What to do with an injured Blackbird?

TO21 · #1 (**permalink**) 17-07-2010, 07:13 PM

Hello there, just joined this site to get some advice with what to do with an injured (I think) Blackbird.

It flew into my upstairs window at about 8 this morning, I know your meant to leave them where they are but had to move it as the cats and dog would have got it. It must have been pretty stunned as I picked it up with no struggle, I put it in a bush in my garden but it keeps falling or jumping out. It's pretty nippy and seams to be able to hop around fine but can't fly. I thought it might be a young one but don't know enough about birds to tell. To me it just looks like a female blackbird and there's been no sign of any parents and it's been there all day now.

Can't see it lasting the night if I leave it, it's been pretty lucky to last this long to be honest with the amount of cats around but what should I do? Just leave it to the cats? My dog isn't happy about not being allowed in the garden either so I'm going to have to do something. Should I catch it again and keep it somewhere warm overnight? If so what's the best way to care for it? just leave it some water or something?

Any advice would be appreciated,

leon_heller · #2 (**permalink**) 17-07-2010, 07:31 PM

Some years ago when my cat brought a blackbird in, it appeared to be dead, but it was shamming. When I got the cat to release it, it came to life, and I took it out into the garden to release it. It must have been suffering from shock, because it just sat on the ground, making no attempt to fly. I left it in the garage in a closed cardboard box with some water overnight, and it was perfectly OK the next morning - kept pecking me when I picked it up and flew off as soon as I let it go. I'd try that and see what it's like in the morning.

TO21 · #3 (**permalink**) 17-07-2010, 07:34 PM

Thanks for the reply, yeah I'll give it a go. Not much else I can do really I suppose?

kris11 · #4 (**permalink**) 31-07-2010, 07:24 PM

he's probably just dazed as I think I would be if I flew into a window!

Keep your eye on his whereabouts and if he's still in the same spot I'd have a go at catching him and putting him into a dark box until morning, somewhere very quiet, believe me we all know that cats hunt at night and it would be a great shame to have him torn to bits if he cant fly...Let me know how you get on