We have a pair of starlings nesting in the eaves. The parent birds have been very busy back and forth feeding their young. On Friday evening, I spotted a small bird laying on the shingle just below where the nest is. The temperature was quite cool and I could see the little bird was shaking. I gently picked him/her up and warmed him/her up in my hands by cupping my hands around the bird gently and holding the bird close to me.
I made the little bird cosy in a little cardboard box with fabric underneath and gently over the body of the baby bird to act as a blanket, and a hot water bottle underneath the box for warmth (not too hot), keeping the box lid open a little.
My husband tried hard to find the exact location of the nest but it was so far back in the eaves it just wasn’t visible. I’m so glad I brought him/her inside, as he/she would not have survived the night, unless he/she had been warm.
During the night, I could hear little movements from the box and was delighted to know the little bird was still alive.
The little bird survived the night, he/she woke early and was chirping loudly and consistently for his/her breakfast. Thankfully i had researched online suitable food for baby garden birds and spoken to a neighbour friend that used to rescue baby birds when she was a child.
My sons were delighted to have a baby bird in the house and excelled at helping me nurture and feed him/her. We fed the baby bird hard boiled egg, moistened mealworm and a little moist dog food temporarily. You shouldn’t feed baby birds water at this young age, they get the water they need from their food. Baby birds feed very very regularly throughout the day.
The boys and I loved caring for the baby bird. He/she was a good weight, fed well and during periods when awake he/she was full of energy and practicing flapping his/her little wings. I think the baby bird’s acrobatic adventures must have caused him/her to fall out the nest unfortunately.
It’s a full time job looking after baby birds! But very rewarding. My boys decided to call the little bird Max.
Later that day I managed to speak to a lovely lady who looks after abandoned baby birds and other birds in similar situations. She is well set up at her house with everything to care for them. She is looking after more than 20 birds at the moment, which will eventually be released into the wild but also be able to return to her garden for food and a safe haven if they wish to.
Max is
now at the bird sanctuary and has another little baby bird friend to cuddle up
to and keep cosy with. Both appear to be of a very similar age and both are
starlings. It’s comforting to know the little birds have each other for company
and warmth, and are being well looked after. My boys have named the other
little bird Sam.
The name of the sanctuary I contacted in the first instance is Kingfisher. They were a wonderful help.
- Melanie Hughes
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