Urgent -- baby bird rescued, how to feed him?

[shockthemonkey]

Does anyone know how best to feed this little chap until tomorrow when he's hopefully going to a sanctuary?

He was saved from the clutches of a magpie. We cannot find any worms and have tried shoving ants down his mouth but they keep getting stuck in his beak. A friend advised giving egg yolk and we are now a bit worried that we may have drowned him.

Cannot return him to mum as the magpie is still there and there's also the issue of the cat in the garden!

I will try to attach a picture

Any updates?

We were given a whole nest of Starlings (which is what he is) that had fallen out of a tree. About 6 of them. They need feeding every 3 hours and I just got some wet cat food and fed them by hand. Giving them each little bits at a time. It worked fine and they were picked up the next day.

We need news!?

How is the little fella, OP?

www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/how-you-can-help-birds/injured-and-baby-birds/baby-birds

I'm so sorry. Have had a very busy time.

We put him in a well-padded margarine tub to keep him stable and secure. He was eating well and even doing that reversing out of his nest to poop thing -- so considerate of him to keep his room clean.

He did well for two days, then died overnight :-(

Very sad. We thought he was doing well, but one evening his breathing became a little more laboured and the next morning he was gone.

Never mind, you did a kind act. I thought when I read your earlier update about him being breathless that he might have a respiratory infection so I expect it was that.

Ah so sorry to hear this. You did your best and gave the poor thing his best chance

I agree if his breathing was bad to start with it sounds like he was already ill.

Oh 🙁, least you gave it a go.

Just in case, for future! I discovered yesterday that if you phone the RSPCA (I found an injuried bird in garden yesterday) they give you a reference number and address of very local vets, you can take it to the vets immediately, they assess at no cost and they give names, addresses of somewhere to take care of bird, if it can be saved.

Should that be RSPB because RSPCA are not interested as a rule?

Also there are Wildlife sanctuaries and rescues that will advise if you can get them to answer their phones. Vets tend to PTS unless they are avian vets.

You need like a kids calpol syringe and to blend up some worms with milk. Do NOT give bread as it will kill it. If you can find worms any insects blended up.

Unless you are prepared to stay up all night feeding him chopped up worms, he will probably die without his mum. Sorry to be morbid but speaking from several experiences!

Toadofsadness no RSPCA I phoned. Took the bird to a vets 5 minutes away.

Receptionist did tell me that RSPCA don’t pay for medical treatment of birds. Vet assessed, while receptionist sorted out nearest place to take it.

Unfortunately, the bird had extensive injuries (it had been mauled severely) and the vet had to put it to sleep.