Place the bird into a secure and well-ventilated box. Keep the box in a warm, dark room and try not to disturb it. This reduces stress and shock for the bird and is the best treatment you can give it. Do not give the bird food or water as this could cause the bird to aspirate or delay any treatment it might need.
Treat for Shock
Birds that are in shock appear weak, unresponsive, fluffed up and breathe in slowly and out quickly. Place the bird in a quiet, semi-dark, warm, humid environment. Warmth is essential in getting birds through a state of shock – temperature should be between 25 and 30 degrees.
If you have found a sick or injured bird it will need to see a vet before coming into care. If you are able to safely contain the bird, you can keep it in a quiet, dark, warm place e.g. wrapped in a towel in a ventilated box or carrier with a lid while you transport it to the nearest vet.
Only use topical disinfectants on open wounds and skin. Diluted chlorhexidine and betadine are safe and effective if used away from the mouth, ear canals, and eyes. Do not use salves, ointments, petroleum jelly, or other thick or oily substances on birds without veterinary recommendation.
This is normal behavior; the bird is not injured and will fly off in time. During the fall, winter, and early spring (September to mid-May), a bird on the ground unable to fly is probably injured. Slowly approach the bird, and if it doesn't fly away when you're within 10 feet or so, you can assume something's wrong.
The following are indications that a bird may be sick or injured: The bird is quiet, dull, the eyes may be closed, and it has fluffed feathers (the bird looks “puffed up”). It may have an obvious wound, breathing problems, a drooping wing, or show lameness or an inability to stand.
The bird is either sick or injured and must be taken right away to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Important: For the bird to have the best chance of recovery and release, you must contact a rehabilitator right away and transport the songbird there immediately. Don't ever try to care for the bird yourself.
The smallest skin puncture is very likely lead to an infection that could have devastating effects. Many of the birds brought in are ones that have had an encounter with a cat and have been able to survive for a few days until the infection runs them down so much that they can be easily captured.
As a Veterinary technician as well as a wildlife rehabilitator, I have worked with many birds with head and spinal injuries. Birds have an amazing ability to recover from these injuries.
Depending on the severity of the impact, it may take just a few minutes or up to 2-3 hours for a bird to recover, and during that time it should be stimulated as little as possible.
Other consequences of the injury, such as weakness or infection, may take a toll as well, but some birds adapt amazingly well to being one-legged. Birds do not suffer the psychological trauma of a lost limb as humans would, but instead, adapt their behavior to compensate for the missing leg.
Can a bird's broken wing heal on its own? Just as we're designed to heal after a break, the average bird can recover from a minor wound without any intervention. Often it will be starvation or a predator, rather than the injury itself, that ends her life.
Place the bird into a secure and well-ventilated box. Keep the box in a warm, dark room and try not to disturb it. This reduces stress and shock for the bird and is the best treatment you can give it. Do not give the bird food or water as this could cause the bird to aspirate or delay any treatment it might need.
Place the injured bird in a covered box, with air holes punched in it, and keep it in a warm, quiet place without trying to feed it or apply any kind of medication.
Signs include seizures, ataxia, tremors, head tilt and blindness. Head trauma is common if the bird is free flying. The commonest cause of seizures is hypocalcaemia, hypoglycemia (neonates and starved raptors), lead poisoning and trauma.
Birds do not have much clotting agent in their blood. A broken blood feather, or a minor cut can be life threatening. The blood feather must be removed, or bleeding stopped by use of Quik-stop or a styptic pencil. If bleeding does not abate, apply pressure and rush the bird to the veterinarian.
According to psychologist and ecologist Gay Bradshaw, PhD—who established the field of trans-species psychology—captive birds experience Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from prolonged, repeated suffering.
These signs may include feather picking, depression, behavior changes, seizures, shallow breathing, lack of muscle control (ataxia), difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), increased thirst and urination, and green or bloody diarrhea.
A broken wing will usually be hanging down in an unusual position and the bird may have little ability to move it at all. If the wings are held in a normal position, there may well be another reason for the lack of flight.
The bird's head may tilt to one side.
Plus, the feathers will be lying flat or even sideways. If the bird is in shock, it may be fluffed up and quite weak and it may exhibit slow breathing. You may also notice that the bird has its beak open and is breathing out of its mouth.