Baby Birds - Help Please

[Kleiber]

I'm still shell-shocked after Monty's death and I'm not thinking straight, but I've found two little baby birds on my patio this afternoon. They look like they've only just hatched - they've got a few little scrubby feathers (grey) and they're about the size of a fully grown blue tit. They're still alive. I've no idea where they've come from as I don't think there are any nests above my patio. I've got them in a lttle box in the kitchen just now and they've had a chopped up worm, which they seemed to like. I tried them on softened chick crumb originally, but they weren't keen. I suspect they may be baby dunnocks or robins, but I've no idea what to do with the poor wee things! They probably won't survive the night, which is a shame, but I've got to try. If anyone has any ideas on how to look after them, please let me know. Thanks, K

[Kleiber]

Actually, they're about half the size of a blue tit.

[jules77]

I dont have any personal experience, but I would have to try and help them survive like you. Dont know if this will help.

http://britishwildlifehelpline.com/feeding%20b irds.html

good luck.

[lindapinda]

Here's a bird forum that might help you Kleiber http://www.birdforum.net/forum.php

[ruthann58]

hi kleiber have you tried them with soft scambled egg or a little bit of mashed up cat meat try warming it ,hope you are feeling a bit brighter today you did your best for monty and he had a lovely life , hopefully you will soon remember the happier and funny times with him , and start to feel a bit better, my simon was also ginger and white he was named simon because he was a bit simple ,ruth xx

[Kleiber]

Thanks, all - the websites were really interesting. They've had 3 chopped worms tonight and although it's a bit of a struggle, they're eating them. They must be very young, because they look as though they've still got plenty yolk sac (I'm only going by my baby chicks - that's what they're like for the first 24 hours). God only knows what I'm going to do tomorrow, as I have to go to work - I s'pose they'll just have to come with me & I'll be found, grubbing up the hedgerows for worms for them!
I just hope they make it through the night.

Ruthann, Thanks for your kind thoughts on Monty.
Love to all, K x

[wildwood]

You can buy mealworms and insectivorous food from the petshop, that saves you having to muck about making up their food, especially when you're at work.

[wolf63]

Glad to see you have something to keep you busy!

I am surprised that any bird is safe around your place with your family of cats.

I am sure that you will be missing your wee man for a long time - he was a mummy's boy. When my last cat died (George was old) I kept seeing him out of the corner of my eye - for months. He was a grumpy old man - but with much character.

Best wished to Gavin, Cleo and the rest of the mob.

The rest of us A&N ABers were going to have a carty to cheer Monty up when he was ill - we could have a massive wake (pI55 up) to toast to the life of Monty instead. I will have to teach Frankie and Princess Merlin some Scottish drinking songs. :-)

[paranoidus]

try any mashed up insect you can find from the garden

[LoftyLottie]

Kleiber, I hope your babies are still alive today. Let us know. Are you feeding them with tweezers? Mum birds actually push the food quite far down in the mouths of their young. You are probably doing this anyway.

Let us know how things are.

xx

[yogasun]

Oh dear - keep us posted Kleiber. Everyone before has offered good advice so hope it's all helpful.
Good luck to you, you are doing your best. xx

[Kleiber]

Hi, everyone. Well, they survived the night & were waiting for me this morning, begging for food. Unfortunately, as the day's gone on, they stopped feeding, although I did my best (they were on mashed up cat food & seemed to like it) and one of them died. The other little one was doing fine till about 2 hours ago and then it, too, wouldn't eat. I've tried everything - they've had a wee bit of water from a cotton wool bud, I've fed them every half hour, but it looks like it'll be a sad ending. I still don't know what sort of little birds they are or how they came to be on my patio at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, but I guess if I hadn't found them, they'd have died anyway. Nature can be cruel sometimes. I'm no softie when it comes to wildlife, as many of you know, but I do believe that when something is so young, it should be given a chance (unless it's a rat or a grey squirrel!!). I found out recently that we've got one of the 3 red squirrel populations in Wales quite close to us, which makes me wage war on the greys even more!
Oh, well, at least the little birds took my mind off Monty for 24 hours.....

[firewatch]

oh kleiber, you are havong a time of it at the moment just keep your chin up and know that you made these little guys last few hours as comfortable and as loving as possible.

[Rosetta]

They didn,t stand much of a chance, poor things, being so tiny but like you I would have done my best to pull them through.

Wow to having red squirrels near you. I've never seen one but would love to!!!!

[LoftyLottie]

Well done for trying Kleiber. I too would have done the same. xx

[wolf63]

Are you off on a crusade to save the good squirrels and terminate the bad ones. Never remember which ones are the imports/illegal aliens.

I hope you are feeling a little bit better. I will be thinking of you and mentioning you in my prayers to the Cat god.

[Kleiber]

Sadly, both the little birds died. I think they were baby Great Tits. The only consolation is that their parents probably have about half a dozen more in the nest and so now they stand a better chance of surviving. I still don't know how they came to be on the patio, though. Thanks for all your help, guys. K