m thinking boat tailed grackle going by the size in the pictures (pictures can be deceiving though) and the lack of blue eyes.

Boy, you get brought some unusual birds, first the kestrel now this bird, next thing will be a turkey vulture!


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Brad,


Oh my!

At least a Turkey Vulture should not turn up their Beak at my Culinary offerings!

Then again, maybe they would..?

Eeeeesh, they all have their own tastes, thats for sure.

I had not had a Song Bird in quite a while, there is something so charming about them cheeping and gapeing...seeing their just-fed-to-them morsel slowly go down the side of their neck just under the thin skin there, and slow, and then disappear...when it stacks up there, at their collar bone, you can say they are 'full' ...Lol...

So...

Oh my...I sure like all these Birds...


Thanks Brad...

Phil
Las Vegas


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Phil, 

I just had another thought about this bird. Can you tell if there are any feathers coming in around the lower body of the bird that are white?


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Phil, looks like all the other grackles I raised. They can be very affectionate but you really have to watch feeding them too much. They are almost combative in grabbing for the food. I hope you can keep him at least a few more days because they are terrific little birds.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Oh, thanks Brad and Lady Tarheel...


When I was feeding him/her, of course I could see the bite just given swallowed, and watch it slide down the side of it's neck and pause then diappear. When the 'pause' there seemed to get pretty slow or to linger...I figured they were 'full'...Lol...

They'd still musically sceech or cheep, and I'd say, "Punkin, you are FULL! So we're gunna wait a while..." Then I'd do some little preening things and sing lullabyes and their eyes would sort of get that dreamy look and slowly close...that Beak pointed almost straight up like they do...

Totally charming little Bird...I really liked them...!

Maybe someday I will get another and can raise them clear through...

Love them legs! and all the rest of them too...it was fascinating to be able to see so much of their stucture, their wing bones and joints and so on...their jawbone and Beak and Beak lips and how they are built...interesting feet...alltogether amazing...enthralling...

Like having some little Eoraptor Baby here on my desk, waiting to be fed again and preened and murmered to as it lolls into day dreams or suddenly remembers, into a moment's vivid welling, "Oh! I LOVE to eat! Feed ME!!!!" and lets me know it, too...

Lol...


Phil
Las Vegas


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