What do I feed a baby woodpecker?

Question

I just found a baby woodpecker. It tries to fly but just can't. I cannot find its mother.What do I feed it?
PS I live in MN.

Answer 1

If you buy kitten chow and soak it in warm water, then mash it up and load it into a syringe with no needle, the bird will eat that -just inject it down the back of its mouth. I used to volunteer at a wildlife shelter, and this is what we fed baby birds for the most part. Not woodpeckers specifically, but we had a broad mix, so this should work.

Answer 2

Baby Woodpecker

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What do I feed a baby woodpecker?
I just found a baby woodpecker. It tries to fly but just can't. I cannot find its mother.What do I feed it?
PS I live in MN.

Answer 4

Insects You can buy crickets and wax worms at pet stores, rush the bugs heads befor feeding them to the wood pecker so they dont bite his stomach when he swallows.

when he is old enough to eat insects alive on his own you'll have keep him as a pet because it will have imprinted on humans

make sure you hold it in between feedings so its friendly when you feed it, it will grow to love the attention.

then go online to find out the appropriate cage acomadations for it when its old enough to move around freely.

Best Of Luck Joe

Answer 5

Woodpeckers eat bugs. Call the wildlife service in your area or go on the net to research the subject further.

Answer 6

Try feeding it mealwroms, you can get them at most pet stores, since he or she tries to fly he or she is probably old enough to eat them. If not ask a vet what to do with him.

Hopfully you can raise the bird yourself until it gets old enough to fly. Don't be surprised if he or she comes back to visit you!

Answer 7

It is a protected species and you are breaking the law by having it in your posession. You need to call a pet store and get the number for a wildlife agency who will take the bird and care for it properly. They are great, they even provide IV's and medical care.

Answer 8

I know it is too late, since you posted this 6 days ago, but maybe someone else will see this and learn:

Before you make a decision to intervene

The most important thing to do is to patiently observe the animal in its surroundings to decide if it actually needs help. In nature, young animals sometimes become separated from their parents and need help. If the mother's dead body has been seen or the baby is obviously injured or ill, intervention is necessary. In many cases, however, when young animals appear orphaned they are actually being well cared for. Over * 75% * of young animals that are rescued by well-intentioned people do not need help.

For instance, if a baby bird is fully feathered and hopping around, it has probably reached that age when it is practicing flying and foraging skills. The parents are still protecting and feeding them at this stage, which lasts only a few days. Confining any cats, dogs, and children and placing the baby bird in a safer area if necessary (up on a branch or under a bush) is the best way you can help. Touching the bird will *not* keep the parents from feeding or helping it. They *do not* smell you. Look from a distance for obvious injury, blood, or an animal not using a leg or wing. In general, if an animal can easily get away from you, it does not need help. (This does not include babies.)

Keep in mind that it is *illegal* to harass, harm, or possess wildlife. Enjoy observing wild animals in their natural surroundings, but don't try to touch them. If you observe someone harming, harassing, or caging wildlife, contact the your local Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. Your quick actions may help save a wild life!

Is it really an orphan?

Each year, especially in spring, many people call who have found a baby bird or mammal. These well-meaning individuals usually assume the babies are orphans and need help. However, unlike human babies, wild babies are not constantly watched by their parents and spend large amounts of time alone. This is especially true of mammals. In most cases, wild animal babies should be left alone. A young animal's best chance for survival is to be raised by its natural parents. It is important to make every effort to try to return the young to its mother. ONLY after all efforts to reunite them have been exhausted should the orphan be removed from the wild. The following is what we recommend to do in specific situations.

Nestling birds

Young birds that are mostly naked ( featherless or feathers just starting to come in) are called "nestlings". These birds stay in the nest and the parents come to feed them there. They are sometimes found on the ground directly below the nest. This occurs either because the baby fell out, blew out (common after wind storms) or was pushed out by a sibling. One must realize that this last behavior is actually adaptive for some species. This way, only the strongest of the brood survive and go on to raise young themselves. If you find a nestling out of the nest, the best thing to do is to try to place the bird back in it nest, if at all possible. If the nest cannot be reached for some reason, the following works very well: Make a "makeshift" nest out of a clean Cool Whip or margarine container. Make holes in the bottom to allow for water drainage. Line the bowl with dried grass, straw, or pine needles. Then tack the nest back up in the tree as close to the original nest as possible. Finally, place the baby bird in the nest and leave. The parents will usually come back in a short time. Sometimes you will see the mother going back and forth between each nest feeding both sets of babies. The only time we recommend bringing the baby birds in is if you KNOW the mother is dead or if the babies are injured in any way. The natural parents do a much better job at raising their young than we could ever do. A baby bird that is featherless must be fed every 15-20 minutes from about sunrise to sunset! It is a myth that If you touch the baby, the mother will reject it. This is simply NOT true! Birds in general have a very poor sense of smell and will be more bothered by your presence near the babies and not that you have touched them. After you leave the area, they will resume normal activities.

Fledgling birds

People often see baby birds that are partially feathered, sitting on the ground below a tree and automatically assume they fell out of the nest and need to be helped. At this stage in a bird's development, they are considered "fledglings". Fledglings NORMALLY will jump or fall out of the nest. This is their "flight training" stage. The mother bird will then continue feeding the birds on the ground until the bird is able to fly. Unless injured, these birds should be left where they are. Efforts should be made to keep cats, dogs, and curious onlookers away from the bird so the mother can continue to care for it.

If you do find a REAL orphan or injured baby bird, please do the following:

Take it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator as soon as possible. The longer the delay, the less chance it has of surviving.
Keep the baby bird warm and in a quiet, dark place (a small cardboard box with paper towels works well).
DO NOT give the baby bird any liquids! They get all they need from their food and often will inhale any liquid, which can be harmful to them.

Hope this information helps. There are many, many sites on the web reinforcing this same information. I know we all want to hold and help each animal personally, but these really the best things to do.

Answer 9

This question is worth people's attention

Answer 10

feed him tooth picks