Content

• Steps
• Warning

Lost baby birds are a common springtime image, their pitiful cry awakening the motherhood instincts of even the hardest of hearts. Your natural reaction is that you will want to keep it to nourish. But before you do, you need to assess the situation and make sure you're doing what's best for the baby bird. Is it really abandoned? Is there an animal conservation center that could take care of it better than you? If you decide to keep the baby bird yourself, know that it will take a lot of effort - the baby bird is very weak and needs to be fed several times a day. If you think you need to do this, then this article will tell you all about feeding and caring for the baby bird.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Assess the situation

1. 

   
   
   Determine whether the bird is a dependent or self-contained bird. The first thing you need to do is determine if the bird can feed on its own after hatching or if it must be adopted by its parents. Dependent young birds are birds that do not open their eyes when hatched, have no feathers and are completely nurtured and warmed by their parents. Most perching and songbirds are dependent birds when they are first born, such as red-necked birds, jays and fire-crests. Self-contained juveniles are birds that are more fully developed when first hatched, eyes open immediately after birth and have soft fluff. They can walk and run after their mother around in search of food. Some examples are playing birds, ducks and geese.
   • Baby birds are much easier to care for on their own than dependents, but they rarely need help. Self-contained baby birds often nest close to the ground so that they do not fall or be pushed out. If you see the baby bird stray on its own, try to bring it back to its mother before adopting it.
   • Dependent birds are completely unable to take care of themselves and must be raised. In the suburbs, it is common for dependent young birds to fall or be pushed out of their nests. In some cases, you can bring it back to the nest or will have to take care of it yourself. You can also leave it alone and let things go naturally.

2. 

   
   
   Determine whether the bird is a baby bird or a bird. If you see a baby bird of a perching or chirping bird that you suspect has fallen from a nest or has been abandoned, you must determine whether it is a baby bird or a rooster. Young birds are juveniles that are not yet mature enough to leave their nest, as they have not yet grown enough feathers and may not have opened their eyes. A bird is clearly grown up with a fully developed plumage and strong enough to learn to fly. They can leave the nest and know how to perch on a branch.
   • If it is a baby bird, it should be in the nest, and there is definitely something wrong. Perhaps it fell or was pushed out of the nest by the stronger young. Abandoned chicks have almost no chance of survival if left alone.
   • If you happen to see a bird showing up, you should observe for a while to assess the situation before taking heroic action. On the surface it seems that the bird has fallen from its nest or is abandoned, flapping its wings and crying helplessly on the ground, but it is actually learning to fly. If you observe it long enough, you may see the parents return to periodically feed it. If this is the case then obviously you should not intervene.

3. 

   
   
   If possible, put the baby bird back in the nest. If the bird you are sure is a baby bird and it is lying helpless on the ground, you should return it to the nest. First you need to see if you can place the bird's nest on a nearby tree or bush. The locations are discreet and the predator is hard to reach. You can then hold the bird in one hand and cover it with the other to keep the bird warm. Look for signs of injury, if it's okay then gently put back in the nest.
   • Don't worry about the parents refusing to accept the chicks because of their "human" smell. This information is not accurate, since birds have a very poor sense of smell, they can only recognize the chicks by seeing and hearing. They almost always allow the chicks to be returned to their nest.
   • After you return the chicks to the nest, leave quickly - don't hang around waiting for the parents to come back as you will only scare them away. If possible, observe the bird's nest with binoculars from indoors.
   • Remember, in many cases, the baby bird is unlikely to survive even if it is returned to the nest. If it is the weakest of the litter, it may be pushed back from the nest by the stronger ones, as they are fighting over the mother for food and warmth.
   • If you see a dead baby bird in the nest then the nest has been abandoned, so bringing the chicks back to the nest won't be of any help. In this situation, you will have to care for the baby bird along with its surviving brothers, if you want them to survive.

4. 

   Make an artificial nest if needed. Sometimes the nest is dropped due to strong winds, pruning trees, or predation. If this is the case, you can pick up the nest (or make a new one) and put the baby bird back. If the original nest is intact, place it in a basket or a pot (insert a hole to drain the water) and use wire to hang the nest from a tree branch. Try to return the nest to its original position. If that doesn't work, place the nest on a nearby tree branch, just make sure the site is protected from direct sunlight.
   • Pick up the baby birds and warm them in your palms before placing them back in the nest. Move away, but try to observe the nest from afar. The parents may be suspicious of the new nest at first, but their mothering instincts will make them forget this.
   • If the original nest is completely destroyed, you can build a new nest by placing a tissue in a basket. Even if the nest is originally made of hay, you should not place grass in your homemade nest, as the grass is slightly damp, making the chicks cold.

5. 

   If you are sure the baby bird has been abandoned, call a bird relief center. Make sure the baby bird is abandoned before you bring it back. The most common situations the baby bird needs help with are: when you see the baby bird fall out of the nest but cannot return to the nest; when the baby bird is injured, sick or covered with mud; or when you've been watching the home-made nest for more than two hours but the parents still won't come back to feed the chicks.
   • The best thing to do in this situation is to call a bird relief center so they can adopt it. These centers are experienced with baby bird care, so they will have the best chance of survival.
   • If you cannot find a bird rescue center call your veterinarian or ranger to give them the information they need. In some cases, where you live there is no bird or wildlife relief center in general, but there may be animal relief workers.
   • If there are no viable options or you are unable to transport the bird to the center then you will have to take care of the baby bird yourself. Remember, this is only a last resort, as caring for and feeding the baby bird takes a lot of work and the bird's chances of survival are also low.
   • In addition, it is illegal to keep wild birds in captivity, unless you have a valid permit.
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Method 2 of 3: Feed the baby bird

1. 

   Feed the baby bird every 15-20 minutes from morning to night. Baby birds need to be fed very often - the parents actually feed them hundreds of times a day. To replicate this dense feeding schedule, you have to feed the baby birds every 15-20 minutes from morning to night.
   • Once the bird has opened its eyes and has ruffled feathers, you can stretch the feeding schedule down to 30-45 minutes.You can then gradually increase the amount of food per feed and decrease the number of feedings accordingly.
   • Once the bird is strong enough to leave the nest and begin to dance around the box, you only need to feed it once an hour. Slowly increase this time to 2-3 hours after each meal and begin to put some food in the can for the bird to practice pecking.

2. 

   What is baby bird food? There are different opinions about what kind of food to feed the baby bird, but most experts agree that as long as the baby bird gets enough nutrients, it doesn't matter what food it is. Even though different bird breeds need different diets - some eat insects, some eat seeds and berries - most of the chicks have very similar needs, that is, the food should be high in protein. high.
   • The best starter diet for newly hatched dependent chicks is made up of 60% a dog or kitten food, 20% hard-boiled eggs and 20% bird worms (available online).
   • Small grain foods need to be filled with water until they are spongy, but not as liquid as water as the chicks can choke from too much water. Boiled eggs and bird worms should be cut small enough for the bird to swallow.

3. 

   Gradually change your diet over time. As the bird gets older and starts to dance, you can gradually change the diet by including the adult bird's food.
   • Insect-eating birds will eat earthworms, grasshoppers and crickets that have been finely chopped, along with any other insects you can get from an insect capture device.
   • Fruit-eating birds will eat berries, grapes and raisins soaked in water.

4. 

   Know which birds need a special diet. The exceptions to this diet are: pigeons, parrots, hummingbirds, fish-eating birds, birds of prey and birds that become independent after hatching.
   • Pigeons and parrot-like birds often eat "kite milk", which is burp by the parents. To mimic this diet, you must feed the baby bird a parrot formula (available at pet stores) using a plastic syringe with the needle removed.
   • Although you are less likely to encounter other birds, their dietary requirements are as follows: Hummingbirds need nectar formula, fish-eating birds need to eat minced minnows (available at the store fish prey), birds of prey will feed on insects, rodents and smaller birds, and independent young birds can feed on chicks.

5. 

   Do not give the baby bird bread or milk. Many people make the mistake of feeding their baby birds with milk or bread. Unlike mammals, milk is not a natural ingredient in a bird's diet and cannot be digested by the bird. Bread contains many empty calories and does not provide the bird with the necessary nutrients. You must let all bird food cool to room temperature.

6. 

   Use correct feeding techniques. You need to feed the baby bird carefully. The best feeding tools are blunt tweezers or plastic clips. If you don't have these, use a chopstick small enough to be inserted into the beak. Each time you feed, you clamp a little food with tweezers or forceps or use chopsticks to drop into the beak.
   • Don't worry about falling food in the wrong place as the bird's larynx will automatically close while it is eating.
   • If the bird does not open its beak, gently tap the beak with a feeding device or gently rub the food around the edge of the beak. This will let the bird know it's time to eat. If the bird still doesn't open its beak, gently open its beak.
   • Feed the bird until it refuses to open its beak or begins to refuse food. You must not overfeed the bird.

7. 

   Avoid giving the bird water. You should not normally give the baby bird water because the liquid can easily get into their lungs and suffocate them. You should only give him water when he is old enough to dance around the box. By then you can place a shallow water tray in the box (like a plastic jar lid) for the bird to drink on its own.
   • You can put a stone or some marble in the tray of water to prevent the bird from jumping in.
   • If you believe the baby bird is dehydrated you should take it to your veterinarian or bird rescue worker to inject it.
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Method 3 of 3: Take care of the baby bird

1. 

   Make a temporary nest for the bird. To make a bird's nest, you can take a cardboard box with a lid, like a shoebox, and puncture a few holes in the bottom. Place a small plastic or wooden bowl in the bucket and put a tissue in it. This will be the nest that will fit the baby bird.
   • Never lined the nest with fibrous material or shredded as the bird's wings or beak may become entangled. You should also avoid using grass, leaves, or twigs as they are wet and prone to mold.
   • You should change the nesting material when it becomes wet or dirty.

2. 

   Keep the bird warm. If the bird gets wet or cold, you should warm it up as soon as you place it in the nest. There are several ways to warm the bird. If you have a heating pad, set it to low heat and place the nest on it. Another way is to fill a zippered bag with warm water and place it in the nest or hang a 40 watt light bulb over the nest.
   • Keeping the nest at room temperature is very important, so it's best to keep the thermometer in the box. If the chicks are less than a week old (eyes closed, hairless), the temperature in the box should be around 35 degrees Celsius. The temperature can drop to 5 degrees every week.
   • You must also place the box in a location away from direct sunlight and drafts. This is because newly hatched birds are susceptible to cold and overheating, due to a large body surface area that is not proportionate to their weight and birds have not yet grown insulating feathers.

3. 

   Create a quiet environment for the baby bird. The baby bird will not grow well unless kept in a quiet, stress-free environment. When the baby bird is under stress, its heart rate rises and has a negative effect on its health. Therefore you should keep the box in a quiet place, inaccessible to pets and children. You should also avoid the following:
   • Excessive touches on birds or improper handling of birds, loud noise, inappropriate temperature, excessive chicks, unstable feeding schedules or incorrect feeding.
   • You should observe and hold the bird at eye level because the bird does not like being viewed from above. They will think you are a predator if viewed from above.

4. 

   Make a bird's growth chart. You should monitor the bird's growth by weighing it every day to ensure it gains weight by using a food or parcel scale. The bird's weight should be increased daily and within 4-6 days will double its hatching weight. The bird should continue to gain weight rapidly throughout the first two weeks.
   • To see if the bird is growing normally for its breed, you need to consult a growth chart.
   • If the bird is gaining weight very slowly or not gaining weight, something is definitely wrong. In this situation, you should take the bird to a veterinarian or animal rescue center right away, otherwise it could die.

5. 

   Let the bird learn to fly and then release it to nature. After the baby bird is fully feathered, you need to move it to a large cage or release it onto a fenced porch so it can fly. Don't worry about a bird not knowing how to fly - its ability to fly is instinctive, so after a few days of effort it should. Birds need to learn to fly for about 5-15 days.
   • Once the bird has mastered flight and has reached the required altitude, it is ready to be released into the wild. Take it to a place where you see lots of birds of the same species and have a lot of food, then let it go.
   • If you plan to release the bird into the garden, you can place the cage outdoors and keep the door open. Then the bird will decide for itself whether or not to fly.
   • The less a bird is kept in captivity, the more likely it will survive in nature, so do not delay your release date.
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Warning

• The bird can bite or peck you. Be careful because birds are wild animals.