Jacki writes -

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I have seen birds die from shock. Some species, such as the cardinal (one of my all-time
favorites, as they are just *so* endearing) are so skittish that they can actually die of a HEART
ATTACK due to stress at being around/handled by a human.

The nutshell? Provided that a bird is kept relatively warm and protected (say, in a covered box in
someone's shut-door bathroom), the less handling/cuddling/coddling/"comforting"/whatever,
the better.
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Another Cape St. James story here. On foggy nights in the summertime at the Cape (extreme south end of the Queen Charlotte Islands off the c. BC coast), the storm-petrels and other seabirds which bred there would be drawn to the lighthouse like a magnet. The storm-petrels would be in an apparently very confused state and some of them would collide with the light at a great enough speed (they are not fast flyers) to knock them to the ground senseless. They would then be at great risk of being predated by the feral Roof Rats which inhabited the island. I and some of my compatriots would wait for this and rescue any birds which fell to the ground, mostly driven by guilt at having the stupid light there in the first place (Cassin's Auklets fared the worst with the lighthouse - they fly at supersonic speed and any collision was invariably fatal).

We quickly found out that the two storm-petrel species - Fork-tailed (FTSP) and Leach's (LESP) - were not only different in plumage but completely different in temperament. LESP deserved their moniker of "barfbird" since they would often evacuate the contents of their stomachs all over your hands or whatever part of your body they could reach, all the while pecking and wrassling like mad. And boy, does that stomach oil stink! We only rescued these puppies if they looked to be in imminent danger of being rat food. OTOH, the FTSP were the gentlest, *cutest* birds I have ever handled. They just loved being tucked inside your coat like a kitten and would settle in for as long as you wanted to leave them there. Often I would find myself wandering around the light looking for other downed birds with one or two FTSP stuck in my coat! After five minutes or so, they had warmed up and mellowed out and I released them (didn't want to keep them from the nest too long).

My point in the above is that different species of birds will react differently to being handled. But I agree that it is better to minimize handling in most cases.

- Jack Bowling
jcbowling at mindlink.bc.ca
Fort Nelson, BC