Found a wild nestling, any idea what it is?

[coltgrizzz]

My friend found this nestling sitting outside all day. There’s no nest around and it seems dehydrated. I was thinking this is either a robin or starling. The only feather it has are almost black in color. Any ideas?

 

[SilverBirds]

I'm not entirely sure, though he seems rather large. Could be a starling. Baby birds need to be fed hourly which makes them challenging to raise.

 

[SilverBirds]

What are your plans for him?

 

[Chickeeaholic]

I once volunteered at a wildlife center. To feed baby birds we soaked good quality dog food like Science Diet in water and fed it to the orphan baby birds with tweezers.

They will get use to hearing you and gaping for the food. It’s best to leave them alone though if the parent is around and still taking care of them. Often when a baby bird is on the ground the parents are still around and feeding it.

Best of luck with him.

 

[coltgrizzz]

What are your plans for him?

Honestly, not idea. I’m afraid that if it’s a starling and I take it to a rehab center that they will kill it. Me picking this dude up was just kind of a last minute thing

 

[coltgrizzz]

I once volunteered at a wildlife center. To feed baby birds we soaked good quality dog food like Science Diet in water and fed it to the orphan baby birds with tweezers.

They will get use to hearing you and gaping for the food. It’s best to leave them alone though if the parent is around and still taking care of them. Often when a baby bird is on the ground the parents are still around and feeding it.

Best of luck with him.

Yeah that’s what i’m doing right now. That and giving it bread that’s been soaked in electrolyte water. My friend said there was no mama bird in sight for hours and it was around 90 degrees F today. We did call multiple exotic vets but they weren’t very helpful.

 

[SilverBirds]

Honestly, not idea. I’m afraid that if it’s a starling and I take it to a rehab center that they will kill it. Me picking this dude up was just kind of a last minute thing

With robins and starlings, their beaks are very yellow. His seems to be red-brown?

 

[coltgrizzz]

With robins and starlings, their beaks are very yellow. His seems to be red-brown?

Yeah I noticed that too, it’s not bright in color and the only color to it is a thin band around the outside of the beak. Maybe blue jay?

 

[HappyClucker7]

@MGG might be able to help. She has experience taking care of wild baby birds.

 

[21hens-incharge]

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act prohibits the taking, killing, capturing, transporting, harboring of the birds or hatching eggs, that which are Native to the United States of America, Europe and central Asia. All are protected by state and federal agencies.

https://www.fws.gov/birds/policies-and-regulations/laws-legislations/migratory-bird-treaty-act.php

https://www.birdlife.org/europe-and-central-asia/policy/species-protection-and-hunting-birds

Any threads started on this subject will be closed.

Thank you for your understanding.

-BYC Staff