Please Help

[SPLiSH]

I saw a wild bird, pigeon or something, under one of our trees earlier this afternoon and thought nothing of it. About half an hour ago Mum came screaming to me that the dogs had attacked a bird in their yard. Went to see it, it looked pretty bad, not bleeding but can't carry it's wings properly. Beak out of line. It's neck and head are fine.

I picked it up in a towel and put in in an empty plastic crate with a towel uner it. Fly screen tied on top. It seems okay, not too stressed. Called Wildlife Care and Rescue and they told me that a vet would treat it for free in the morning.

In the meanwhile.. I don't know. The lady said not to feed/water it. I can't do anything else for it.. I don't know why I'm asking for help but I need to do something.

Has anyone rescued a bird or other animal before? What happened? I am so shocked, I'm shaking. I feel so bad that I didn't help it when I first saw it. Judging by the way it was sitting then, thinking back, I think it was attacked by one of the neighbours' cats. Then our dogs.

I'm so scared. I'm shaking. Mum and Morgan didn't want to touch it. He/she is not bleeding. Just looking very shellshocked.

I'll keep you guys updated...

 

[Bloo]

THere's nothing you can do apart from keeping it safe and secure in a very small container (so that it doesn't flap and stress even more) with some aeration.
Take it to the vet. They will almost 99% sure put it to sleep. If it's injuries are as bad as they sound, there is little to no hope I'm afraid. You can just try and minimise the stress up to that point.

Good luck

 

[juliehainsworth]

My dad used to often bring back home injured birds! We used to leave them in a quiet and dark place! Other than that there is nothing you can do for it! Unfortunately when they have been attacked they die of shock so be prepared for the worst! The best thing to do is just leave it be for the night!

Good on you for taking it in! Hope he's ok though!

 

[catxx]

i agree with bloozoo, the vets will put it to sleep
it's probably in shock anyway, birds don't recover well from shock

 

[Die_Grinder]

mash up some boiled egg and them add a lil water and feed it that via a syringe every now and then, hight protien will aind its recov alot.

 

[Bloo]

mash up some boiled egg and them add a lil water and feed it that via a syringe every now and then, hight protien will aind its recov alot.

Not a bird that is in great shock and mauled to near death. The food can't digest and it will just choke to death

 

[SPLiSH]

Thanks everyone. I have done a bit of Googling and I found out that it is (probably) an emerald ground dove, and judging by the word 'ground', that's probably why the cat got it. I know it's the cats' instict to attack birds, but I can't stand it when people, first, have a cat next to a state rainforest and then proceed to let the cat wander around killing whatever native animals it wants to. This isn't the first time birds have been killed in our yard by a neighbours cat.

I sure hope they don't put it to sleep but unforunately I'm sure it is inevitable. That's if it lasts the night. It seems okay, sitting there looking around a bit, I think it's wings aren't the problem, it's beak is wonky so I can't imagine it feeding in the wild if it is rehablilitated. I feel so sorry for it... at least it's safe here and warm.

EDIT: It's not really mauled, maybe I made it sound worse than it is 'cause I was panicking... I think it's wings are sprained or something muscular, not broken or anything. It's feathers are ruffled a bit, its' not cut or bleeding that I can see. When I picked it up I felt raw skin under its' wing. Maybe it was just skin and no cut. The main problem seems to be it's beak; it doesn't seem to be causing it and pain.

 

[juliehainsworth]

Well I have my fingers and toes crossed for him! Perhaps you could keep him if he can't be returned to the wild! Not sure what your laws are out there though!

Good luck with the little guy

 

[kubora666]

leave it alone.
hello bird flue. you shouldnt really be handeling etc wild birds
but i do hope it is okå
when i was little my dad got an injured jackdoor back to health. and a race pegion he found with a broken wing. i supose it is good to keep him living. good luck

 

[Synirr]

leave it alone.
hello bird flue. you shouldnt really be handeling etc wild birds

.....Bird flu? In Australia??
I am so sick of the media bird flu is getting, they make it sound like the black plague, and suddenly everyone thinks they're going to get it from just seeing a bird, no matter if the flu has even reached their country yet or not! Be informed, not scared, geez.

Um... anyway
We nursed injured birds back to health all the time in my childhood. If the bird makes it through the night I'd give it a chance; maybe the vet can tell you how to care for it, or where to take it to make sure it gets the care it needs. In my experience, if they can make it 48 hours they'll pull through, so keep your fingers crossed!

 

[SPLiSH]

Hi everyone, thanks for the help and suggestions.

Well I went to see it this morning and it looked very still so I assumed it was dead so I told mum, and I went to school a bit sad. Then I got in the car this afternoon and mum said, 'Prue, they put the bird to sleep. Sorry sweetie.' What? It was alive? Hmm.... Mum told me she had taken it to the vet at about 9:00 am and the vet had said, 'It's injuries aren't extensive and it seems fine other than it's beak which would stop it catching bugs etc. ... it would need special care if your daughter was to keep it. Could she? They're beautiful birds.' Guess what mum said?

'No, I don't think Prue likes pets.' WTF? Prue doesn't like pets?!?! Is this the same Prue who is saving for a 4 ft fish tank, while setting up 2 others? The same Prue that has 2 dogs, 2 bettas and wants more? No, I couldn't possibly like pets.

I guess it's for the best though.. somehow. Anyway, Birdie.

 

[juliehainsworth]

Awww the poor birdie!

Don't remind me about bird flu, CJD (I think mad cow disease in humans) and any other thing! I think its a whole load of tripe they don't cull us humans because we carry diseases that pass on so they shouldnt do it to the poor animals! That is all I'm gonna say about that as it gets me really mad! Chances of catching bird flu from a bird in the park are very minimal you have more chance of catching normal flu than bird flu

 

[kubora666]

lol here in england the media are going crazy for it. it can only infect you if you have the regular flu right ??
whats the big deal.
what type of bird is it ?

+ yet agen, hope it gets better good luck.

 

[Synirr]

lol here in england the media are going crazy for it. it can only infect you if you have the regular flu right ??
whats the big deal.

No, you don't have to have regular flu to get it, but you do have to be in contact with an infected bird. It can't yet be transmitted from person to person, but that's what they're afraid will happen eventually, and if/when it does THEN it will be scary. For now, unless the flu has been reported in your country you've got nothing to fear, basically. I think the media coverage it's getting is blowing things way out of proportion... we've got bigger fish to fry, like that AIDS is predicted to go airborne in another 20 years or so.

Natsuko -- In this case it's either cull the infected animals or risk it reaching plague proportions sooner than we are prepared for. Thank God we have the technology we do today, or it would almost certainly mutate into something comparable to the Black Plague. If you've never read about the far-reaching consequences of such a pandemic, perhaps that would be something to look into to help you understand. Over 25 million people died in Europe alone, not to mention the economic problems the dramatic drop in population caused as well as the breakdown of social order. In some areas the mortality rate was over 25%... one out of every four people died of plague. I'm all for animal rights, but if killing a few birds can help prevent something like that from happening again, I'll start burning the corpses myself. Human cases of bird flu have a mortality rate very similar to that of untreated bubonic plague, and it is more likely to kill healthy people in their prime rather than the very young or very old due to the way it interacts with your immune system.

Sorry for the hijack SPLiSH, biology major here

birdy, that's so sad... it's probably best for the bird though, rather than it having to learn how to cope with living in captivity.

 

[juliehainsworth]

Yeah sorry Splish! RIP little bird

Synirr I see what you are getting at but I still dont agree with the fact that we cull animals to prevent diseases spreading to ourselves yet we don't do it to stop the outbreak of infectious diseases that we already carry! Anyway this is not the place to discuss such things I'm sure you'll agree so we'll leave it there! oh and thanks for the info by the way I can now claim to have learnt something new today (trust it to be on a Monday morning but thanks anyway)