Help!! Potentially injured RedHead duck

[SolarDuck]

On my daily trip to the park on my way back home I found this guy in the road, then it seemed like he was trying to fly over the fence into the park but he just kept flying into the fence. I couldn't really tell if he was injured but since he was in the road I was thinking he might have gotten hit by a car, so I grabbed him and brought him in to assess his situation. He definitely cannot fly, he doesn't seem to have any immediately noticeable injury other than just seeming very dazed and confused, and pretty weak. Bringing him back home was very easy he barely resisted which isn't typical of a wild duck like him. @Isaac 0 do you have any idea of something I could look for to tell if he is injured?

He makes very interesting noises, but I guess thats probably just the sound redhead ducks make.

Any advice would be appreciated to help me figure out what(if anything) is wrong with him.

I'm not sure if he's eaten anything lately, he pooped a couple times but barely anything came out at all.

 

[kandyg_99]

Poor Little Thing. Do You Have A Vet You Can Take Him To?

 

[SolarDuck]

Poor Little Thing. Do You Have A Vet You Can Take Him To?

There is a sanctuary that helps injured water birds near me that I can take him to tomorrow, for now I set up my bathtub with shavings and put some food and water in there for him.

 

[SolarDuck]

Will me sitting here on the bathtub with him make him less lonely like it would a domestic duck? Or will it just stress him out more?

 

[kandyg_99]

Does He Seem Stressed In Any Way ? Has He Eaten Or Had Any Water ?

 

[SolarDuck]

He has drank a little water but hasn't eaten yet, i might put some live mealworms in here because he will probably recognize those as food easier than the dry food i gave him. From looking at pictures of their wings online, it looks like his feathers are fully in so I don't think him not being able to fly is due to molting.

 

[noodledog]

I would keep him in a quiet, dark room to avoid stressing him out more until you can get him to the sanctuary. Leaving him alone would probably be best, he doesn't seem used to people so that'd probably stress him out.

Edited to say it would probably be best to not feed him, water should be alright though. Everything I've read says to not feed wild birds, he'll be fine without food overnight.

 

[SolarDuck]

I'm honestly not completely sure he isn't used to people, I just picked him up to check him out and feel around to see if I could find any sign of injury, all I really noticed is it seems he's got a little seed or something stuck in his right nare.

He really doesn't seem to be stressing out as much as a bird with no prior human contact would.

I am thinking maybe at some point in the past he was injured, rescued, and rehabbed.
Because when I found him he tried flying and running away from me into the fence, but as soon as I grabbed him he pretty much just sat still for the ride home. He doesn't want to be caught, but once he does he is pretty calm I think maybe from his past rehab experience he knows I don't want to hurt him. It seems he doesn't want to stay but he tolerates it, which I know a wild duck with no human contact ever would NOT tolerate anything like that, one of my ducks is domestic but was just raised wild and when I first took her in to treat her wound, she was much much much much more difficult than this little guy.

 

[SolarDuck]

Actually, I recall seeing pictures of surrendered injured wild animals on my avian vet's facebook page. I might bring him there instead, I know he will be in good hands with her she is a great duck vet, and I believe they find a rehab sanctuary for them after treating them.

 

[SolarDuck]

I weighed him in at 2.2 lbs, the internet says that is pretty typical for redhead ducks. Where he was laying in the road, I would have hit him if I did not see him it was night time. It was also about 10 feet from a stop sign, so I think maybe he got hit by a very slow moving car, or just flew into one, and maybe it just messed up his wings in some way so he can't fly but didn't hurt him otherwise. I'm just guessing because I'm really not sure, all I know for sure is he can't fly.