# Found a baby bird. ID needed



## sciencefiction (4 Jul 2020)

Hi All,

I just found a little baby bird near the supermarket in the city.

Can anyone ID? 

I hope it makes it,  poor thing. I've never ever kept birds before and I know nothing about them.

I put it in an opened box and it's in my fish room.  I tried to give it some smashed walnuts with water but it wouldn't eat. I guess it's still in shock. It was in the street, I nearly stepped on it.


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## GHNelson (4 Jul 2020)

Hi 
Your location would help!
hoggie


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## mort (4 Jul 2020)

I think it's a baby swift. So insects might be a better food but not sure how you'd go about that.


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## mort (4 Jul 2020)

I'd perhaps contact the rspb as it looks like it's fledged or close to it. It may have flown into something and become dazed so expert help might be able to tell you what to do.


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## mort (4 Jul 2020)

Have a look here http://actionforswifts.blogspot.com/p/if-you-find-grounded-swift.html


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## SRP3006 (4 Jul 2020)

Looks like a common swift,


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## sciencefiction (4 Jul 2020)

Yes, a common swift it is.

I am not sure how I'll go about insects. 

Would any water critters work, e.g. cherry shrimp, snails, californian black worms? Fish food?

Or can I catch something, although I can't imagine how here in the city...

I just sent an email to bird rescue Ireland. I hope they come back with something.

I am totally lost here. I gave it a tiny bit of water. I think some went it.


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## tiger15 (4 Jul 2020)

I have raised baby birds before.  Once they open their eyes, they have a fixation of their parents and will refuse to be fed from human hand.  Unless they are big enough to be self feed, they are doomed.


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## sciencefiction (5 Jul 2020)

I tried my best to feed it, like you said, it refused. I didn't want to stress it further from the handling because I tried numerous times. I will let it be for the night. If it's alive tomorrow, I'll try force feeding it, although not sure how yet but there are some youtube videos on the subject.


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## sciencefiction (5 Jul 2020)

I couldn't sleep. I got up at 5.30 to try to feed the bird. It is still alive and I managed to force feed some food and water. I used soaked fish food. I know it's not insects and totally unsuitable but it was too weak from not drinking and eating so it was either that or starve it to death. It's chirping here next to me in a made up nest from an old hat and an ashtray and I am reading on what I can do.


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## sciencefiction (5 Jul 2020)

I ordered some mealworms, dried and in a can. It's the only thing locally I could find at the moment. I hope it's shipped fast.


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## foxfish (5 Jul 2020)

Wow good on you for trying to save the poor thing!
It definitely needs insects but perhaps garden worms or anything you could find under a stone might help.
I think the main issue is it will need feeding every few hours at least and probably better to feed small items every 30 minutes!
I am no expert on this though but I do wish you and the little fella the best of luck .


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## foxfish (5 Jul 2020)

i wonder if you could try feeding soaked dry cat food as that will be high protein?


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## PARAGUAY (5 Jul 2020)

A couple of years ago in winter we found a juvenile hedgehog very cold and looked distressed .We phoned the RSPCA for advice they advised take it to the nearest vets as they have an obligation to take in wildlife in these situations In  basket wrapping the little fellow we took to the vets. Vets accepted straight away the hedgehog got quite a few "awes"


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## Simon Cole (5 Jul 2020)

You need to go and get some maggots from your local fishing tackle shop ASAP. 
Cat food and fish food will kill it. To much water will kill it. Milk will kill it. 
If you need to verify my advice please phone St Tiggywinkles NOW  01844 290494 or 01844 29229 
They have 24 7 day advice.


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## zozo (5 Jul 2020)

Time to buy a fly swatter...  Nice find, success!!... Would be awesome to be able to save and let it fly away again one day...

This year i found 3 birds too, a pigeon, a sparrow and a blackbird... All 3 had a broken neck or something and didn't make it very long. I actually did hear them arrive, i don't know what it is but occasionally a bird flies against the window and smashes itself to death.. I guess these must be birds with bad eyesight and think they can fly through and then smash themself into the window. Realy strange i hear from more people that it occasionally happens to them too.

This year was exceptional 3 birds in a few weeks time...


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## hypnogogia (5 Jul 2020)

zozo said:


> occasionally a bird flies against the window and smashes itself to death.


Do you have windows on opposite side of each other so that they can see through to the other side?  We used to get that, and a simple sticker on the glass stopped it from happening.


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## Gill (5 Jul 2020)

sciencefiction said:


> californian black worms



Try these, it should take them.

Also if you have a Pets at home, they will have lots of grubs and insects that it can eat in the reptile food section.


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## zozo (5 Jul 2020)

hypnogogia said:


> Do you have windows on opposite side of each other so that they can see through to the other side?  We used to get that, and a simple sticker on the glass stopped it from happening.



No, i do not have windows opposite of each other.  I'm not sure a sticker will help, or the sticker should be 60% size of the window with a Stop sign printed on it.

I have things hanging in front of the window and they are not bothered by that, probably just try to fly past it. I know birds are intelligent but giving them the property to distinct a single sticker on a window as a no go sign. I rather believe the sticker is a placebo effect and it's waiting for the day for the proof that it is.

I have once seen a blackbird fly by in my garden, at full speed through a 10x10 cm wire mesh overgrown with ivy.. Can you imagine it saw and found that single hole in the fence in full speed flight? It sheared through and landed on the sheds roof 10 metres behind that.  I applaud that little fellow for his amazing top gun flying skills. Awesome to witness this in person.

If it can do that, it should definitively see a dirty window as an obstacle... My best guess is that not all birds are equally smart, some are reckless and caught by the cat and some do not pay attention to where they fly. Maybe it happens in a panic escape attempt chased by a predator. We have some sparrowhawks in the neighbourhood, they are known to hunt and hit in flight.


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## GHNelson (5 Jul 2020)

Gill said:


> Try these, it should take them.
> 
> Also if you have Pets at Home, they will have lots of grubs and insects that it can eat in the reptile food section.


Or a local Pet Shop!


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## Witcher (5 Jul 2020)

sciencefiction said:


> I ordered some mealworms, dried and in a can. It's the only thing locally I could find at the moment. I hope it's shipped fast.


I doubt swift will eat them,  they are not like sparrows, their diet is more similar to the swallows - more than half of swift's prey are hymenoptera, then small beetles, flies and small butterflies. They spend almost their entire life in the air and that's where you need to find food for them. I'd go to the nearest park with small ponds, streams etc and catch the insects like flies, mosquitoes etc with butterfly net or sth similar.


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## Witcher (5 Jul 2020)

BTW this swift looks nearly fully fledged and I think it was a very bad idea to take it home. It probably felt off the nest and its parents could be somewhere around.


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## sciencefiction (5 Jul 2020)

It was in the middle of a busy street, probably fell of the nest of the buildings on it.  I read the parents of common swifts never take them back and it's often they fall out of nests and need hand rearing.  To be honest, the moment I took it I didn't know anything, not even what type of bird. I was carrying 2 plastic bags with my shopping and my dog, so it was a quick decision, or lack of.... I probably should have left it to nature as I'll only watch it die. 

I thought of the reptile section, what am I looking for there? The maggots were a youtube idea. I know not the best idea but better than fish food.


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## sciencefiction (5 Jul 2020)

It has no feathers around it's neck and under the wings. To me it looks rather weak still to be able to fly. It is way smaller than how it look in the zoomed pictures I posted.


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## sciencefiction (5 Jul 2020)

Simon Cole said:


> You need to go and get some maggots from your local fishing tackle shop ASAP.
> Cat food and fish food will kill it. To much water will kill it. Milk will kill it.
> If you need to verify my advice please phone St Tiggywinkles NOW  01844 290494 or 01844 29229
> They have 24 7 day advice.



Thanks for that. I had read about the cat food and dog food but no explanation why anywhere.  My guess is too much carbs/grains in those and wrong type of protein and fat?  I need to get crickets is what I am reading. And I don't even know if it will make it to this evening. It's very weak.


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## hypnogogia (5 Jul 2020)

As @Simon Cole said, I think you should call these guys for advice.  https://www.sttiggywinkles.org.uk/

in the wild, baby birds eat little and often, it’s imperative that that it gets the right food if it is to survive,  experimenting with isn’t going to help this animal and this now seems to have been going on for 24hrs.


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## dw1305 (5 Jul 2020)

Hi all, 





Witcher said:


> BTW this swift looks nearly fully fledged and I think it was a very bad idea to take it home. It probably felt off the nest and its parents could be somewhere around.


They can't take -off from the floor, so they leave the nest fully fledged and don't land again at all until they are ready to breed after several years away.

The normal advice for any swift is to re-launch (throw it up) and then hopefully it will fly away.

cheers Darrel


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## Simon Cole (5 Jul 2020)

sciencefiction said:


> It's very weak.



Keep it warm. They use maggots for all chicks at St Tiggiwinkles IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUTUBE IDEAS. Talk to them and they will tell you why cat food etc. kills young chicks. You need to hand it over or notify the correct authorities. It is a legal matter. Posting about cat, dog and reptile food is quite infuriating. It is not your pet and you should hand it over. The RSPCA will intervene because you cannot look after it's welfare.


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## sciencefiction (5 Jul 2020)

hypnogogia said:


> in the wild, baby birds eat little and often, it’s imperative that that it gets the right food if it is to survive, experimenting with isn’t going to help this animal and this now seems to have been going on for 24hrs.



What am I supposed to do on Saturday evening and Sunday during a coronavirus crisis? This animal would have been dead by now if I hadn't picked it up. I sent an email to the only bird rescue Ireland I found, still no answer. Does anyone know a contact that might help?

I read about the food. There is info on right diet, crickets advised mainly for hand rearing but I won't be able to get them locally. Closest place is 3 hours drive. Today is Sunday, no chance I can go. The other place is amazon, dried ones but lately it's been taking weeks for delivery of anything. The one reptile shop was out of stock of crickets. 
So the bird is doomed really diet wise unless I get the right stuff soon...

 I don't think it's fully fledged. I held it several times in an open hand, including when I picked it up from the street, it just crawls back and forth, would not fly off. They apparently can't take off from the ground because of the length of the wings. However, this is a tiny bird still. Wings are max 9cm

I can order crickets from amazon. Any other ideas in the mean time? I live in a city, right in the city centre, not like I can go catch insects easily. I have no garden.



Simon Cole said:


> Keep it warm. They use maggots for all chicks at St Tiggiwinkles IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUTUBE IDEAS. Talk to them and they will tell you why cat food etc. kills young chicks. You need to hand it over or notify the correct authorities. It is a legal matter. Posting about cat, dog and reptile food is quite infuriating. It is not your pet and you should hand it over. The RSPCA will intervene because you cannot look after it's welfare



Hand it over to whom? I don't want a pet bird. RSPCA Ireland? I could not find such a thing. I called ISPCA in Ireland...."Thank you for calling, the helpline is currently closed"...


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## sciencefiction (5 Jul 2020)

Simon Cole said:


> Talk to them and they will tell you why cat food etc. kills young chicks.



I had read about both cat and dog food being unsuitable already, before I fed the bird it's first meal. For the same reasons it is not suitable for fish either, wrong proteins and fat,  hence I thought  the fish food is a better option.  It's probably not suitable either but it's rich in water insects, vitamins, garlic, low on carbs, etc.. The bird is alive, eats a bit and defecates after eating. It's in its nest and was strong enough to try to crawl backwards when I was force feeding it, which is a bit better than it was this morning. I think I'll boil an egg and try that too today. In the mean time I'll order crickets too and hope for the best. I'll call the ISPCA again tomorrow.


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## mort (5 Jul 2020)

Didn't know you were in Ireland.  You have probably already seen this http://www.irishwildlifematters.ie/animals/birds.html and this http://www.swiftconservation.ie/contact-us/ but just in case.


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## Conort2 (5 Jul 2020)

Maybe try some spiders or something similar, they’re everywhere even in cities. Another one as mentioned would be to try maybe swatted flies or something similar. Can imagine this is probably one of the hardest fledglings to feed due to how specialised swifts are. Not like a sparrow or a pigeon that eats anything. You’re doing your best, just keep trying to find some bugs for the time being.

cheers

conor


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## sciencefiction (5 Jul 2020)

Conort2 said:


> Maybe try some spiders or something similar



Trust me, I checked all corners for spiders  We have them here of course but I can't find any today. Extra time at home, extra cleaning lately...



mort said:


> Didn't know you were in Ireland. You have probably already seen this http://www.irishwildlifematters.ie/animals/birds.html and this http://www.swiftconservation.ie/contact-us/ but just in case.



Thanks, there isn't a contact in my county but I sent a message to the nearest 2 on the list and I sent an e-mail explaining the situation. Hopefully someone responds soon.


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## sciencefiction (5 Jul 2020)

Looking on that video below, mine seems to be around 20 days or so old comparing to the development of those below.


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## sciencefiction (5 Jul 2020)

Well, good news guys.

I am just back after handing off the little swift. I got in touch with the swift rescue, from one contact to another until they got someone in my area. The lady that took it said she'll take care of it for a couple of days then drive it off to Galway to specialist swift care. She said it's quite rare to find a baby swift and also manage to get it to pull through. She said many people had said they found a swift only to bring something else so I did a great thing saving it.   They said the food I gave was fine, egg yolk and even cat food in emergencies for a couple of days is ok, better than nothing.

It had perked up quite a bit just before I gave it away, walking all around its big box,  and in the car it climbed out through the holes of the carry shoe box twice, so in the end it settled in my hand, super feisty little thing.

Here is my farewell video with it. Thank you all for your help.


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## foxfish (6 Jul 2020)

Well done fingers crossed for the bird.
I made an enquiry this  morning on your behalf as I  was near our animal shelter (GSPCA) and I was just about to report back to you that in fact soaked and mashed cat biscuits is a good emergency food and  often used for many birds at the shelter.


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## zozo (6 Jul 2020)

dw1305 said:


> They can't take -off from the floor, so they leave the nest fully fledged and don't land again at all until they are ready to breed after several years away.



I knew they could stay airborne for extremely long periods,, but didn't know they can't take off from the floor... Remarkable isn't it...  Last Friday evening I was watching a small group of swifts with awe, they were soaring over an empty soccer field about a few inches from the ground hunting mosquitos I guess... Looked awesome to see them manoeuvre so close to the ground and with a remarkable speed too for quite some long distances... Little daredevils must have quite some confidence in their flying skills.. One mistake and not able to take off again.

It was actually the first time I saw them do this...  



sciencefiction said:


> Well, good news guys.


😍 Good Job!!


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## Simon Cole (6 Jul 2020)

Well done - you did so well! I'm over the moon for you. Great rescue! you are a Legend my friend.


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## LondonDragon (6 Jul 2020)

Awesome  good effort and hopefully it will make it 

Found a baby blue tit a couple years back with a broken leg and wing, and over a month managed to get it back to health and flying and was happy when I released it in the local park, had to make a food paste using bird feed granules and feed it using a syringe!! 

Had an empty tank with harscape in it (only recently planted), so put a net around the glass and it was happy in there.


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## lurcher (6 Jul 2020)

Well done science,many wouldnt bother,you are some guy. Utmost respect to you.


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## mort (6 Jul 2020)

That's great news, good on you sciencefiction.


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## sciencefiction (6 Jul 2020)

Thanks guys. Let's hope it makes it. It's been on my mind all day.


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