Not really spiritual, but here's the story. My daughter found a baby bird, all alone, and couldn't bear to just leave it to die. We think that this bird is a chickadee. She's feeding it, and caring for it. I think it's a good experience, good for her compassion. But I'm worried about when this bird matures, we can't let it fly around the house, we have a cat, and it won't be equipped to live in the wild. Is there a place for birds like this? What should it be eating?
2007-07-18 04:41:27 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I agree that you should just release the bird into the wild. It'll be fine, or as fine as any other chickadee.
A bird lives largely on genetically-ingrained behaviors - because it doesn't have nearly the kind of behavioral flexibility that a person or other higher mammal has, it doesn't need to depend as much on learned behaviors as we do. That little bird will know how to fly, how to find food, how to avoid predators, the whole nine yards, despite having had no contact with other birds.
2007-07-18 04:51:42 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
My Dad was a wildlife biologist. The bird won't lose its instincts because you feed it as a baby.
You might consider putting up a bird feeder when you let it go, so it can always come back and have something to eat. Bird seed will do just fine for a chickadee. That way you'll always provide for it.
In the meantime, insects, worms, birdseed and maybe even cream may be good things to offer.
If she can't bear to let it go, get a birdcage. My father once rescued a wild baby... wow, I am totally blanking on the species but it had black mask and we called him Zorro... anyway we kept it in a birdcage and fed it grasshoppers and birdseed. It lived for 10 years. I think it escaped maybe once.
2007-07-18 11:59:55 · answer #2 · answered by KC 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Look on the internet to see if you can positively identify it. The website that has the photos should be able to point you in the right direction as to the food it needs. Feed it until it reaches maturity (can fly and get around on its own without falling to the ground), then release it back where it came from. It will be fine.
2007-07-18 11:55:54 · answer #3 · answered by markjmp0856 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The bird will be fine if you release it into the wild. Just ask the owners of the feral parakeets, parrots and cockatoo's flying all over Florida.
2007-07-18 11:45:36 · answer #4 · answered by UpChuck 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Let it take its chances with the cat. Your daughter will get a new experience...
2007-07-18 11:51:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Check with your state wildlife agency and they should be able to give you feeding info and what to do with it when it matures.
2007-07-18 11:46:29 · answer #6 · answered by Mr. E 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Look for a local animal rescue.
2007-07-18 11:45:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Contact a vet's office.
2007-07-18 11:46:49 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋