Subject: Handling injured birds (was Holding an injured bird)
Date: Nov 07 07:44:18 1997
From: Peggi & Ben Rodgers - woodduck at cruzio.com


At 07:04 AM 11/7/97 -0800, you wrote:
>Ahh. Mea culpa. I read the original note somewhat quickly, and misunderstood
>your specific point.
>
>In THAT case, I can corroborate his advice. Our (if you will) "human need"
to hold and
>comfort the bird can do more harm than good. Provided the bird can
thermoregulate on
>his own, all that needs to be provided is a modicum of warmth and
protection, like the covered,
>towel-lined box you referred to previously.
>
I agree with Jackie 100%. It can, most times, be more stressful for the
bird to be held - after all, they look upon us as large preditors. Imagine
being held for a time by something you are convinced will eat you at any
moment - especially while you're in pain or dazed?

An easy way to provide warmth is with a heating pad, hot water bottle or
baggie filled with warm water (we use warm water baggies quite alot in
rescue). Fill it with water that feels warm to you, place it in a carboard
box, position a towel over it and place the bird on the towel - you don't
want the bird directly on the water container. Cover it loosely with
another towel and place it in a quiet place. Don't offer water or food. If
it's a window hit, you can check it in a few minutes - but do this outside
as it may have recovered and take off.

Birds, especially hatchlings, require higher temperatures to provide the
warmth and will become hypothermic amazingly fast.

Interestingly, I watched a pair of rufus-sided towhees one day when one of
them hit the window. As it lay dazed, the other walked (well, hopped)
around it nudging it gently with its beak. Eventually the injured bird
recovered and the two took off together. I didn't realize they developed
such a strong bond.

Peggi
Ben & Peggi Rodgers
Aptos, CA (near Santa Cruz 122 W, 37 N)
USA
woodduck at cruzio.com
http://www2.cruzio.com/~woodduck/


"A bird does not sing because it has an answer,
It sings because it has a song"