Common
Problems - Birds
Topics:
Fallen
from nest
Cat victims
Flown into window (concussed)
Pecking at windows
Oiled
Bird
groups:
Finches: sparrow,
chaffinch, greenfinch
Robin, dunnock, wren, wagtail
Bluetit, Great tit
Blackbird, Thrush, Starling
Migrants: Swift, Martin, Swallow
Jay, Jackdaw, Magpie
Crow
Owls
Raptors: Kestrel, Sparrow Hawk, Buzzard
etc.
Water Birds: Duck, Goose, Swan, Heron,
Coot, Moorhen, Rail
Sea birds: Gull, Guillemot, Skua etc.
Young,
not fully feathered, fallen from nest
Can you
get it back to the nest? The parents will usually accept it if you pick
it up
in a clean cloth or paper hankie.
Check there is room in the nest if you can. Large chicks often push out
young
siblings and may push this chick out again.
If it is not possible to replace it in or right next to the nest, it
must be
kept warm and quiet and taken to a Rescue Centre as soon as possible
for
feeding.
Don’t try feeding chopped worms to small birds, or large chunks of food
to young birds as it can suffocate them.
Never put drops of water into a
bird's beak; it will kill them if it enters the air sacs. Always
touch drops of liquid to the side of the beak, one by one
Fledged
youngster on ground, too young to fly and feed itself.
Find out what sort of bird
it is: behaviour and
feeding habits are very different between species
Finches
Small birds with a strong, wide beak Sparrow, Chaffinch,
Greenfinch etc.
Lift
onto a bush or branch then leave alone and observe from a
distance. The
parents should visit them at least every hour or so.
Rescue them if there is no parental contact for 3-4 hours, if they look
unwell
or are in danger from a cat.
Insectivores
Small
birds with a pointed beak - robin, wren, dunnock
Robins separate their specked
young when fledged, park them under bushes and come back to feed them
regularly.
Wren and Dunnock chicks also hide in cover near the nest until they can
fly.
If there is no danger from cats, leave it alone and observe from a
distance to
make sure the parents are still around.
It may take some time to see if all is well, but be patient; it's
better
for the chicks to stay with their family if possible.
These are sometimes seen alone in
bushes.
Parents separate broods for safety once fledged and make the rounds,
feeding
them in turn until strong enough to fly with the flock.
If found on the ground, put in a dense bush or hedge nearby and observe
from a
distance to see if the parents come with food.
Be patient and wait at least 2 hours it the chick is active and able to
stay in
the branches.
If it looks fluffed up or keeps falling to the ground, put in a box
lined with
kitchen roll, keep warm and take to a rescue centre.
Migrant Birds
-
Hirondelles
Swifts
These are dark sooty brown birds with very short, strong legs. Can you
see why
it fell from the nest? Usually these are in crevices
and the chicks rarely fall out by accident.
If you are unable to locate the nest or return the chick do not try to
feed it
unless you have had some experience with tube feeding.
Is it lively and active or quiet and subdued? If subdued, it may be ill
or
injured so handle carefully.
Medication
If you have any homoeopathic remedies, crush a tablet of Arnica and
Aconite
together and dissolve in a few drops of tepid boiled water.
Give this to the bird on a cotton wool bud or tiny artists' paintbrush
on the
edge of the beak.
The liquid will help with rehydration and the
medication
will help with the shock and bruising from the fall.
Re-hydration
If nothing else is available, give
plain, cool water very carefully, drop by drop on the edge of the beak
with the tip of a finger.
If possible, give it some
re-hydration liquid such as Lectade, Critical
Care or
even Dioralyte or, in an emergency: mix 1 tablespoon tepid
boiled water mixed with a tiny
pinch of
glucose and 4-5 grains of salt to make a basic rehydration fluid.
Dip the tip of your figer, a cotton wool bud or tiny artists'
paintbrush in the liquid and put
a drop
on the edge of the beak.
The bird should accept this by licking it up; you need to give it as
many drops as it will willingly take - about 10-15 would be good.
NEVER squirt water into a
bird's beak. It will die if liquid gets into the air sacs.
Feeding
Do not attempt to feed the bird until it has been rehydrated. It
will need regular semi-liquid feeds via a syringe and tube, but in
an emergency,
if the bird is opening its beak, you can give mashed up cat food and /
or a few chopped mealworms or maggots formed into a small pellet.
It needs to be fairly moist so
add a drop or two of water to the mix if necessary.
Put this at the back of the tongue and the chick will swallow it down.
Keep the bird quiet and warm in a dark, ventilated box and take to a
Wildlife
Rescue Centre as soon as possible.
For more
details and photographs showing the rearing of swifts see: feeding swifts and Case Histories
Martins, Swallows
These can be found underneath their nests, especially in very hot
weather, as
they stand on the edge to try and get cool and fall out.
Often they are bruised and dehydrated, so handle them very
gently.
An illustrated account of rearing a
martin and a swallow can be found in: Case Histories
Medication
If you have any homoeopathic remedies, crush a tablet of Arnica and
Aconite
together and dissolve in a few drops of tepid boiled water.
Give this to the bird on a cotton wool bud or tiny artists' paintbrush
on the
edge of the beak.
The sugar in the tablets will help boost the chick's energy and the
medication
will help with the shock and bruising from the fall.
Rehydration
If not, do give some re-hydration liquid such as Lectade, Critical Care
or even
Dioralyte.
In an emergency: 1 tablespoon tepid boiled water mixed with a tiny
pinch of glucose
and 4-5 grains of salt will help.
Dip a cotton wool bud or tiny artists' paintbrush in the liquid and put
a drop
on the edge of the beak, near the hinge.
The bird should accept this and take several drops.
Feeding
If the bird is opening its beak and begging for food, you can give it
tiny
amounts of mashed up meaty cat food in tweezers.
Mash about a teaspoon of food and add a drop of two if water if it
seems rather
dry.
Pick up a small amount that will easily fit into the bird's beak in
tweezers or
on a plastic coffee stirrer.
Offer it from above the bird and when the beak opens, place the food at
the
back of the tongue.
Allow about 10 seconds for swallowing and offer another small portion.
It should take between 4 and 8 small portions and then will sit with
eyes
closed, to digest the meal.
Let it rest quietly in a warm, dark, ventilated box and take to a
rescue centre
as soon as possible.
If you can't take it to a centre straight away, give feeds every 1-2
hours
(depending on demand) until about 8pm.
May
have left the nest too soon and not be strong enough to fly up to a
safe perch.
These birds spend a lot of time on the ground as they feed on worms,
snails and
bugs, try and see if it is feeding itself.
Make sure it can escape a predator by trying to catch it. If it can
flutter up
a few feet, try leaning a thin branch up against a tree
or shrub to make a temporary ladder.
If it looks unwell or is in danger from cats, catch it and take to a
rescue
centre in a darkened box.
If you can catch the bird without too much trouble it is usually in
need of
help.
Crow
family
Crows leave the nest when fledged but unable to fly and are
looked after
on the ground by attentive parents for several days,
until able to fly properly. A lot of their time is spent on the
ground
learning to find food and they can usually hop up into bushes
and dense trees to get away from predators.
They should not be “rescued” if the parents are still around, unless
they have
been injured.
If injured or unwell, it will be subdued and listless or may have one
wing
lower than the other and feathers sticking out or missing.
Magpies, Jackdaws and Jays
are able
to fly but inexperienced, so are often caught by cats.
If one wing is drooping, try and catch the bird and take it for
treatment.
The birds have strong legs so it is not always easy to
Birds pecking at windows
This is quite a common
occurrence. They have even been known to peck at the windows of a Wendy
House
or shed.
Bird
(goldfinch, robin, blue tit and even blackbird) pecking at window glass
Birds often peck at spiders and
insects in the corners of windows and along the sills.
In spring or early summer they may be attacking the glass, thinking
their
reflection is a rival bird trying to take their territory.
Try putting a newspaper or piece of card in the window to break up the
reflection.
Robins do not give up easily and can exhaust themselves fighting
imaginary
rivals so please try to remove the reflection!
Blue
tit/Great tit pecking at the window surround
They could be hunting small
insects and spiders in the area.
In hot weather they could be after the putty, attracted by the smell of
linseed
oil that seeps out as it heats up.
If it is new putty, cover it with a temporary shield of newspaper
strips held
on with sticky tape, until it hardens.
Mask the smell with a light spray of diluted Citronella oil or rub
oranges
or lemon peel on the edge of the sill.
Try putting out fat balls and peanut feeders for the birds well away
from the
building to distract them if you are re-glazing a number of windows.
Homoeopathic
Emergency help
If you can't
get to a rescue centre for a few hours but have homoeopathic remedies
at home,
crush one tablet of Aconite, Ignatia and Ledum
(if you have any of them) between teaspoons and dissolve in a few
drops of
spring or cool, boiled water.
Bach Rescue Remedy is also good in cases of shock; dilute 2 drops in 2
drops of
boiled water and dab it on the side of the beak
with a tiny artist’s paintbrush or cotton wool bud.
The bird should be eager to take a few drops and it will help it
recover from
the trauma.
For more
information
see: Homoeopathic remedies
Young /
adult cat victim
Birds with
puncture
wounds and scratches will need treatment so if you can, take it to a
Rescue
Centre as soon as possible.
if you need
to give it
some First Aid; click on the Homoeopathic Remedies link just above for
help.
Obvious
injuries
Keep
the bird quiet and dark and take to a rescue centre as soon as
possible.
If there is any skin damage
and/or a visible puncture wound it will need a special homoeopathic
remedy or
antibiotics,
as infection is very quick to spread.
No
obvious injuries
If the only damage is shock and
the bird seems to be mainly intact without many lost feathers, put it
in a
dark, ventilated box for
at least a couple of hours to recover. It is important to get it into a
dark
place, so that it can rest properly and have a chance of
recovery.
After 2-3 hours, if there are sounds of strong activity, open the box
in the
garden and see if it will fly off.
If it doesn’t fly but is a lot better, try another hour of rest and
offer it
water in a small pot.
If it still doesn’t fly, it will have to go to a rescue centre for a
check-up
and feeding.
Magpie or blackbird with injured wing
Unable to fly but running around the garden and able to hide in bushes;
usually
difficult to catch because they have strong legs and can
jump onto a hedge or fence and disappear into the next garden or run
very fast
and low to the ground and just vanish into shrubs.
All you can do is put food and water out and keep trying to catch them.
Emergency
First Aid
If you
have any homoeopathic remedies, crush one tablet of Aconite, Ignatia
and Ledum
(if you have any of them)
between teaspoons and dissolve in a few drops of spring or boiled
water.
Dab it on the side of the beak with a tiny artist’s paintbrush or
cotton wool
bud.
The bird should be eager to take a few drops and it will help it
recover from
shock.
Bird on the ground near a window or patio doors
It has
probably flown into the glass and may be concussed.
Give Rescue Remedy or homoeopathic Aconite and Arnica in solution on
the side
of the beak with a cotton wool bud if possible.
Place it in a dark, ventilated box and keep it quiet for at least 2
hours.
Check on its progress and if it is moving about vigorously, try opening
the box
in the garden.
If the bird is not quite ready to fly, try keeping it dark for another
two
hours but do not try to release it if it is almost dusk.
It should go to a rescue centre for feeding and can be released when it
has
recovered and is ready to fly.
Owls
Young,
on ground
If lively and uninjured, it may
have fallen from a nest or branch. Check nearby trees for signs of
occupancy;
streaky white droppings, pellets, etc.
Lift the bird up to as high a branch as you can reach and observe it
from a
distance.
Little Owl - these sometimes nest near the ground in tree stumps so it
may have
wandered away from home.
If it is very wobbly and unwell, keep it warm and quiet and take it to
a rescue
centre as soon as possible.
If it lively and undamaged, check on it near dusk, when the parents
should
arrive to feed it.
If the parents do not visit it with food, it must go to a rescue centre
as soon
as possible for feeding.
Standing/lying
at roadside
It may have flown into a car or
been knocked down by the side wind from a passing lorry.
Pick it up carefully and avoid the talons.
Wrapping a small towel around the lower body is the easiest and safest
way,
then the bird and towel can be placed in a box or cat carrier.
Keep dark and quiet and take to a rescue centre as soon as possible as
it will
need fluids, treatment for shock and raw food with fur or feathers.
Birds of Prey
On the ground near a large
window, overhead wires, shrubs
It has probably flown into the glass or an obstruction and may be
concussed.
Place it in a dark, ventilated box or cat carrier and keep it quiet and
warm
while you take it to a rescue centre.
Sometimes the bird will recover on the journey so after a check up it
may be
fit for you to take home and release.
Place the carrier on the ground in an open area, prop the door open and
move
away.
It may take a few minutes before the bird emerges and flies into the
nearest
big tree.
Ill
or injured
Gently wrap the bird in a small
towel or cloth and take it to a rescue centre or vet in a cat basket or
secure
box.
Keep clear of the talons - there is comparatively little danger from
the
beak.
Keep the bird dark, warm and quiet, they are very nervous.
Young,
on ground under tree
Nests are occasionally blown down
in bad weather and it is usually impossible to get them back to
the
nest.
They will have to go to a rescue centre or specialist to he hand reared.
Water birds
Ducks
In spring, many householders will be surprised to find a female duck
with a flock
of tiny chicks in their garden. The mother will
attempt to lead her chicks to water and if there is a suitable large
pond or
lake nearby, all that needs to be done is to walk along
ahead of her and stop the traffic if she needs to cross a road. This is
easier
with 2-3 people as someone can walk behind and
make sure the chicks stay together.
If this is not possible, gather up all the chicks into a roomy
cardboard box or
cat carrier. Ducklings can jump quite high, so put
some chicken wire or a piece of net curtain over the top. The mother
will
probably fly up out of reach but as long as she can hear
the ducklings she will follow you as you walk to the nearest safe pond.
Once
there, put the box down and wait for the female to
land and approach you. Then you can let the ducklings out to join her
on the
bank and she will lead them off to the water.
Ducklings on road, mother dead or injured
Many ducks and ducklings are killed when crossing busy roads. Collect
all the
ducklings and the mother if alive and take to the
nearest rescue centre. If you suspect some ducklings have vanished into
shrubs,
go back later and look for them, they will not
survive alone.
Duckling/s without a mother
If it is listless and limp, keep it warm and take it to the nearest
rescue
centre. If this will take some time, try and find some pond or
rainwater and
offer
it to the duckling in a shallow saucer. If the water is green, this is
ideal as
it will have algae and other nutrients. Dip just the tip of the
beak into the water and the duckling should be able to suck some up.
Emergency feed for ducklings (short term only)
Finely crumbled bread, shredded wheat or weetabix in pond/rain water in
a small
shallow dish.
Geese, Swans
Broken leg
Swans and geese often float or
swim with a foot lying along their backs.
It looks extremely odd but is quite normal.
They can even sleep with the head tucked under the wing while standing
on one
leg.
If they really do have a broken leg they will be using their wings to
help them
balance as they hop about on land.
They need to be hand fed until they come close enough to be caught but
this
takes time and patience.
They can be difficult to catch as they will tend to fly away when
approached.
Adult, injured wing
Geese, especially Canada Geese,
are often hatched with a condition called 'Aeroplane wing' or 'Angel
wing'.
This means the 'wrist' joint can't bring the wing feathers around to
lie flat
against the body and a few stick out at an angle.
The condition mainly affects one wing but a few cases have been seen
where both
wings were affected.
'Aeroplane wing' means that the bird can't fly but will otherwise lead
a normal
life.
Only call for help if the bird has blood on the feathers or has a wing
dragging
on the ground.
Young, alone
Have you seen the rest of the
family?
Sometimes one or two get separated from the flock but will be accepted
back if
the main group can be found.
If you can catch it, put it in a box lined with newspaper with a small
bowl of river
or pond water to drink
until the rest of the family reappears or is found.
If the bird is an orphan, or the family cannot be located, it will have
to go
to a rescue centre for rearing.
Emergency feeding: pond or river water in a shallow bowl
and
crumbled, wet brown bread.
Young,
injured
Can you get near enough to catch
it?
By the time a rescue centre helper gets to the area it could well have
swum
away out of sight, so try and lure it close
enough to catch if possible, then wait for help or find a box and take
it to a
rescue centre yourself.
Hooked
/ tangled in fishing line / plastic
These
birds are very wary and difficult to catch, unless the line catches in
branches
or weeds.
Often, unless someone is watching the bird, it has disappeared by the
time help
arrives.
If there is nothing wrong with the wings, they will often fly away
rather than
be rescued.
Heron
Young
- fallen from nest
This is
a rare occurrence and it is usually impossible to return the youngster
to the
nest.
If the parents are still feeding it, try leaning a wooden ladder
against one of
the heronry trees,
or making a sloping grid out of branches to help it climb higher up,
away from
predators.
Move away and see what happens. If it seems safe and the parents
are with
it, check daily to make sure all is still well.
If you can't get it to safety in the tree, it needs to be taken to a
rescue
centre for rearing.
Caught in pond netting
Keep
away to avoid causing undue stress and struggling.
Contact a rescue centre; they can usually send someone to cut the bird
free.
It may not have to go in for treatment unless the netting has caused
damage.
Protective goggles or glasses are needed as Herons stab with their
beaks when
frightened and could damage your eyes.
Thin, weak, collapsed
Try and
find an experienced Rescue Centre helper to collect it.
If nobody can come, if you are willing to help, get a friend to grasp
the beak
and neck securely while you put the bird into a box or pet
carrier.
It can be carefully wrapped in a piece of old sheet or large towel but
care
must be taken to gently fold the legs and the wings.
The heron must be wrapped securely to prevent it wriggling free during
the
journey.
If no box is available, the wrapped up body and legs will fit into
a large
carrier bag and the beak can be held closed with an elastic band for a
short
journey.
Sea
Birds
Weak,
unable to fly
Gulls can suffer from enteritis and botulism after foraging on waste
sites.
They will be weak and have green faeces and need medication.
However weak they are, they can still peck quite strongly so take care
to hold
the beak or neck as you pick them up.
You will need a sturdy carrier or box thickly lined with newspaper to
absorb
the droppings.
Offer a bowl of clean water and a dish of fishy cat food if you can't
get them
to a rescue centre straight away.
If the gull is very weak, you will have to try to get it to take some
liquid as
it will probably be dehydrated.
Re-hydration
Give it some re-hydration liquid such as Lectade, Critical Care or even
Dioralyte.
In an emergency: 1 tablespoon tepid boiled water mixed with a tiny
pinch of glucose
and 4-5 grains of salt will help.
Dip a cotton wool bud or tiny artists' paintbrush in the liquid and put
a drop
on the edge of the beak, near the hinge.
The bird should accept this and needs to take at least a teaspoon of
liquid.
Oiled
Catch the bird and prevent it from ingesting any more oil from preening
the
feathers by holding the beak closed with your hand or a small rubber
band.
Wrap in a towel or cloth if possible and take to a rescue centre as
soon as you
can. It will need to be thoroughly washed in detergent to remove the
oil
and given time to recover, feed and replace the natural oil in the
feathers.
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