URGENT ADVICE NEEDED - Swallow nestling has fallen from the nest

[hungerdunger]

We have a swallows' nest in the rafters of our barn. About half an hour ago we found a nestling on the floor.

He/she looks quite well developed but can't fly.

I could put a ladder up and try to put it back in the nest, but I wonder whether I will do more harm than good.

If anyone can give me advice I'd appreciate it.

[joanna]

Hiya!!
I know what you mean, my cats bring me in all kinds of little birds. What i do is, putting a pair of soft gloves, i pick them up and put them back.You dont want to put your smell on the chicks as the parents will not take it back (i was told by my mum when i was young). Sometimes chicks are thrown out the nest because they are ill or rejected for any other reason so if you keep seeing it on the floor then i think its best to leave it alone and let nature takes its course. I hope its not to dangerous for you to climb up the ladders. Good luck!! Hope the chick survives, its so nice that you care!
Take care, Joanna

[Kayleigh]

Try to get it back as soon as possible. Bird have no sense of smell.

[big bill]

Hello Kayleigh was going to say the same as Joanna put a pair of gloves on so no himan scent is transfered but if what you say is true it shouldnt matter if birds have no sence of smell best of luck

[hungerdunger]

Thanks everyone for your quick replies. Since my post I managed to find some advice on the RSPB site. They say:

Never try to replace these birds into nests as this may disturb the other babies and may also be illegal.

They then go on to advise that if it is a nestling rather than a fledgling we should take it to our local vet! I can imagine how pleased they will be to be presented with a helpless bird! So we've talked it over and decided to leave it for another hour or so to see if the adults are trying to look after it; if they don't we'll put it back and wait to see if it gets chucked out again. Just don't tell the bird police

[RobinP]

Good idea, that's exactly what I would do. Be careful up that ladder...

[scipio]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Bird have no sense of smell.

This sweeping statement appears to be untrue according to this website (and others)
British Garden Birds - Sense of Smell
Indeed a recent academic paper says:
"Avian olfaction: olfactory receptor genes in nocturnal and diurnal birds.by Silke Steiger, Some birds (e.g. nocturnal birds) have an excellent sense of smell. However, the genetics of the sense of smell in birds has hardly been studied."
Better be safe than sorry.

[RobinP]

I think the jury's stilll out on this one; some birds, notable prey eaters, rely on a sense of smell while small seed and insect eaters do not, but they do have a facial sensory system that reacts to certain chemicals, therefore wearing gloves when handling birds IS a good idea.

That's my take on the matter, but I'm no scientist.

[elve]

Same thing happened to me a couple of days ago - the nest is just outside my back door and there are cats everywhere on this street, so I was dreading it happening as there were 4 babies in a nest the size of a teacup.

I thought of putting it back in, but then worried the mother might reject them all if I disturbed the nest - the other fledgelings might have fallen out in a panic and basically it could have made matters worse, so I brought it in the house away from the cats.

rang my vet they always take wild birds to a place in Sheffield - rang them - feed it on cat food he said.....rang another place - they had just retired and the RSPCA don't care about anything except dogs/cats I was told - feed it on cat food again.

So - I put it near the nest again while I thought what to do - and it decided it could fly! not well enough to avoid a cat at the end of the garden though - cat ran off with it! I didn't see that bit - by the time I got to the end of the garden there was nothing to see. Then I saw some workmen cupping something in their hands have you got a baby swallow? I yelled....They were just about to run it over in their van 'to put it out of its misery'

I took it back in the house and felt very guilty and sad. Left it for an hour - looked dead as it could be - stretched out cold, not breathing. Came back and birdy was sitting up looking at me!

Needless to say she hasn't done well on cat food, or mince as I read on another website - nasty poos and diarrhoea. Then someone I know suggested dried, crumbled mealworms (from pet supplies for wild birds) on scrambled egg - and we are doing well now see post below about adding water!

my only worry is what on earth to do with her next She's living in a big plastic box with a furry and very warm hot water bottle (freshened up every hour, fed every hour between 8am and midnight) - she's extremely tame after just 3 days and sits on my glove preening herself....but what do I do with her now?

[big bill]

Hello elve and welcome to the site,as to your dilema I honestly do not know what you do next looks like your going to have 1 tame Swallow,as to how you get it to mix with its wild cousins is another matter but well done for getting this far with it ,you sure have one headache a coming a pet Swallow would you believe it best of luck