My son found an injured bird - now what?

[Jimmy Doug]

Any bird experts here? My son found a bird on the side of the road. We gave it some sugary water and let it sleep in the cellar. It's better this morning, but visibly injured. Anyone know what to do? I'm not sure the vet will take it seriously. I suppose the first step is identification:

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Take it to rhe vet, we found a hurt sparrow a few years ago, they took it quite happily

 

[annedonnelly]

Some vets are happier than others. Do you have a local wildlife sanctuary who could advise?
I think it might be a juvenile cuckoo.

 

[Dave 123]

Fledgling swift.

Your problem is going to be where to stick it. Very short legs, no good at walking, so it will need somewhere high to take off from.... like the eaves of a house.

Best to give it to a wildlife sanctuary or a vet just like Anne said.

 

[Brandane]

Would the RSPB be able to offer advice?

Edit.... Probably not, since you're "somewhere strange between Amiens and Paris". Does Johnny Foreigner have an equivalent?

 

[vernon]

I'd put it in a pie but it wouldn't be very satisfying. One swallow and it'd be gone.

A sanctuary would be my more humane suggestion.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Thanks for your help, guys. It seems to me that Dave is right - the bird looks very much like a swift. In the past few minutes it's become more active and actually seeks the crystals of sugar at the bottom of the water. Doesn't seem interested in eating anything else. I'll get my son to phone the vets - I'm not sure what sanctuaries there are around here. Cheers once again. The fact that we seem to have a positive identification will help us know what to feed it.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Would the RSPB be able to offer advice?

Edit.... Probably not, since you're "somewhere strange between Amiens and Paris". Does Johnny Foreigner have an equivalent?

You're quite right. Animal sanctuaries are much harder to find in France than they are in the UK. The French equivalent of the RSPCA is far smaller and has practically no powers at all. The vet will advise I hope.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Swift..vets...or if its wings work you could launch it so it can fly..
they eat flies on the wing...
hurry up or it will be dead anyway

 

[Cuchilo]

Baby Dragon .

 

[Paulus]

I would concur with Reiver.

 

[Beebo]

The circle of life in action i fear.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Swifts do land but its usually to feed young in the nest in roofs etc..high places..as they drop and then fly..
not seen many this year to be honest..
had a swallows nest at our cottage in cornwall ,they were 3 feet away..so nice to see them close up

 

[Jimmy Doug]

The circle of life in action i fear.

Of course. But for a child, it's a good lesson in life to tend to a wounded animal.

Anyway, went to the vets and he confirmed that it's a swift. He gave me the phone number of the local sanctuary but they are naturally more concerned about birds of prey and the like. The vet basically gave me the same information as Reiver. Swifts cannot launch themselves from the ground, and as this is still a fledgling it's got no chance at all of flying off by itself. He told us to buy some insects from the fishing department of the supermarket and hope it can feed from them itself - otherwise my son is going to have to feed it every hour or so by hand. Not sure he realises just what that entails!

 

[Poacher]

You may be able to buy some live mealworms (vers de farine?) from a pet shop, or get some dried ones and rehydrate with warm water. Not exactly a natural diet for a swift, but could help it pull through. I think young swifts are used to long periods between mealtimes, as the parents can take hours to catch enough insects to make a return to the nest worthwhile, and regurgitate a bolus of compressed flies into the youngster's gaping beak.


Edit: Having just read @Fnaar's link to the Swift conservation site advice on rearing young swifts, please disregard my suggestion of mealworms - definitely harmful!!!!!