Suddenly found myself a bird mum...

[Bindi]

By the time you read this, little Chico or Chikita is probably flying over Rainbow Bridge...

At 6pm today, mum found a baby bird sitting shaking on the pavement outside the shop where she works, obviously having fallen out of the nest that was probably on the roof. There were no other birds to be seen. Mum told me and I took him/her to vets- they said his beak hasn't dried yet and he doesn't have a lot of feathers. They said he might be some kind of tit and that he won't survive the night. The vets and our local RSPB do not hand rear and I always believe in giving life a chance, so he's home with me and that's why I'm up at 2:26am...

He's had a few feeds and a few poos... The thing is, I didn't expect this, I can't find any maggots or anything and I dug up the garden looking for stuff (the resident Thrush with babies must be hard pushed- how does she manage it?). So he got crushed and pasted fledgeling suitable bird seed and warm water. He's in a box with a hot water bottle, asleep at the moment. He can sit up but rather wobbly and has a good perch reflex (he grabbed my finger and wouldn't let go, lol). He's about the size of a chicken egg. I don't have an incubator or heat lamp. If he does survive the night, I will get some maggots or blood worms or something from the local pet store and see if I can get an incubator from our local farm... We'll have to see.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, but if no advice, then good vibes for us pretty please!

Thanks.

[Wild-Woman]

Sounds like you've got your hands full there. Hope the little fella/fellaress makes it.
Your nearset wildlife rescue centre maybe able to advise you and there's a few folk on here with that sort of experience, so once they're up and about, they may see this thread and give you some guidance.

[owlmomma]

Hiya,

if you wanna give me a ring I can talk you through how to look after it. I will pm you my number

[Bindi]

Thanks, I got the number

Chico/Chikita made it through the night (goodness me, am I tired!) He's been fed and watered every two or so hours on the bird seed mush and been pooing afterwards, thankfully. He still has some perch reflex and when he has a mind to he flutters about with his little wings. He's all feet, wings and neck though I'm scared I'm going to damage his neck because it just lolls about.

He seems to be lying down like sleeping most of the time and he isn't terribly happy when I try to feed him

[Bindi]

Well, we knew it was coming. Chico/Chikita passed away about an hour ago.

One thing I would like to know though, because I'm not sure he/she was a tit, was what species of bird he/she was. As far as I can make out (he/she didn't have many feathers):

Dark brown or black head, lighter brown tail end, light brown or cream under wings, dark belly (at least in sternum), light brown/ginger stripes on wings, beak pinky with yellow sides, fairly soft, tip ratio perhaps one unit across by two long, with sides stretching under eyes. That any good?

Thanks again.

[Bindi]

In case anyone was actually interested, I think he might actually have been a sparrow.

[Ida]

Aww! What a sad end to your story.

But what a kind soul you are to sit up all night feeding a baby bird.

Hope you're not too upset by his/her demise - at least you know you tried your best. Not many people would make that much effort for a baby bird - you should be proud of yourself!

[Bindi]

Thank you

Unfortunately my cat decided to console me by bringing me a new one

It was black and white (not magpie, smaller and similar) perhaps adult, and it managed to dive under the wheelbarrow while I rugby tackled the cat (not literally, lol) The last I saw of it, it went to ground around the ash tree. It has a busted wing and can't fly, and I haven't seen it since. Will keep an eye out...