Seeing a hungry baby bird certainly makes you feel pity. Ideally, feeding for baby wild birds should be done by the mother or experts at a wildlife rehabilitation center. However, you may need to feed the baby bird you find if the mother doesn't return to feed after a few hours, and you can't immediately take the baby bird to an animal rehabilitation center.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparing Emergency Food for Baby Birds
Step 1. Learn the types of food that can be given to baby birds
Due to the large number of bird species that exist, it is difficult for everyone to find out the type of food for baby birds that suits their species. Fortunately, several types of food can generally be used as emergency food for baby birds. For example, moisturised and softened cat or dog food can be given to baby birds.
- Cereal-based snacks (eg puppy chow) are rich in protein which is important for baby birds.
- If you don't have dry cat or dog food, you can choose wet cat or dog food.
- Insects and mealworms (beetle larvae) can also be used as emergency food. Both are good sources of protein.
- Prepared baby bird emergency food products are also available at pet supply stores. Products like this have a relatively low volume and high in calories. This emergency food can be added as a supplement to dry dog or cat food.
- Formula grains can be a great emergency food choice for baby birds as long as you feed them only to pigeons, pigeons, and parrots because these species do not eat insects.
Step 2. Learn what not to give baby birds
Milk should not be given as part of the emergency food you prepare for baby birds. Birds do not breastfeed so milk is not a natural food for baby birds. Bread is also another type of food to avoid because it does not provide nutrition and can actually cause digestive obstruction in baby birds.
- Bird food products are also not recommended for baby birds. This type of food may not meet the nutritional needs of wild bird species.
- Baby birds get their water from their food so you don't have to provide them separately.
Step 3. Purchase mealworms (beetle larvae) and/or crickets
You can find both of these feeds at pet supply stores or fishing bait shops. Grind and grind the larvae's heads before you give them to the baby birds.
- Visit the nearest pet store to buy live crickets.
- Before giving it to baby birds, put the feed in a plastic bag and freeze it for 10 minutes. After that, the crickets will die, but will still look and feel like they're alive and won't be too tough.
- Crickets are a good source of water for baby birds.
Step 4. Prepare dry dog or cat food
Baby birds should be fed in small amounts to avoid choking. Dog or cat food chips may be too large to feed a baby bird so you will need to make additional preparations. One of the steps that can be taken is to grind the pieces of food using a blender or food processor into very small pieces. You'll also need to moisten it with warm water until it has a yogurt-like consistency or feels soft.
- Alternatively, you can moisten the pieces of dog or cat food first, then divide them into two pieces using your hands. This method is quite cumbersome, so you may find it more comfortable to crush food chips dry.
- To achieve the right moist consistency, prepare food and water in a 2:1 ratio. It may take up to an hour before the food chips have the right consistency.
- Dry food that is too moist or soggy can choke your baby bird so it's important that you moisten the food properly.
Part 2 of 3: Feeding Baby Birds Emergency Food
Step 1. Warm the baby bird's body
His body should feel warm before you feed him. To warm it, fill the jar with warm water and place a nest made of paper towels right next to the jar (sticking to the wall). Place the baby bird in its cage and let it warm up.
- If he's small, you can warm him up for a few minutes before his temperature improves and he's ready to eat.
- If the baby bird has little or no feathers, use a small plastic container (eg an empty margarine jar or bowl) as a nest. Fill the container with paper towels or toilet paper. You can also place this nest next to a jar of warm water to warm the baby bird.
Step 2. Encourage the baby bird to open its beak
Baby birds may open their beaks on their own after feeling warm. If not, he needs to get a boost. Whistle softly or gently touch his chest to encourage him to open his beak.
- You may need to carefully open the beak with your thumb.
- Keep in mind that baby birds can get injured when you hold them so you need to be careful if you want to touch their chest or open their beaks.
Step 3. Feed the baby birds
Use very small objects to feed the baby birds. Items such as tongs, cocktail sticks, plastic coffee stirrers, and baby medicine injections can be great mediums for feeding baby birds. After inserting or taking a small amount of food using the selected medium, point the “cutlery” towards the right side of your throat (your left side).
- The left side of the baby bird's throat has a trachea. As in humans, food must not enter through the trachea.
- Hold the cutlery at a height that the baby bird can still reach for food.
- Make sure food is served at room temperature.
- You may need to cut the crickets or mealworms into small pieces before feeding them to the baby birds.
- Feed the baby bird until the cache is full.
Step 4. Provide food at regular intervals
This is perhaps the most challenging aspect of feeding baby birds. In the wild, baby birds are fed every 10-20 minutes during the day for 12-14 hours a day. This kind of feeding schedule is very inconvenient for humans.
- Contact a wildlife rehabilitation center to get the baby birds to a treatment center as soon as possible.
- Emergency food is only given as long as you are preparing to send the baby birds to the care centre.
- Throw away any leftover moistened food after 12 hours. After that, the food will start to rot.
Part 3 of 3: Knowing What to Do When Finding Baby Birds
Step 1. Find out if the baby bird already has feathers or not
Baby birds that have partial or full feathers are known as fledglings. These baby birds are probably already quite large and often walk on the ground or low branches before they can fly. This baby bird still needs to be fed by its mother, although it is not completely "helpless".
- You must leave the baby bird where it is so the mother can find it and feed it. Move him only if he is injured and needs to be taken to a wildlife rehabilitation center.
- Baby birds that have no feathers at all (or with new feathers growing) are known as nestlings. If you see this baby bird outside the nest, return it to the nest. If the nest falls from the tree, put the nest back in the tree branch and place the baby bird in the nest.
- If you can't find the nest, make a new one by placing pieces of paper towels in a margarine jar/bowl. Use nails or wire to secure the margarine tube to a tree near the location where the baby bird was found, then place the baby bird into its new "nest".
Step 2. Determine if the baby bird found requires expert care
If the mother doesn't return within an hour or two, or you know that the mother is dead, the baby bird will need to be taken to a wildlife rehabilitation center. He also needs expert care if he is injured or appears sick.
- Don't delay before contacting a wildlife rehabilitation center. The sooner you bring your baby bird, the better chance it has for recovery.
- If the rehabilitation center staff will come to collect the baby bird yourself, make sure the body is kept warm while waiting for the officer to arrive by placing it in a nest made of tissue. Place this nest next to a jar of warm water.
Step 3. Don't assume that you need to feed the baby birds
Even if the intentions are good, you may be able to harm the baby bird by feeding it. In fact, many wildlife rehabilitation centers advise the public not to feed wild baby birds. It's a good idea to leave him alone or take him to a rehab center as soon as possible.
- It is possible that the mother is still nearby and will return in a few hours to feed her.
- If you accidentally take him out of his habitat to feed him, you could end up depriving him of the "care" he needs from his mother.
Tips
- If you need to handle a baby bird, wear gloves to prevent transmitting the disease to you or other pets.
- There is a myth that says that a baby bird that is touched or held by a human will be rejected by its mother. Birds have such a poor sense of smell that their mothers may not be able to detect human scents in their babies.
Warning
- Giving the wrong type of food or improper preparation can cause birds to choke.
- In some countries or regions, it is illegal to keep or “keep” wild birds, unless you have proper permits from local authorities.
- Baby birds can actually "breathe" food (rather than swallow it) when forced to eat. This can lead to pneumonia or shortness of breath.
- Baby birds can be injured when held by humans. If you need to feed your baby bird before taking it to a wildlife rescue or bird care center, make sure you don't handle it too often to reduce the risk of injury.
