Should a baby bird be rescued?

[WriterDom]

My neighbor caged a baby robin yesterday. It either fell or left the nest too early. It can fly about 6 feet or so but not well. One thought is that by saving it, it will pass on inferior genes and we'll have robins falling all over the place. I had no doubt that she would save it though. She has so many animals they don't take vacation. So it just sits in the cage frozen like it's scared to death. And the mother is still raising hell this morning.

I don't know if I would have done it. I did catch it for her. Twice. But I didn't have to make that decision. Her husband didn't want to keep it. But I guess she makes the rules since she has the pussy. And she does love animals. They are her kids. She doesn't want any kids.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

IMO, she should have left it for a few hours, to see if the mother would come down to deal with it. They do have ways of teaching (?) clumsy fledglings to improve their flying skills. Only if it seemed that the mother was not coming, or that a predator was about to add young robin to its meal plan would I have interfered, and then only to the slightest degree I felt effective. Removing it to a cage where it seems terrified, I believe, was cruel, and will likely ultimately lead to the baby's demise, or at best, cause it to develop into an adult bird unable to fly and hunt effectively, thus shortening its life.

 

[ecstaticsub]

I would have gotten my cat to put it out of it's misery.


j/k

But no I wouldn't have rescued it. As long as thee are no predators around the bird most likely would have learned quickly enough how to save itself. I wouldn't interfer. Sometimes a mother animal won't go near the baby once it has been contaminated by a human.

A rabbit once dug a hole in our lawn and gave birth to 4 bunnies. At the time we had 3 cats. That was not a smart mother rabbit. We kept our cats in the house but eventually other predators got them.

 

[WriterDom]

I didn't think baby birds were parented that much once they leave the nest. But I know little about birds. She shouldn't have to keep it long. And it is eating.

 

[WriterDom]

I just read that's illegal to raise a wild bird unless you have the proper credentials. Since the mother is still around she probably should put it back. There are a lot of cats around so I doubt I can sell her on that idea. The idea that parents will reject them if they have been handled is a myth. From what I read anyway.

 

[Kajira Callista]

I raised a baby bird. Taught it to eat, to fly etc. It lived in my house for it's whole life. We tried taking it outside but it would not leave me. I went in and it tried to follow.
We decided she wanted to live with us and she was our pet *shrug* I think she lived a good life.

 

[WriterDom]

I raised a baby bird. Taught it to eat, to fly etc. It lived in my house for it's whole life. We tried taking it outside but it would not leave me. I went in and it tried to follow.
We decided she wanted to live with us and she was our pet *shrug* I think she lived a good life.

Well, aren't you a sweetie. If you took me in I'd never leave either.

 

[graceanne]

I have a cousin rather like your neighbor.

She's rescued many a baby bird.

The bird is toast. My cousin has raised tons of baby birds and they always die. Why, we don't know.

 

[WriterDom]

KC's bird didn't die. But he was breast fed.

 

[graceanne]

KC's bird didn't die. But he was breast fed.

I'd say there's an exception to every rule. But my cousin raised at least a dozen birds. She took them everywhere with her, cause they have to eat a lot, etc. They all died. It was weird.

 

[WriterDom]

It's gone now. I guess they let it go.

 

[DVS]

I'd say there's an exception to every rule. But my cousin raised at least a dozen birds. She took them everywhere with her, cause they have to eat a lot, etc. They all died. It was weird.

Too much handling. Wild birds aren't meant to be handled.

I'd say let the baby go, and watch the cats. The mother will feed it, and even raise havec with any cats that come around. If you year a bunch of birds that seem to be complaining about something, there is more than likely a baby on the ground and a cat in the area.

Although the cats sometimes win, the mother and father birds do their best at chasing them off, by dive bombing them, etc.

Still I think the baby would be better off on it's own. I'm no expert, by any means, but I've seen a lot of baby birds in this situation and I think it's somewhat normal. Mom kicks the out of the nest when she thinks they are ready. And the fact that she's complaining means she wants her baby back.

 

[Netzach]

Does it have adult feathers or just the downy ones?

If it's not actually fully fledged it is probably screwed.

There's also the fact that nature sometimes absolutely sucks.
A lot of birds breed in pairs or even trios.

Three or two start out, the strongest pushes everyone else out of the nest, only it actually survives.

There's also parasitic nesters. There could be a cuckoo or cowbird being brought up in that nest now and there's nothing you can do for the biological chick.

 

[WriterDom]

It's pretty much fully developed and can fly about 6 feet. I don't know if they took it to someone who does birds or let it go.

My birds haven't seen the food yet. Once one finds it they all catch on quick.

 

[WriterDom]

Good news. They hung the cage outside and the mother kept bring worms but was intimidated by the cage so they put the little guy in a big box. He escaped from the box and she found a good hiding place for him. Mom is quiet now and will continue feeding him until it gets bigger. He might be flying in a few days.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

Good news. They hung the cage outside and the mother kept bring worms but was intimidated by the cage so they put the little guy in a big box. He escaped from the box and she found a good hiding place for him. Mom is quiet now and will continue feeding him until it gets bigger. He might be flying in a few days.

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x95/Sir_Winston54/appl.gif http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x95/Sir_Winston54/bouncyboobie.gif http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x95/Sir_Winston54/jumping-smiley-021.gif

 

[Kajira Callista]

KC's bird didn't die. But he was breast fed.

she lived like 5 or 6 years. I have to find picture of her now because you don't believe me.

 

[graceanne]

Good news. They hung the cage outside and the mother kept bring worms but was intimidated by the cage so they put the little guy in a big box. He escaped from the box and she found a good hiding place for him. Mom is quiet now and will continue feeding him until it gets bigger. He might be flying in a few days.

Yay!

.

 

[WriterDom]

A majority of chicks don't survive the first year. If they did the world would be overcome with birds. Still there are more robins than people in the US. I hope Robin survives and comes back next year. Moonshine won't harm her but he wont protect his territory either.