Cleaning sap off a tufted titmouse?

[MandiRock]

My son found two little tufted titmouse birds outside today. Luckily I was able to get them before the dogs did!

They are small, but not babies. In fact they are mostly feathered, but it appears they got tangled up in each other. After prying one's feet from the other's wings, I realized they look like they might have sap all over them. One of them is missing all but two feathers from one wing.

What is the best way to get the sap off? I feel like one could definitely fly away if he was clean and dry. The other needs to regrow some feathers.

 

[Nambroth]

Thank you for trying to help! If you can, get them to a licensed wild bird rehabber. Technically, having the titmouses is illegal (though I know you are just trying to help!). Plus a rehabber is eqipped to deal with helping the bird with feather loss recover until it can be set free again.

If you need help locating a rehabber, try calling your local vets, or your state's fish and game department. They should have a list of licensed people that can help you.

I hate to recommend anything unless you know for sure the substance is sap?
Until further action, try to handle them as little as possible. Stress can be a very real killer of smaller songbirds.

 

[Trefoil]

Dawn dish soap is used to remove oil from birds, you might try that. Unless you know the rehabber you run the risk of them just disposing of the birds because they are a common species, so if you can get them to eat & drink they may have a better chance with you.

 

[MandiRock]

Thanks for your recommendations! I do know a wild animal hospital that takes in birds, as I took a mockingbird there last summer. Unfortunately, both of these little guys gave up within hours. I think they may possible have had some internal injuries either from falling or possibly the cat may have knocked them out of the nest.