# Injured Junco



## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Lewis found a little slate colored junco in our yard about an hour ago. He is going around in circles and generally spastic with twitches and quivers.

We have him secure and warm with seed on floor and a tiny bit of water. He doesn't like for us to watch him so for right now we're letting him alone.

Any ideas on whether this could be a disease or maybe a head bruise from flying into something?


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

It could be either.
If you happen to have an empty acquarium around, that would make a great place to keep the bird w/heating pad halfway underneath set on low. Towel over half for privacy.
If you have a wild life rehabber near by take the bird there. If the bird needs antibotics they will know how to treat it. If there is no rehabber near by, observe the bird and for the time being, keep food and water nearby. If it's a head injury, it may survive. If the symptoms go away, give it an additional 48 hours and then release it. Others may have a different opinion but that is how I would handle it. Keep us posted. I will be sending positive thoughts.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

No good guesses from me, Maggie. As you posted, it could be trauma or disease .. either one. I've never had a Junco come in, so I'm pretty much clueless. Good luck with the little one.

Terry

PS: Just did a check Google check .. looks like Juncos are prone to a disease that is very similar to pox.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Thanks Charis and Terry

He is eating seed even with some head twitching so I think I'll just observe until tomorrow and take him to the vet if he isn't better. I'm kinda in the dark on this one too because with all the hundreds of songbirds we've rehabbed, we've never had one with symptoms like this. 

I read one google site that mentioned toxicity from road salt causing spasms in songbirds but I don't really think this is the case. I'll do some checking on the pox-like angle.

Thank you very much.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Good luck with it............don't even know what a Junco is??? But, I'll google and find out for myself.............just wanted to say good luck.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Thanks Renee - they are often called "snow birds" - they're about the size of a sparrow - gray in color. They come through every winter.

He is doing some better, eating very well and just now when I gave him more seeds, he did not make the severe spastic movements.

lol - I just learned something. I "googled" them and found out they are also sparrows - never realized this.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

They can have symptoms like that from spoiled seed or from fermented berries. If it should be the latter of the two it will work itself out.


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## Rooster2312 (Mar 8, 2006)

Hi Maggie,

Good luck and healing prayers for your little junco.

Lindi


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Maggie,


Yea, fermented or spoiled Seeds or Berrys can sure do it...can knock them for a loop.


Juncos are so cute! Never see them here in Las Vegas, but I remember them in the Bay Area. If I had not put the Seeds out, they would come and peck at the Window pane and remind me..!

I remember seeing a Junco feeding some large other-species Bird youngster one time, which was half again larger then the Junco, which was very kindly of him or her...



Phil
Las Vegas


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Thanks everyone. Phil, juncos are really cute. I always look forward to their arrival in late fall.

I always like to share with you my visits to the vet. We just got back home and it appears it is a simple head trauma. Well, not simple but at least nothing else going on. His eyes are in very good shape. I had worried that he may have blinded himself but the vet said no.

Treatment:

Steroid shot to help reduce swelling.
Keep in dark room on heat. Keep noise down.
Force feed if necessary. ( He weighed 14 grams this am and although he may be eating some, it may not be enough. Will have to keep tabs on that.)

Hopefully, he will be better in a few days and we'll check back with vet on Monday. This was not our usual vet, who was off, but she was very good and gave him a good physical so, all in all, I feel optimistic about his chances.


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

are juncas song birds, anyway good luck


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Maggie...

Just flying in to wish the little Junco the BEST!!

Sending LOVE, HUGS and, of course, HEALING THOUGHTS!!

Will be checking for POSITIVE updates!

If anyone can pull him/her throught, I'm bettin' on you and Lewis!!!

Love,
Shi
&
Mr. Squeaks


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Thanks warriec and shi

Warriec, they are songbirds and very prolific in our area during the winter. Check this site to see what they look like. He looks like the top one on the right and you can enlarge picture. They're very pretty.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Dark-eyed_Junco.html


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I just wanted to post and wish the bird a wonderful recovery, which I'm sure he will have in your wonderful capable hands.

I didn't post earlier, because I KNOW NOTHING about Juncos. but they are absolutely darling, and thank you for sharing the link.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Treesa, thank you.

I know I always write too much in a thread but had to share this with you.

This little fellow apparently is not able to pick up seed very well yet so we mixed up some Exact and tried to feed him with syringe/nipple. Problem was the nipple is too big - need something about the size of a toothpick or little larger to fit in that tiny, tiny mouth. The other problem is that with an adult songbird, you frequently have to use a little force to get their beak unclamped to feed them anything.

Awhile ago I sat down with him in my lap and tried feeding him soaked Science Diet pellets. Beak clamped down so I tried teasing him, cajoling, talking, rubbing my finger along the side of the beak which sometimes works until finally I had to prize it open. The first 2-3 tries were dismal but some food did go in and by about the 4th piece, he would hold it in his mouth, then swallow it. Finally, I held a piece out to him and he started eating chunks off it. I was so happy I could have cried. He wound up doing pretty good.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Lady Tarheel said:


> Treesa, thank you.
> 
> I know I always write too much in a thread but had to share this with you.
> 
> ...



That is so cool......you REALLY need to invest in a video camera.. ..that would have been really neat to watch.


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## naturegirl (Nov 7, 2005)

Hi Maggie from what you are explaining about the Junco it has a head injury and there is some swelling going on in it's brain, this may take anywheres from 20 minutes to 1 week to recover so the swelling goes down. Now those exact words are from my Wild life vet and she swears by it. If after 1 week and the little bird is still having the same symptoms than more than likely it may not recover. Keep a close eye on it. If it has hit really hard it may also have spinal injuries and to watch for poo plugs. Hope this helps. 

Cindy


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Lady Tarheel said:


> The first 2-3 tries were dismal but some food did go in and by about the 4th piece, he would hold it in his mouth, then swallow it. Finally, I held a piece out to him and he started eating chunks off it. I was so happy I could have cried. He wound up doing pretty good.


This is excellent news, Maggie! I know that teary feeling accompanied by weak knees when they FINALLY eat .. it's an incredible relief!

Terry


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Cindy, thank you for that info - I had never heard about the poo plugs so I will definitely be on the lookout. We'll do whatever necessary, or however long it takes to see that he has a good recovery. I had mentioned earlier that I had never encountered anything like this in a songbird but remembered today that years ago we picked up a young cardinal from the middle of the road. He acted groggier than this little bird but he too would spin in circles. I looked at my notes on him and he recovered within three days and we released him back at the same spot we got him.

I just fed the junco again and it was wonderful! No force feeding at all. I held the food up to him and after a few head bobs he ate really well - all on his own and only bit me about 5 times  . He still has trouble with coordination when eating.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Lady Tarheel said:


> ...I just fed the junco again and it was wonderful! No force feeding at all. I held the food up to him and after a few head bobs he ate really well - all on his own and only bit me about 5 times  .


Glad the little junco is showing some fiesty behavior.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Am "watchin'" and ROOTIN' too, Maggie!

Keep up the great work!!

LOVE, HUGS, SCRITCHES and HEALING THOGHTS!

Shi


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## sabina (Mar 11, 2006)

Lady Tarheel said:


> Treesa, thank you.
> 
> I know I always write too much in a thread but had to share this with you.


Maggie,

Are you worried about boring us?? As if!!

Where are the pictures?  

Sabina


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## littlestar (May 11, 2005)

It sounded like a head trauma. I have dealt with 4 birds who had head trauma's, they all recovered, but a couple where left with permanent disabilities and couldn't be released. They do have a loving home and doing well. I have tons of Junco's at my house, they come right up to my door and are really cute. I'm so glad the Junco is doing better.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Thank you. I'll try to get a picture of this sweetie soon. He is so tiny but a real fighter. There is some improvement. He doesn't go around in circles anymore but will hold his head kinda upside down at times. He stays pretty calm now in the cage except when we go into his room and then gets upset but that is to be expected. I've caught him eating seed but still hand feed him Science Diet just to be sure he is getting enough food. 

I am concerned that he dropped a gram of weight yesterday (to 13 grams) but I upped his hand feeding schedule so maybe he can gain it back soon. He is so cute when I feed him because when he gets enough he scoots backwards in my hand and hides his head as if to tell me "that's all I want so stop already".

He may be a member of the sparrow family but his beak in no way resembles one. It is short and slender, much like an insect eater, but when he bites my fingers it is agony  because he gets a tiny bit of skin and hangs on for dear life. He is so cute.


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## jazaroo (Jan 1, 2006)

Hi Maggie,

I've been following this thread with interest as we have many Juncos that come to our yard to feed everyday. I am glad to hear there is some progress with this little one.

Good luck with your tiny fighter and please keep us updated,

Ron


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

So glad that the little junco is showing some progress! We have a slightly different version here (darker head, chestnut back). Last summer, a pair laid their eggs in a neighbor's hanging planter. One baby fledged just as the woman went to water the plant and about gave her a heart attack!!! The family was trying to catch and return the baby and asked me for help. I explained that this is a normal stage for baby birds and luckily they had lots of thick bushes for it to hide in.

Education...ripples...it all adds up.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Yes, I join all in hoping for the best for this little one!

HUGS, LOVE, SCRITCHES and HEALING THOUGHTS!


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## YARDBIRD (Mar 27, 2007)

*feeding*

with my poultry chicks, I microwave mash and water sometimes mixed with sugar water. only a couple of seconds or your syringe will explode. Also with baby chicks, sometimes a cooked egg mashed up works well. Dont know as much about songbirds, but it seems like sugar water would be ok???


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Thanks Dana and welcome to the forum.

I am still unsure of what the outcome will be for this little one. He has made slow but steady progress but still exhibits some neuro problems.

About 2 weeks ago, I really thought we would have to consider PTS. For about two days he reverted back to the constant spinning and head twitching and I couldn't bear to think of him spending the rest of his life in that condition. The only time he was still was when I held him. Then, almost like a miracle, the spinning stopped and he has not done it since. He does get upset when I take him in or out of his cage and will flop around some until he settles down. He is as slippery as an eel. He escaped from me yesterday and flew (yes, flew) a short distance but then became uncoordinated and flopped around on the floor until I was able to catch him.

The best part is he has started eating seed on his own which is a miracle. I am still supplementing with other foods a few times a day but he is eating much less from me and more from the food in his cage.

So, we continue to take one day at the time.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

That is such GREAT news, Maggie!!

We are all pulling for the little "rocky"!!

We will all continue to watch for updates!

LOVE HUGS SCRITCHES

Shi


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Glad the little junco is hanging in there. Hopefully, he will continue to improve with your excellent support!


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