If you find a bird that has been injured, or really has been abandoned, you need to keep it safe, quiet, still and warm while you seek further advice. The best way to do this is to loosely wrap the bird in a towel and gently place it in a secure and well-ventilated box.
Sick and injured birds should be housed in a cardboard box with holes punched in the sides for ventilation. Putting them in a wire cage can cause significant feather damage which may render them unreleasable.
Do not try to force feed or give water to the bird. Take the bird outside and open the box every fifteen minutues to see if it is able to fly away. If it is still staying put after a few hours, you can try to find a local wildlife rehabilitator. Click here to locate a Wildlife Rehabilitator by county.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Can a bird survive a broken wing? Yes, a bird can go on to live a long and happy life after their broken wing heals. One of the biggest threats during this time is predators, which is where you come in. A bird who can't escape on its own needs a safe space, and you can provide it.
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.
A benefit of covering your bird's cage at night is that it provides a regular period of privacy not usually allowed during the day. Further, it tends to keep the bird quiet in the early morning when it would otherwise become active and vocal.
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.
Though they are stronger than we think, their legs are small enough that they are easily fractured from trauma, falls and animal attacks. Birds typically sprain or break a leg after a fall from a tree or a perch, or when attacked by an animal such as a cat.
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.
Wrap the bird with a clean cloth or towel. The injured bird will feel better knowing that it is being protected. The bird will stay calmer and move less, therefore not hurting itself. You need to gently cover the broken wing and keep it against the bird's body until you meet the veterinarian or the rehabilitator.
Birds bones heal much faster than mammals, and the bones may be sufficiently healed after just 3-4 weeks of care. Once the fracture site is stable, we remove all of the pins. The bird is then ready for flight conditioning before it can be released.
An injured bird should always be passed onto a local vet, RSPCA in England and Wales, SSPCA in Scotland, USPCA in Northern Ireland or an independent rescue centre, so it can receive appropriate treatment without undue delay.
Fractured bones in birds heal faster than in humans or other animals. Usually a stiff splint, which totally immobilizes the broken bone, is the only treatment needed. During multiple (complicated) fractures, surgery may be needed to implant supports. This helps the bone function normally after it has healed.
Birds usually incorporate bone fragments into the healing fracture and sequestra are rare. Healing can be rapid, particularly in birds with high metabolic rates, such as neonates and juveniles and small passerines. An endosteal callus sufficient to stabilize the fracture may present as early as 3 weeks.
A fractured leg (broken bone) in a bird can be an emergency. They have very little blood, and blood loss can occur from the bone. They are also susceptible to pain and shock, which can be life threatening.
Any songbird you find on the ground who is an adult, rather than a fledgling, and who does not immediately fly away from you is in need of help. The bird is either sick or injured and must be taken right away to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
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.
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.