Emergencies

Remember: The 1st 48 hours of an injured animal/birds recovery is critical

The following steps are simple, sometimes tricky, but well worth the effort to help the bird to full recovery.

Helping an injured bird (or any other wild animal of manageable size).

If possible find a medium size box or container big enough to hold the bird, throw in an old towel to help the bird grip when traveling.

Just a word of caution: Remember that all birds of prey have very sharp powerful talons, with this in mind, make sure to take every precaution you can to avoid personal injury.

The beak is for helping the bird feed and it will generally not 'peck' out, but to avoid a reaction from a damaged bird, who is trying to defend itself, please keep fingers away.

1 - Always approach slowly to avoid stress to you and the bird.

2 - Sounds strange, but speak to it in a low voice in a comforting way.

3 - Ideally throw cover over with something lightweight & dark (maybe a towel or T shirt).

4 - Leave the bird/animal for a few minutes to calm down in the dark. It will be passive when covered.

5 - If you have a pen or small stick to hand, try turning the covered bird/animal over by putting your hand across the back of the animal, try to include the head and turn over very slowly.

6 - The bird/animal will automatically want to grab something, place the pen/stick in its claw's.

7 - Place in a decent size box (preferably with a cloth/old towel in the bottom for it to grip on) and keep in a warm dark place.

If you are tempted to give the bird some food, ONLY give raw white meat such as chicken.

Birds do not need water (apart from preening) they get all of their moisture from the food they eat.

A local pet shop may have frozen mice or chicken if you try them. Always thaw the food naturally before giving to the bird (they don't eat microwave food!)

What then, what should I do, Who can we contact?

Move the box/container into a warm, dark quiet place away from contact with any other living thing. This will help keep the bird calm.

Call the rescue organisations such as ISPCA, The Slobs or SE Birds of Prey Centre, the phone numbers are opposite.

The main point to remember with damaged birds is to minimise any stress, as shock can be more of a killer than the actual injury.

What if I have the time and want to help the bird back to the wild?

Follow these simple steps and enjoy watching the bird recover (especially young fledglings who have fallen out of the nest)

1- Apart from feeding make sure human contact is kept to a minimum. Make sure the bird is comfortable in a cage that is not fully enclosed and not able to get free (just yet!).

2- Cut up RAW chicken into small slivers ½ inch x ¼ inch and if you have a pair of tweezers (they do not like to be fed straight from fingers!) feed little & often (2 – 3 hours or till you see the crop under the beak fill out) 10 – 15 bits of chicken.

Note: Please do not use steak/lamb as they have difficulty digesting dark meat.

3- No water needed as it will get its fluid from the food.

4- If you have a local pet shop that keeps mice for reptile food, that will help (again small bits each time).

5- when all of the ‘downy’ small feathers are gone and the main feathers are formed put the bird out somewhere safe in the garden off of the floor/ground (or leave in a shed with the door open, still feed the bird but increase the size of the bits of chicken (your pet shop may have frozen day old chicks in freezer, cut into bits and keep feeding small chunks).

6- Gradually reduce the amount of food so it has to start hunting for itself.

Bird should gradually fend for itself and may hang around for a couple of weeks, then should make its way back to freedom.

Good luck & enjoy the fun of helping the bird back to the wild

 

 

Last Updated 27.07.09