Expert: Roger Lederer - 7/28/2007

Question
I am an avid bird watcher and enjoy watching the songbirds that come to my yard. However, I have found a small fledgling robin in my backyard that seems to be without a mother, I watched it for hours, into the night and the mother never returned to care for it. I have taken it in and have been feeding and caring for it for a week now. I have watched the yard for the mother but she has never returned. The young bird is very strong and healthy but I don't know when our how to release it back into the wild. Will it be able to survive in the wild, will it be able to find food and shelter without a mother? I have been feeding it "Exact; Hand Feeding Formula for all baby birds," is this a proper diet? Should I switch to something else before attempting to release it? How should I proceed?

Thank You
~Lori

Answer
Best thing to do is contact your local wildlife rehab center. Failing that, go to www.ornithology.com/rehab.html for more information on raising abandoned birds. Once the bird begins to fly, release it. The sooner it is released the better. Once it begins to fly it will be fine. Add a drop of Vitamin D to the diet you are feeding it. Thanks for your concern.