Expert: Roger Lederer - 5/13/2007

Question
I am looking for some advice on how to release my baby bird, and to find out how I will know he is ready to be released?  I have been raising a baby sparrow for 2 weeks, he is doing very well, starting to eat on his own, he has most of his feathers (just missing feathers around the base of his neck.  He is preening himself, and flying a short, low distance.  He gets around his cage very well, flying from perch to perch, and sitting on the edge of his food dish to eat and drink.  He has been eating mostly wax worms, but I do mix in night crawlers (cut into small pieces of course), crickets, and berry pieces.  
I am mostly worried about how to teach him to find food in the "wild".  I was taking him outside and letting him perch in our small tree, he will pick at the leaves, and call to the other birds.  However we have had some terrible storms here the past week, so we had to stay inside, and he is very hand tame.  He calls to me when I come into the room, or he can hear me.  Will I ever be able to release him succesfully? If I can't what sould I do with him?  
I appreciate your time.

Samantha

Answer
Unfortunately you have tamed him so much he might not make it in the wild. Leave him outside in a big cage, day and night. Give him food but do not play with him or hold him or call to him. Let him outside even in the rain. Otherwise he will never learn to live outside. In any case, you must release him to the wild and the sooner the better. I appreciate your concern. Roger Lederer