Expert: Roger Lederer - 6/22/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hi. My brother found a carrion crow fledgling three days ago by a footpath. He put it on a tree stump, and then came back to ask me what he should do. I told him that he shouldnt have moved it from the long grass and weeds where he found it, as its parents were probably feeding it. I went back the evening and sat at the top of the hill (far from the fledgling) for a couple of hours to make sure the parents found it and fed it. There were no sign of parent birds at all. I left it overnight as I know you shouldnt make pets of fledglings unless there is something really wrong.

But when I went back, it was still there. it was there for the whole of the day, so I picked it up to have a look at it. Its crop seemed empty and it was quite weak - made absolutely no fuss or did not try to flap away. all it did was gape (dont know if it was asking for food, or threatening me?) so I took it home. It didnt look like the parents will come back and its only a matter of time until some dog or fox catches it or another person tries to "rescue" it.

It is now sitting on a perch in a dog crate in my kitchen. I have given it some dog food.

Did I do the right thing? I know you really shouldnt hand rear wild animals, but I saw no sign of the parents even though I was sitting very far away from the bird. could the smell of people, or the fact that it was moved confuse the parents? A lot of people shoot crows where I live so its parents may have been shot.

Is soaked and mashed dog food the right thing to be giving it? should it have meat or insects as well?

ANSWER: Almost always, the best thing to do is leave the young bird where you found it. The parents are most likely around somewhere. It is very hard to raise a young bird successfully, and if it becomes tame it will certainly be eaten by a dog or cat or shot or some other domestic disaster will happen to it. If you have a wildlife rehab center near you, bring it there. Otherwise, go to www.ornithology.com/rehab.html for more advice. I appreciate your concern, but nature knows best. Roger Lederer

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I really know that you should leave birds alone, but I watched for a long time and no parents, or even other birds of the same species came anywhere near it. It was weak and had an empty crop. It has brightened up a LOT since I've started to feed it, although it has stopped gaping and only picks up pieces of food from my fingers and swallows them. I will try to take it to a wildlife sanctuary but the nearest one is far away so it will be a few days until i have time to drive it up there. Is what i'm feeding now OK? I really dont want to do any damage. I soak the dry dog food in water and offer the soft mushy pieces.

Answer
If the bird is doing ok, then you are feeding it adequately, but dry dog food does not have enough protein. Worms, insects, mealworms, hard boiled eggs should supplement the diet. Also add vitamin D drops to its food or water. Again, anything you do that tames the bird will doom it to captivity or dying young in the natural environment. Stay away from it as much as possible and do not handle it any more than you have to. By the way, an empty crop means little in young birds as they process foods very quickly and none stays in the crop.