Rescued Baby Bird (wild) - PLEASE Help!! Can you tell what it is?

[AccidentalFarm]

DH and I found this baby bird yesterday afternoon. It seems to have fallen out of an auger we were moving, but we could not find a nest or egg shells or other babies anywhere. We really have no idea where it came from. I don't know it's age or what it is but it is still alive and eating and moving around pretty good. We are feeding it tiny moths several times a day and it seems to be happy with that.
I know orphaned wild animals are supposed to be taken to wildlife mgmnt. people, but honestly, we are just shocked the little guy is still alive.
Can anyone tell me anything about the bird like what it is, how to care for it, age....anything?
The moth in the photo is NOT what we are feeding it...it just flew into the 'nest' as I was taking pictures. The AA battery is there to show size/scale.
Thanks in advance- ANY advice is greatly appreciated.

If you look closely, you can see the baby's fluff on its head and some on it's back.

The baby looks like he's not doing well in the photo's, but he really is as far as we can tell. DH chirps at the little guy periodically throughout the day and if the baby is hungry, he sits up and opens his beak up WIDE! He'll eat 2-3 of the tiny (smashed) moths and then he's lays down for another nap. It is very cute. We've noticed the baby responds to DH's 'chirp' everytime, and mine only occasionally. We also keep his 'nest' in the same room as our 2 day old chicks so that it can hear other birds.

 

[MayberrySaint]

I'd keep a heat lamp on it...keep feeding it juicy moths (add some water or juice)...and maybe it will make it. It can't be more than a day or two old. Too small for a Robin, must be some sort of sparrow or wren. Good Luck...

 

[AccidentalFarm]

We are keeping it indirectly under a heat lamp- I was afraid of too much heat since it does not have any down to protect it's skin. To make sure it is getting fluids, we wet a tiny piece of bread and give it to him instead of one of his regular moths a couple of times a day. I had read not to try and give liquids alone because the baby could easily drown that way. I also read that chick starter mashed up with water into a paste could be fed. I was avoiding this until I find out if this bird is a seed type eater or bug eater. I am totally lost with this endeavor! We really want to see the little guy make it so that we can re-introduce him to the wild.
Thanks for the response.

 

[LynnGrigg]

That's probably a wren baby. Wild life rehabbers in my area also feed baby birds canned catfood. I give that to my chicken in the winter for extra protien and fat. If you haven't already contacted wildlife rehab, you might ask them to give you more tips. Sounds like you are doing a great job. Good luck with the little baby. Lynn

 

[Barb Schuetz]

Get some baby bird food that you mix with water(pet store) and feed it with a syringe. Do a little online research or ask someone from the petstore because I can't remember, which side to feed it on. I know that when my mom and I used to hand raise baby birds(cockateils, parakeets etc) there was one side of it's throat that you put the syringe into otherwise you fill their little lungs and they drown. Keep in mind a long term goal though. You don't want to hand feed it like that unless you plan on keeping it as a pet. Good luck!

 

[Chelly]

Oh my gosh its TINY!!!

When I found a baby dove I was told to feed it dried cat food mashed up and mixed with water. I didn't keep the dove, I found its nest and put it back!

Good luck! And its great this little guy is actually EATING at all!

 

[karri25]

Good for you and good luck! That bird i sreally a teeniny little thing

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Quote:
Oh goodness no, I don't plan to keep it as a pet. I've googled everything I can think of to find some help on this and found that a rescued bird such as this can be re-introduced to the wild after fully feathered. The idea is to keep it in it's cage outside, but open the door and allow the bird freedom to come and go. Oftentimes the bird will take a day or two to venture out of the cage and then when it does, will likely continue to come 'home' for food throughout the day. After roughly a week, the birds instincts should start kicking in and will stop coming back for food at all.

Hopefully we can get to that point. As of this morning- the baby was up and wiggling when I came in to check on him. He ate and pooped and went down for a nap. (And I was worrying because he hadn't pooped at all).

I'm going to attempt to find a rehabber today for additional advice/support. I suppose he may be needing a name now- any suggestions?

 

[bayouchica]

How cool AF, sounds like you're doing everything right.

it's sooo tiny ! That's so neat, I'm glad you're able to help the little one out.
I'm not good with names but how about "Beaks" or "Beakers"

So how many baby chics did ya end up hatching?

Miriam

 

[Hotwings]

I think you are on the right start by feeding it bugs. Maybe try alittle meal worms from the pet store. I have raised baby birds before(starlings) but they were fully feathered and eyes open so it was alittle easier. My local nature center advised me to feed soaked kitten chow for the protein. I fed them with an eye dropper. My birds knew how to drink water on their own. I heard you are never to force feed them water. Your baby is probably getting moisture through the moths. When my baby birds got older I try to wean them and boy was that hard. I put the food on their dish and they refuse to eat, they wanted to to be fed with the eyedropper. They hollered so loud but I wouldn't give in. Finally they ate on their own. When their feathers were developed and I knew they could fly I put them in bird cages outside to get used to the sounds. I then bought crickets to get them used to catching their own food in the wild. Once I knew they could fly and catch food I open the cage door and they flew out. Starlings are not native to the U.S. and there is no laws on one trying to raise them. My first starling baby was so tame he sat on my shoulder like a parakeet, but he finally got restless and I let him go.