Should I help this bird?

[Tin Pot]

look, I know a lot of people will think this thread is a wind up, but it isn't.

I just got back from a ride and this bird didn't behave as I'd expect. It didn't fly away as I ride past, or ride back or got with a foot.

Finally it hopped away.

It didn't look injured, but I'm a city boy and think animals should flee in terror.


Was on Castle Farm Road near Halstead, Kent.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Possibly a fledgling, lots about just now - we have a crow that hops about our driveway in a similar way

 

[gbb]

Short tail feathers, looks like a young un...its a magpie.
Leave it, parents will probably be nearby. Best id do was place it somewhere safe if it was in danger.

 

[Andy_R]

Problem with helping young magpies is that they get very tame...tooo tame, and end up pouncing on people cos they lose their fear of us. This makes it clearer than I can

 

[Drago]

Want me to sort it?

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Problem with helping young magpies is that they get very tame...tooo tame, and end up pouncing on people cos they lose their fear of us. This makes it clearer than I can

Kids these days must be pretty fragile, then. I grew up in a semi-rural town, and one of the neighbours had a pet magpie. Yes, when it lands on your shoulder, you notice it, because they're not always particularly light birds, but so what? You get used to it quickly enough.

 

[MiK1138]

leave it be mate young magpie and as stated above mum will be watching from nearby

 

[Drago]

I could sort out Mum too.

 

[Drago]

Looks like a target to me...

FTFY.

 

[Beebo]

Looks like an egret to me - CC's expert @potsy should be able to confirm I'm right.

Its a heron.

 

[vernon]

Kids these days must be pretty fragile, then. I grew up in a semi-rural town, and one of the neighbours had a pet magpie. Yes, when it lands on your shoulder, you notice it, because they're not always particularly light birds, but so what? You get used to it quickly enough.

Youngsters in an urban primary school don't regard large birds landing on them as an everyday occurrence. One of my younger brothers hand raised a magpie and it craved human company. It was also attracted to painted toenails. For several months all was well then the complaints came flooding in. It was attempting to land on primary school kids and was pecking at women wearing open toes sandals. My brother was persuaded to part with it by the RSPCA and it spent the rest of its life behind bars in an aviary in a local park.

 

[Lilliburlero]

One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret,
Never to be told.

 

[byegad]

Leave fledglings alone. They will mostly survive and those that don't will feed another animal. We regularly have young blackbirds hopping around the yard for a few days at this time of the year, they nest in the ivy on the coal house and hide under the car!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I was surprised to see how short its tailfeathers were, but I don't think I've ever seen such a young one before. As others have said, leave it and let it take its chances or enter the food chain as another animal takes its chances.

 

[Accy cyclist]

By coincidence me and my mutt came across a hopping bird this evening. My mutt got a crack for running at the bird and trying to snap at it. It was unhurt so i left a bit of bread nearby and hoped it would be safe but a bird that can't fly is very vulnerable.