Q&A for How to Take Care of a Wild Bird

Depending on the species, the bird's diet can vary from earthworms and insects to seeds and other vegetarian options. Look up your species online or call your local wildlife rescue people to help you identify the bird and figure out the best diet.

Generally, you should not bathe a wild bird unless it is covered in a foreign substance (such as oil). Some birds are bathing species, however. You can provide them a bowl of water, and they will bathe themselves in it.

You can put a heat pack under a blanket or something, and put them on it.

The bird could just be sleeping, especially if it's after sundown. You can call a wildlife rescue service if you're concerned, or if it doesn't become active in the morning.

You can try to give it some fruit, worms, or insects. If it is a baby bird, smash the food up and put it in a eye dropper. Don't put a lot in its mouth at once. If it is an adult bird, lay the food next to it (no need to smash it up).

Take your pet birds to the vet immediately. It is inadvisable to try to treat these injuries on your own. If the bones are not set within 72 hours, the birds may be permanently disabled. This is true of both pet birds and wild birds.

It may have happened that a cowbird or another species laid their eggs in the robin's nest. That said, it can be rare for a cowbird to parasitize robin nests, as they tend to choose smaller species. The robin could have abandoned the nest or, unfortunately, could have been killed or injured away from the nest.

Baby birds can often be told by their tufted feathers and bald patches. If it is a nestling, it will have very fine, fluffy feathers or no feathers at all. If it is a fledgling, it may have a smoother but still thin coat of feathers. Nestlings don't move around very much, whereas as a fledgling will be flapping their wings or hopping. Search the bird's characteristics online. What color is it? How big is it? Does it have unusual patterns? This will help you identify the bird, and once you identify it, it may be easier to tell if it is a baby or not. Either way, if the bird is not moving around very much, it is either a nestling or injured. Injured birds are often stunned. If they're not moving but are still breathing, it may have an unseen internal injury. Call animal control or a vet before handling.

No, as much fun as this sounds, you don't know what the bird has (in terms of diseases), and you don't know where it has been. It'd be much better if you called a vet who takes in such birds or an animal shelter, as they can take care of the little baby bird and restore it to full health.

Take it to the vet. If it is starting to die, there is something seriously wrong with it that you probably can't fix on your own.

No. Call a professional. The bird would likely panic if you tried to help it and would end up hurting itself even more. Besides, even if the bird trusts you, you might hold it the wrong way, and it could get hurt. Stand near the bird to protect it from predators that might take advantage of the injury, but not too close that the bird freaks out. Call a professional to handle the situation, and give them as many details as possible, i.e. male or female, what species, how big, etc.

Sure. Cardinals love seeds.

As you raise a baby bird, you should be teaching it to go back into the wild. If rehabilitation is not possible, you will need to provide the bird plenty of space within the home. A cage may not be a viable option, as the bird may panic. Keep the bird away from pets that may prey on it. Provide it a shelter box in a quiet part of the house. Wild birds need more space to fly around than domestic birds.

Make a space in a shed or garage if possible. If not, place a blanket in a box and allow the dove to stay in it outside.

Consult a vet for advice.

If the mom is still around, you shouldn't touch it. Back away and let the mom rescue it. But if you've already touched it, contact a wildlife facility or vet. They should be able to give you some good advice.

Make sure to keep your cat away from your bird! You could also consider buying a bird house or a cage to keep your bird safe.

I wouldn't recommend keeping any wild birds as pets. Wild animals do not do well in captivity.

You should first wait for around 5-6 minutes before helping the bird. If it recovers quickly enough, then it will fly away. If it does not fly away, put a towel in a cardboard box with air holes and then put on gloves. Gently lift the bird (remember that it is scared!) and place it in the box. Warm it up with a hot wattle bottle covered with towels or a heating pad on the bottom. When the bird is ready, it will fly away. Make sure the box is outside!

They eat pine nuts, sweetgum seeds, and the seeds of pokeberry, amaranth, canary grass, corn, sesame, and wheat.

Those other crows are its family and they're distressed. If the bird cannot fly, place in a large box with high sides but leave the top open so its family members can still see it inside. Wait nearby until the animal rescue arrives. Be clear that the family members are nearby so the animal rescue knows to return the mended crow to your yard for release so it can rejoin its family.

Possibly. It comes with the caring. You can't stop the chirping, so prepare for some restless nights.

It is best not to feed a wild bird unless you have to. Identify the birds' species and whether they are an insect, seed, or fruit eater (or any mix of the above). Insect eaters can eat meal worms and crickets. Seed eaters can have millet or store bought feed. Fruit eaters need fresh fruit and berries.

Take the bird to the nearest vet as soon as possible. Be sure to keep the bird warm while you take it there.

Your bird may be a little nervous. Remember to give your bird some space and time to allow it to get used to its new environment.

You can try feeding the young bird at different time, or try a different kind or brand of seeds.

It depends on the kind of bird and its age and condition. If you want to be sure, contact a wildlife rescue center and give them all the details.

If there is a bird sanctuary or wildlife rehabilitation center nearby, call them. If not, you could look up how to care for it yourself. Keep it warm, feed it a mixture of oats, cat food, and/or plain cereal (mixed with a little water until it becomes like a goop). Try to get the bird to eat it and drink water about every two hours.

They are probably just getting used to you. Take it slowly and don't force interaction. Make sure you are talking to them a lot so they get used to your voice.

Yes, but if you are worried that you may harm it in some way, consider taking it to a professional rehabilitation center.