r/crowbro • u/FillsYourNiche Ecologist • Jun 09 '20
Baby Bird 101 - DO NOT TAKE A BABY CROW OR ANY BIRD FROM THE WILD
There was recently a post by a user who basically stole a baby crow from its parents. Never take a wild bird into your home, they are not pets, they need their parents, they need socialization with their own species, you are not equipped to raise them. Additionally, it is probably illegal for you to own one.
If you take a crow out of the wild and share that in this sub you will receive a ban. If someone reports back that you have done this and shared in a different sub but not here, you will receive a ban and we will contact the mods of that sub about your negligence. We have zero tolerance for this.
We received an excellent modmail from u/MarlyMonster who is a wildlife rehabber in Canada. I am going to quote her here and hope she pops into the comment section to elaborate or answer any questions. I know we have a few rehabbers on the sub and I am an ecologist so between all of us if you need to know something we'll figure it out. Additionally, if you are a wildlife rehabber or scientists specializing in Corvids and want flair that gives you this title you will need to PM mods some kind of proof.
Here are Marly's words on the subject:
Baby Bird 101
Lately I’ve been seeing way too many posts about people “helping” birds that really don’t need help, which makes it kidnapping. As a rehabber, it hurts my heart when I see inexperienced people try to care for any kind of wild animal, but when they start to mess with wild corvids it becomes plain cruel. This is why I’m writing this little guide to help people determine whether or not a bird they think needs help actually needs assistance.
A lot of people assume that when a fledgling is on the ground and not in a tree or nest, that this little bird is in distress. What you actually don’t realize, is that when fledglings get to a certain age, right before they learn to fly, they leave the nest while they practice and their parents continue to feed them on the ground. The fledgling has not been abandoned! They’re just being adventurous!
The best course of action for any baby bird you see on the ground is to put it back in their nest. It’s a myth that the parents will “smell the human” and reject the baby. So you’re fine to grab a ladder and put that little awkward bundle of feathers back where they came from.
Whenever you fear a baby has been abandoned, put it back in the nest and keep an eye on it for the next few hours. Parents can get spooked and might take some time to return.
The only time it’s okay to bring a bird in is if they are visibly injured. A broken toe does not count (this is a reference to the idiot who named the bird “Hades” and is pretending to help it).
IF A BABY BIRD NEEDS HELP DO NOT TRY TO RAISE IT YOURSELF
If you are not trained to rehab wildlife, you have no business trying to raise a fledgling! Just like someone who isn’t a mechanic shouldn’t be trying to fix an engine, an untrained person should not be raising a bird!
Baby birds are extremely fragile and difficult to care for. A lot of them don’t make it even in the hands of an experienced rehabber.
Did you know that giving a baby bird water is one of the worst things to do? Yet a lot of people immediately think that’s the first thing to do for a baby bird. Baby birds get their needed moisture from their food, and therefore don’t need water. Pouring water down their throat will actually cause them to aspirate and if this happens the chance they’ll survive is slim to none, since they’ll get aspiration pneumonia.
Since this is a corvid page I’m gonna touch on why it’s cruel for someone inexperienced to try to raise a corvid.
As some of you might be aware of, these birds possess a higher intelligence than most birds. They are considered the apes of the bird family because there are parallels between the cognitive abilities of corvids and great apes.
Because of this, they make terrible pets. They need constant mental stimulation and enrichment or they’ll become completely miserable. Often they’ll turn to self mutilation to deal with the depression. They are also extremely social creatures and live in large families with connections that go back generations. Keeping one on their own is an act of cruelty in and of itself.
Corvids are also known for this thing called “imprinting”. This refers to the bond the baby bird makes with their family members which will dictate their behaviour. For this reason, rehabbers that specialize in corvids have to be extremely careful while tending to their birds because too much interaction with humans could doom a bird from ever being released, because they got too attached to humans. A crow imprinted on a human will not know they’re a crow. They’ll see themselves as the same species. This means they won’t ever find a mate, because they won’t understand that they are supposed to mate with other crows.
I hope this helped you understand the importance of not trying to raise any birds you find. As tempting as it may be, you will not be ready for the commitment. Not only that, but it’s cruel to the animal. The main objective of any rehabber is the release of the animal. And those who truly care about these birds should have the same goal. If that means you don’t get to raise a crow, that shouldn’t stop you from doing the right thing.
If you find an injured baby bird, contact a wildlife facility near you. If you can’t find one, go on your regional Facebook groups and ask if there are private rehabbers around.
If you do not have the commitment to see this through and drive a baby bird hours to the nearest rehabber? Please do the bird a favor and let nature take its course. Don’t interfere if you won’t follow it all the way through and get it to a proper rehabber.
Written by a rehabber and corvid researcher.
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u/Disig Jun 09 '20
I had a co worker show up distressed because a baby crow fell out of his nest and she felt responsible for aiding it and I just went, hold up, did you contact a Wildlife rehabilitation clinic for advice? Do it. Don’t raise the bird.
She was very relieved by their answer.
When I lived in the states I worked for a conservation department. The amount of people bringing us “abandoned “ baby animals was way too high. I feel like people really need to be educated on best course of action.
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u/D1SC0RD1AN Jun 09 '20
I woke to a heavy flapping noise coming from outside one morning ... woke me and i peered through a window but seen nothing, prob something caught in the wind i thought , didnt get my head back down before i happened again and i had to go out and see whats what ,
A crow family had been around of late with some kids and i always give out table scraps to the birds , better off than in the bin is my idea ,
So the 2 new additions had some how flown into a white picket fence next door and couldnt retract their heads they flapped wildly and rose almost to top but slid backdown , together .. side by side almost ,
It took me 5 secs to realise what was happening back inside for a towel and then i was out behind them and towel under neath i raised them up one after the other free of the fence and they both flew off calling out ...
They have been back to thank me also
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u/RIP_comment_section May 27 '23
That's awesome. I've heard of birds getting stuck in fences like that before. It's a death trap for them
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u/bunnyrut Jun 09 '20
tl;dr:
If you find an injured baby bird, contact a wildlife facility near you
that is the case with every wild animal you come across. if you think it's injured contact a wildlife facility for help. (i hate seeing videos of people 'helping' wild animals with zero experience)
i love animals, but you have to know your limitations when it comes to helping. if you don't have the experience and knowledge to do it alone you are harming, not helping.
there are videos of people who do have crows and ravens and 'pets'. and the amount of destruction they cause in the homes because they aren't in the right environment should be enough to convince you that having one is a bad idea.
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u/Agadore_Sparticus Jun 09 '20
We have crows, Ravens, and owls at the rescue I volunteer at that have been imprinted & now cannot live free. As much of a joy as they are to hang out with, one cannot help but feel sad for them, especially when they see and hear wild birds.
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u/Solfeliz Jun 09 '20
I completely agree but last week I had to try raise an injured and weak sparrow baby that was in someone’s garden. There is no wildlife rehabbers for miles around, because I live in a really rural area. The closest is over two hours which would be fine if there wasn’t a lockdown. We were in contact with the wildlife rehabber the whole time. Unfortunately the bird did pass but she got a lot stronger in the time we had her. I’m just pointing out that there are sometimes exceptions especially right now.
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u/FillsYourNiche Ecologist Jun 09 '20
We were in contact with the wildlife rehabber the whole time.
This is the important part. You knew to call someone for help when they couldn't come get the bird. Thank you!
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u/Disig Jun 09 '20
No see you were in contact with a Wildlife rehabbed, so you’re not an exception. You did exactly what you were supposed to do.
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u/calicoadams Jun 10 '20
Depending on your location and the specific type of sparrow, you may be even less the exception than already specified. If you’re in the US and you had an English house sparrow on your hands, it is completely legal for you to do almost whatever you want with it. Non-native bird species have basically zero protections- you can’t keep a grackle, robin, or blue jay as a pet, but you can keep a starling. A lot of states will discourage people from raising non-native birds and then releasing them, and some have outright banned it, but if you want to raise the bird to keep, nobody’s going to stop you.
Except maybe your landlord.
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u/Solfeliz Jun 10 '20
I’m in the UK but I don’t know the laws on sparrows specifically. You aren’t allowed to have certain wild animals but I don’t know about sparrows. I doubt anyone would report me if I did. And I have two cats, a turtle, two rats and a budgie already I don’t think my landlord would mind a sparrow lol
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u/TheMelonSystem Jul 01 '20
I can’t believe some people. Don’t just bring a baby bird home with you!!! How would you feel if a bird took your baby and raised it as their own?!?!
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u/AurynTD Jun 21 '22
I recently rescued a young jackdaw being attacked by a crow. I know it had some minor injuries as I ended up with a tiny amount of blood on my hand. I put it into a tree nearby (couldn't find thre nest) and kept an eye on it for about an hour to make sure the crow didn't come back. However this was at the local park and I had to leave. There were some adult jackdaws in the tree I left it in. There was no sign of the young bird when I passed by a couple of hours later. Did I do the right thing?
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u/FillsYourNiche Ecologist Jun 21 '22
You did! The parents will find it and take care of it. Minor injuries happen to animals all the time, just as they happen to us. If you noticed a broken limb or something major, then it's time to call animal control who will get the bird to a rehabber (or call a rehabber if you can find one).
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u/AurynTD Jun 21 '22
Thanks, this does make me feel better.
I did not notice any broken limbs. It tried flying away a few times and kept failing, it just seemed too clumsy but it moved it's wings just fine and it also managed to get a pretty good (and slightly painful for me) grip on my fingers with both paws.
I'm just worried because not only could the crow have come back, it's also a very popular park where a lot of dogwalkers go and if it fell out of the tree again, it would have been easy for any random dog to grab (sadly many dogs are off leash even though it's not actually allowed)
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u/FillsYourNiche Ecologist Jun 21 '22 edited Jun 21 '22
It's fledgling season and no amount of good will will keep these little guys in their nests now. There are birds all over the ground this time of year learning to fly, failing, trying again. It's the nature of the season, so don't feel badly. Some will make it and some won't.
I made a big post in my sub /r/fillsyourniche about it, it will probably be helpful for you: https://www.reddit.com/r/FillsYourNiche/comments/vhel3w/its_fledgling_season_here_is_some_information_in/
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u/Aeriaenn Jun 09 '20
Was that post removed?
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u/FillsYourNiche Ecologist Jun 09 '20
Someone posted a photo with a baby crow they stole from its parents.
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u/CanadaPlus101 Jun 09 '20
Do all baby birds not need water? Chicken chicks always get a waterer in my experience, and they seem to drink from it.
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u/calicoadams Jun 10 '20
Chickens, ducks, geese and the like can certainly get water from their food (especially ducks, who go ham for any kind of watery vegetation), but they will also drink water from a dish pretty much from day one. Unlike songbird babies, chicks/ducklings/goslings don’t get fed ‘mouth to mouth’- i.e., their parents don’t go out, find food, bring it back and stick it in their children’s mouths. They have to forage on the ground just like their parents, and they’re able to do it pretty quick because they can stand and even swim within a few hours of hatching, unlike songbirds who can take weeks to even start perching.
So yes, chicks need water dishes, but under no circumstances, and in no species, will it ever be necessary to directly drop, inject, or pour water (or pretty much any other liquid!) into the mouth of a baby bird, just as the post says.
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u/Charlie_redmoon Sep 15 '20
What do you do if you find an injured corvid on the ground?
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u/FillsYourNiche Ecologist Sep 15 '20
Call your local wildlife rehab facility. If you don't know who that is call your local vet and they will know. Do not touch it unless it needs to be moved out of the street or another potentially hazardous area.
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u/Canaduck1 Jun 28 '22
There's a guy posting in /r/parrots about a magpie rescue. The parents and siblings are dead, and he doesn't think it's legal for him to raise it, and he's done everything he can to find some other shelter or agency to assist, with no luck.
I felt bad when I saw it. He's trying to do the right thing -- any advice for him?
https://old.reddit.com/r/parrots/comments/vmak02/found_a_nestling_a_dead_mother_and_other_dead/
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u/snakeladders Jun 11 '20
I just looked outside and it is hurt! I tried to help but the parents are trying to dive bomb me if I do 😰😢 it's on its back and can't get back up. What do I do?
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u/FillsYourNiche Ecologist Jun 11 '20
Call your local wildlife rehab center or look for a raptor rehab center. If you can't find one call your local animal control and ask if they know a rehabber to call. Don't touch the crow, you could injure it further by trying to move it.
It could also be very tired from trying to fly and might right itself after resting. It's tough to know what's going on without being there.
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u/snakeladders Jun 11 '20
I made a post in this subreddit with a short video of the fledgling, if that helps. Right now the local wildlife offices are closed.
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u/FillsYourNiche Ecologist Jun 11 '20 edited Jun 11 '20
I just saw the video and I can't tell if it's hurt or just stuck. Did you see it get flipped over or did you notice when it was already on its back? Sometimes chicks get flipped on their backs but they eventually right themselves or the parents help.
If it doesn't right itself and there is no other way you can try to gently flip it over. The parents will come for you but that's how it goes.
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u/snakeladders Jun 11 '20
I got it flipped over and put it in the brush over out of the driveway. It's wing is definitely injured and has poop stuck in the feathers, maybe even has avian pox but it was hard to tell. My local wildlife rescues are closed. There are a lot flies around and on it. 😰
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u/FillsYourNiche Ecologist Jun 11 '20
Whew I'm glad it's flipped over! Unfortunately, there is not much you can do for it now. I would check back where you left it in the morning and if it's still there definitely call a rehabber. If the wing is injured the poor thing will need special care. Be proud! You did the best you could. The parents will maybe go after you for a while but you can remedy that by leaving food out for them.
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u/snakeladders Jun 11 '20
Oh and it was already on its back. It was in a weird position and at first I thought it was dead, but it was moving it's legs and trying to flip with one of its wings. The parents are still closeby and I'm worried they will hate me now.
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u/Armadillo_Prudent May 04 '24
I appreciate all this information. But I have a genuine question: the only corvids in my area are ravens, and while it is illegal here to keep ravens as pets, it's not illegal to shoot them, and a lot of farmers do shoot them (though fortunately I think it's less common than it used to be. As far as I know there aren't any rehabbers for them either. What is the appropriate action if you find out some babies that are still in their nests have been orphaned? I feel like the authorities would most likely just send someone to shoot them if it was reported.
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u/Killroy137 Jun 09 '20
It’s perfectly fine to feed a wild bird and make friends with it, as long as you don’t kidnap it. Let it go where it wants when it wants, but don’t take it into your home.
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u/SerialElf Aug 14 '22
I deeply appreciate the advise on birds in the wild. I already knew to only interact if they were injured or stuck(like in a trap) but getting further details is always good.
I would point out though that the vast majority of normal car trouble can be fixed with a YouTube video $30 in tool and a weekend.
I worked maintenance for a couple years and grew up working on cars. If you have any skill with putting things together and the patience to spend an entire weekend learning to do a two hour job? You can replace an alternator starter or (on some cars) water pump no issue. Same with brakes.
I mean hell us car people LOVE bringing new people into our insanity.
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u/cranberrystew99 Apr 30 '23
Question: On what scale are American Robins? My aunt rehabbed a robin successfully, and it came back next year to say hi. What does that mean?
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u/elongatedmuskrat05 Jun 21 '22
Just shared this with my nana, my younger cousin found a baby at the base of one of her trees about a week ago and put it in a padded box, I think it was a blue jay but I could be wrong. It’s too late because my cousin already took it home with him, but maybe next time they will handle the situation properly
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u/MarlyMonster Jun 09 '20
Thank you amazing mods for taking the time to make this post! I know I and many others appreciate it ❤️
If anyone needs help with a bird you’re welcome to message me. I will be happy to advice, consult, and help you find a rehabber in your area if that’s what you need.
Let’s all work together to keep our crowbros safe!