If you've just rescued a baby bird, it's important to get it to a vet as soon as possible so that they can assess if it has been injured and return to its nest.It will need to be fed if you can't do that right away or if there is no rescue nearby.Baby birds can only digest certain types of food.This guide can help you figure out what to feed a baby bird, how to encourage it to eat, and how often it should be fed.
Step 1: Don't give water to a nestling.
If you put water in a bird's mouth, it will drown.Birds get plenty of water through their food source, so it's not necessary to add water to their diet.It can be fatal to do so.
Step 2: Mention the bird's species.
Before you can feed a nestling, you need to know what kind of bird it is.Birds eat different types of food.Some birds eat seeds while others only eat insects and worms.Birds like vultures are meat-eaters.Feed a seed-eater a diet of worms and he will die.Before attempting an emergency feeding, it is important to identify the species.You can view a gallery of images of common nestlings at the Babybirdid.com website.If you have a large social network, you can post a picture of the baby bird and ask for help identifying it.If you get a response, be sure to do a search on the internet for the correct identification.You need to find a reliable reference book or internet for information about the bird's diet after you have identified it.An internet search for "what do chickadees eat" or "chickadee diet" will tell you that they mostly eat insects but also like some seeds.
Step 3: Feed the songbirds right.
The most typical bird you'll see is the skeeters.Some songbird nestlings don't eat insects.Mealworms are available at pet stores for insect eaters.Hard-boiled eggs can be supplemented with chopped, cooked, and cooled insects.
Step 4: The seed eaters should be fed the right food.
Small birds like sparrows, chickadees, and doves tend to be seed eaters.Grains such as wheat germ, corn or oatmeal that has been powdered in the blender can be fed as dry infant cereals.
Step 5: Feed meat eaters the right things to eat.
Birds of prey like falcons and meat-eating birds are the biggest ones.They are more dangerous to handle and will need to be fed more frequently than the smaller birds.Feed them dry kitten or dog food that has been soaked in water so that it is soft, or canned meats prepared for infants such as chicken or beef.Live insects like flies and mealworms can be fed to them.
Step 6: Don't mix batches of food more than a day before the event.
The baby bird will be harmed or even killed if the food goes bad.You'll be mixing a lot of batches of food if you care for a baby bird.It's a good idea to mix up the amount of bird food you need for one feeding at a time.Most baby birds eat food that has been eaten by their parents, so keep the consistency wet but not liquid.
Step 7: If the baby is a nestling you should notice.
Depending on its stage of development, a baby bird may need your help or it may be practicing important life skills, which would interfere with the natural process.A nestling is a pink, newborn bird who has not yet grown any flight feathers, while a budding bird is more like a toddler: they have grown some of their adult feathers and are starting to practice the skills needed for survival as an adult.If you see a baby on the ground, its parents probably kicked it out of its nest.You have to put it back into its nest.A baby may have flown to the ground and practiced important skills.If you can see if the parents are nearby, you should not attempt an immediate rescue of the bird.In some cases, the baby will live on the ground for days or even weeks.Allow children and pets to be away from you.
Step 8: A nestling needs to be returned to its nest.
If you find a baby bird on the ground, look up in the trees or bushes where it was found.It most likely blew out of its nest.If you find a nest, look inside for other baby birds of the same type to be sure you've found the right one.The myth is that the mother bird won't care for the baby if it has been handled by humans.Birds don't pay much attention to your smell because they have a poor sense of smell.Put on gloves or use a tea towel to pick up a baby bird.This protects the bird from your germs and also protects you from pecks or scratches as well as mites that live on wild birds.
Step 9: If the nest falls, make a makeshift nest.
If the nest has fallen out of the tree and is on the ground, you should gather as much of it as you can and place it in a plastic container that is about the same size as the original nest.shredded paper towels can be added if there is no nest material.The nest needs to be secured into the tree.Attach the plastic container to the tree with a couple of holes in the bottom for drainage.Place the nestling inside the makeshift nest gently, using gloves or a small blanket or towel to lift the bird.
Step 10: It will take at least a day.
Birds come and go from their nest, and the parents may have seen you fussing around their baby and are afraid you'll return.It doesn't mean that the parent bird is not coming back if you do not see them immediately.You will need to get it to the proper authorities to care for it if no parents have been observed after a day.
Step 11: You should call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
Most baby birds who die have been taken in by well-intentioned people who try to feed them the wrong diet in order to poison them.Raising a wild animal without a license is illegal in the United States.It's important to get in touch with someone who knows how to care for a baby bird.If there is no rehabilitator close by and the parent birds abandon the baby, that is the only time you should attempt to feed and care for it.If you make a wrong guess about the bird's diet or species, you can be killed.You should only feed it if it is going to die.Birds can go 24 hours without eating, so don't feed them unless absolutely necessary.
Step 12: The bird will be in a temporary home.
If you want to use a plastic nest for a temporary home, you can put the entire nest into the box and use the padded one.The sides of the box need to be high enough to prevent the bird from jumping out.It's best to keep the box inside your home, out of direct sunlight, and in a quiet area away from noisy children and pets.
Step 13: The bird should be warm.
Keeping a baby bird warm is the most important thing you can do.A baby bird can go for 24 hours without food, but they need warmth if they've been injured or traumatised.One way to keep the bird warm is to put a heating pad under the end of the box.The bird can get hot if it is placed directly on the heating pad.Wrap the heating pad in a shirt or cloth and keep it under the bird.If you put a hot water bottle wrapped in a cloth into the bird's box, make sure it doesn't leak, as this will cause it to become chilled and wet.
Step 14: The bird should be fed regularly.
Baby birds need to be fed for 30 minutes at a time from dawn to dusk.If you put the food in the bird's mouth, it won't eat it.Don't try to open the bird's mouth.It will open its mouth if you are hungry.If you can, try to have only one person care for the bird and feed it as this will limit its contact with humans and help to feel safe.
Step 15: It's a good idea to clean after a bird.
Once the bird has been taken by a rehabilitator or you've reintroduced it to the wild, you need to throw the whole box away.Wild birds and bird droppings can spread diseases.After handling the bird, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly.