Injured sparrow (can't fly) - how shall I care for it before hearing back from wildlife rescue people?

[Rekka]

Pick up from roadside. It can't fly, but doesn't look in too bad condition. Vet had a look and said one wing was swollen.

Called wildlife rescue, but they just got in touch via WhatsApp. Didn't answer questions, just told me to wait for being contacted.

It's late. Not going to get any help till tomorrow. Any idea what I should do to care for it through night?

Online it says not to offer water or food unless being told so. Would they be okay without anything for over 12 hours?

Any wise thoughts?

Put it out of its misery. It is unlikely the wildlife rescue will do anything else and it will just be suffering.

Cardboard box with a small ramekin of water. Somewhere dark and quiet. Assess in the morning

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Some oatmeal as well.

Really? Life is not an absolute. Best thing you can do is give it a painless death.

I had this exact situation with a sparrow recently which my son was desperate to rescue. You can take injured wildlife to any vet and they have a duty of care to treat them. However, I was told by the vet and the wildlife charity over the phone (can't remember what the charity was called) that a bird with an injured wing won't survive in the wild, they are just easy prey for their predators. So the vet put it down.

I’d put it in a box overnight with a bottle cap of water and no food. I found a bigger bird and the rspca man I spoke to said birds can drown in bigger containers of water

Well, I wouldn't do it myself. It's not up to me.

We had an injured bird during the week in the garden, all online articles said not to touch them because of the prevelance of bird flu atm.

The vet I saw said the rescue centre could rehab them. Obviously it does depend on the condition he's in.

This is what I would do. In my experience, birds don't do well in this sort of situation - I think the stress is just too much for them, tbh - but you do find the odd one who makes it and they can be lovely little pets if you have time and space for them. We returned one to the wild after it spent a summer in a hutch in our garage, but it was a pigeon, and so much bigger and a bit more able to cope with it all. It had injured its leg and needed a bit of time to rest and recuperate - so not entirely comparable, but still kind of related...!

It’s not up to you? So you want it to suffer and get someone else to make the decision for you?

Just take care of it, we rescued loads as kids. You care for it until it can fly properly again then release it. Google what it eats, give it food and water and somewhere quiet

It came across my mind. I think the vet didn't mention that so I tried not to think too much about it.

I made sure my kids haven't touched it. And I washed my hands thoroughly each time...

Vets don't have a duty of care to fix them. They have a duty of care of to not allow them to suffer so will euthanise. They bear no responsibility to operate on them.

@AnOpinionInTheHand @Morechocmorechoc

How can I leave water in the box without it knocking over and getting inside all wet? I did it earlier on, just got a wet base on the box. Obviously it made the little bird too cold.

We tried to rescue a sparrow this week that flew into a window. We thought it was dazed and put it in a shoe box, tried to give it water etc - after a few hours it was gone sadly. Without sounding heartless I think that if they can't fly then they're fucked and it's kinder to let them go.

Where in the country are you ?

Yes but she's not so happy?!

Just to update and a note to anyone who find the same situation.

The little thing had sadly gone just after midday, while the rescue lady was just fifteen minutes away on the way...

Someone above mentioned to keep it warm with padded water bottle. It's a mistake I didn't follow the advice. Apparently their body temperature is about 40C and do need artificially heated environment.

So the rescue contact person didn't provide any update but kept me waiting until this morning. Then they told me they couldn't find anyone local to collect but asked me if I could take it to the rehab. Then again , they didn't want to give me the address, but again asked me to wait to be contacted.

I was all ready to spend an hour driving to take it. (But not so much yesterday after work and with young kid after school). I would have gone last evening or this morning the first thing. Unfortunately, the little thing did poorly overnight but it survived through the long night.Just really really weak and floppy. I knew it didn't have much time left, but the only thing I could do was just to wait. Sad.

The lady was from the same rescue organisation. She did mention that it would have worked differently if they made her aware earlier and sparrows are usually quite robust. She was literally on the road driving around to pick up birds like the little thing I had this entire morning - an hour and a half from her last pickup point to mine... Sadly, just 15 minutes too late.

That rescue was very unimpressive. If she had a few birds to pick up on just one day, you'd have thought it would be worth writing up a list of how to care for a bird until they can pick it up! They could have said how to give it food and water and how to keep it warm. Seriously, how much effort would that have taken!?

I asked the rescue contact twice (on WhatsApp, as calls are not accepted), if I shall give water or food. Just plainly ignored my question.

If this person could have said about the body temperature point, I'd have made sure. Very frustrating

The lady on the phone this morning has briefed me how to care. But too late!

I know you wanted to help, but you really shouldn't have picked it up in the first place. Let nature take it's course.

Some people are just more emotionally vulnerable, like me!

It was under a car near the kerb. I initially hesitated but thought to remove it from under the car. But once it's in my hand, I couldn't bear to leave it alone anyway.

I would still do it though next time. Just use gloves and take it to rehab straight if I could.