Found a Small Sparrow Nestling

[CJLR]

Aww what a cutie
Baby birds should be fed about every 15 to 20 minutes
Good luck

 

[RiverOtter]

Good luck!! As they are a non-native, invasive species, they're legal to keep through the US, and yes, usually wildlife centers just put them down. So a life as a pet is his best option!
Be sure to vary his diet a bit. Chopped, hard boiled egg, mostly yolk, is perfect for him. You can make up a "hatchling egg salad" by mixing in enough baby food to make it stick together.

 

[kirstenchickenlady]

Thanks for the info @RiverOtter ! I bought some wild bird suet pellets from my local feed store- it is high fat and protein content. I did check to see it it’s appropriate for the bird- what I was reading was that it’s a great feed for hatchlings/nestlings that emerge in the spring. It’s also good to put out for the birds because it’s hard for them to find enough feed for their babies.

So the bird has been gobbling up these mushed pellets like crazy. I call it the baby, I say to my hubby- “baby is hungry, needs some food!” Lol. Actually the bird doesn’t always feed every 15
- 30 mins or whatever, when I check on it, it’s not always hungry. Sometimes it goes an hour or 2 without being hungry... so the whole “feed every 15/20/30 mins” isn’t always true! sometimes the bird is hungry 15-30 mins after the feeding and sometimes not (actually I found most times it’s not). So far today I have fed it like 7 times. I will give it one more feeding before bed time.

I have read that hatchlings may take 5 - 6 feedings per day (every 3-4 hours). Once the eyes open, 3 - 5 feedings (every 5 hours) are necessary and as the feathers start to grow in, feed 2-3 times per day (every 6 hours). The crop should appear full when done.

We will be building a nice big atrium (700sqft) with lots of shrubs and plants and was wanting to put finches in there! Well I got a little sparrow I can have in there now!!

 

[kirstenchickenlady]

The little guy is coming along! Little feathers are starting to poke through

 

[AngBantamLuv]

So cute! I've taken in birds that have fallen from nests when they can't be put back. Just do your best.. when the time comes, you can do practice flying outside, it wont go far. Then if you notice it picking up its skills, cool, and if it's not ready or interested, it wont leave. We had a crow growing up, kept him safe in a chicken coop as a (massive) chick. Once he grew, he'd sleep in the tree, but still yell at us when his water had a leaf in it , or when he wanted his WARM soggy dog food. When he got older, he'd spend the day w the flock, and the night with us in our tree. Eventually he left, I still miss him, but we knew he was never too far away. Try to mix it up, inside and out, but a pet is just fine too.

 

[kirstenchickenlady]

So cute! I've taken in birds that have fallen from nests when they can't be put back. Just do your best.. when the time comes, you can do practice flying outside, it wont go far. Then if you notice it picking up its skills, cool, and if it's not ready or interested, it wont leave. We had a crow growing up, kept him safe in a chicken coop as a (massive) chick. Once he grew, he'd sleep in the tree, but still yell at us when his water had a leaf in it , or when he wanted his WARM soggy dog food. When he got older, he'd spend the day w the flock, and the night with us in our tree. Eventually he left, I still miss him, but we knew he was never too far away. Try to mix it up, inside and out, but a pet is just fine too.

That is so awesome and funny about cawing at you because there’s a leaf in its water! I know a guy that found a small hatchling crow as well. The mother got killed so he looked after it. He lives/works at a gas station and the bird always hangs out there. When people come for gas it always looks for food and will peck at your fingers . The guy named the crow Brandon (like from the movie ).

 

[AngBantamLuv]

That is so awesome and funny about cawing at you because there’s a leaf in its water! I know a guy that found a small hatchling crow as well. The mother got killed so he looked after it. He lives/works at a gas station and the bird always hangs out there. When people come for gas it always looks for food and will peck at your fingers . The guy named the crow Brandon (like from the movie ).

Yes, ours would take our quarters in the morning (we had to take a quarter to school for snack time chocolate milk.. yes I'm old) and my dad would make us stand under the tree until the crow dropped it. He ended up staying with us for 2 years... so many funny memories of him.

 

[Mylied]

The little guy is coming along! Little feathers are starting to poke through ❤

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What a cutely ugly little thing!

 

[KiwiandPeachthePigeons]

Good luck!

 

[kirstenchickenlady]

What a cutely ugly little thing!

I know hey!? Hahaha!