Expert: Roger Lederer - 8/4/2009

Question
my questions:
what to feed it
how often to feed it
is it normal to sit and "pant"(open mouth but not take food,will take water)
what is the normal color of skin?
he is brownish-grey on top with a white belly,the belly has black "specks" i will be trying to raise the bird, as the mother has abandoned it.i am currently feeding it chopped up worms and the occasional bread soaked in water or milk,what should i feed him?he is partially feathered, should mature in about a week we have guessed, thank-you so much for your time and help!!!

Answer
A healthy fledgling may not be a abandoned baby--it may have left the nest and still be in the care of its parents. It should be placed in a bush or tree near the place it was found. Prevent cats and dogs from bothering it and the parent will probably come to its rescue. Don't remove the bird from the site unless YOU ARE SURE it is lost or abandoned and can't take care of itself. Since it is illegal to capture a wild bird, injured or not, a special permit must be obtained from a state or federal game warden in order to keep a young bird. These permits are issued only on the condition that the bird will be properly released as soon as it is able. Do not plan to keep a wild bird as a pet! Contact your local wildlife rehab center for advice.

But to answer your questions:
When a bird is first found, it likely is hungry and dehydrated. You may make a quick food that will keep the bird alive until you can prepare a complete diet. The following recipes are for emergency use only and should not be used for more than a few hours since they are only "energy" foods, not "growing" foods.

Mix 4 tsp. water and 1 tsp. sugar - OR
2 tsp. water and 1 tsp. white Karo syrup - OR
2 egg yolks and 2 oz. boiled and cooled Coca Cola.

Feed the mixture with an eyedropper. Fill the dropper, poke it down the bird's throat (past the entrance to the air pipe or trachea), and pump it in. Take care to keep the food from soiling the bird's feathers. Once it dries, it will be very difficult to remove without harming the bird.
Then feed things like:
P/D dogfood (canned and available from most veterinarians),
* dry puppy kibbles (have to be soaked in water),
* boiled chicken, strained beef baby food,
* hard boiled chicken egg yolk,
* live insects such as flies and mealworms.
Feed as often as the bird begs for food.
DO NOT FEED BREAD OR MILK

Sitting with mouth open and panting means the bird is too hot.
Normal color of skin is pinkish but will turn gray or brown as the bird ages.
Thanks for your concern.