Off Topic: Baby Sparrow update

Sorry folks, no new pictures yet. However, I did stop in to see "Slick" and he is doing great. He is fully feathered, his wings are nice and long and in good working order, his tail is about half as long as it will get when fully grown, and he's eating three full syringes of baby bird formula now.

Unfortunately, the splayed leg is definitely splayed. Denise had been working with it to try to straighten it, but he gets out of anything she tries to tie it down with. It's a muscular thing. Everything works, and he moves the leg and all digits on the claw, but its all just going the wrong way. If it were fractured or dislocated, that would be impossible.

As a result, he likely won't be able to go back into the wild. She said that he would likely get picked on to death because he is different. In nature, I suppose a community of sparrows probably can't tell the difference between an illness, which could threaten the community, and a handicap.

He props himself up on that one leg, while the other hangs out behind him. She is now teaching him each day how to perch and introduced him to millet seed the yesterday, but its still too soon. She says it will take a little time for him to start getting curious enough to peck at it.

As soon as she sends me pictures, i'll upload.

Off Topic: Slick - from baldy to fledgling

It's been 7 days since "Slick" descended 8 feet onto hard cement and he is doing great. The leg is still a concern and Denise is working with it to try to straighten. If the leg had been broke, he likely would have died from the shock associated with pain. If the leg will not straighten, then he will just reside with other "special" birds.

Recall that I said he should be fully feathered within a week.

We went from this last Tuesday where he was estimated at 24 hours old or less...



To this, last night....





Previous Posts

Baby Sparrow Post 1

Baby Sparrow Post 2

Baby Sparrow Post 3

Baby Sparrow Post 4

Baby Sparrow Post 5

Off Topic; Slick out of danger!

I stopped in to see Slick yesterday after receiving an email that Denise would be in with him. He's turning into a bundle of energy, hardly capable of being held anymore because he moves his legs and wings so much.

But, unfortunately, it appears one leg may be "lame" - be it from the fall, or otherwise. Denise says it could be a splayed leg. Treated early, it has a chance of recovery and he is young. She knows of a local vet who may help her out on it. Slick may get taped up for a while to force the leg to grow straight, much like a child that needs leg braces. It's definitely not broke or dislocated because he moves both ends of the limb, the foot, and the "toes" of the claw. This led me to ask if she felt maybe our little slick didn't fall out, but may have been pushed out by mom. She says it's possible.

I asked her what we would do if he could not be released back into the wild. She said with a smile, "He'll probably stay with me and the rest of my lame birds - I have a few, including one love bird with two splayed legs. He gets around the cage with no problem.

So, Slick is a survivor one way or the other thanks to this kind person. I'll entrust it back to St. Francis as to whether our peep gets released back into the wild.

Baby Sparrow Post 1

Baby Sparrow Post 2

Baby Sparrow Post 3

Baby Sparrow Post 4

Off Topic: Slick Spreading His Wings

How about this little guy - you can't help but pull for him. He surely wants to live. "Slick" must have really been kicking around to get a shot like this. As you can see, he's exercising his wings. If you click on the picture, you'll see a closeup and how those feathers are coming in that I showed a few posts back.

EDIT: Now that time has passed, I was able to learn that one way to prevent a splayed leg, such as the one seen here, is to ensure that from the very youngest stage the "nest" is made to ensure the legs fit tight up against the bird's body. Limiting movement is important to preventing a splayed leg. This bird already had signs of a splayed leg from the moment he was found on the ground, but it took time and study to understand what we were looking at. If I could do things over again knowing what I know now, this bird would have been "wrapped" in such a way as to prevent movement of the legs.

Baby Sparrow Post 1

Baby Sparrow Post 2

Baby Sparrow Post 3

Baby Sparrow Post 4

Off Topic: Surviving Peeper Gets a Name - "Slick"

Our little peeper is still with us, but not out of the woods. He is progressing according to Denise. She sent me photos again and said he (or she) is doing well and that she had named him "Slick".

Any baby sparrow that survives a tumble from a bathroom vent, rolling down a very hot awning and dropping 8 feet to hard cement has definitely earned the name slick.






Feathers on the wings have grown since I seen him yesterday. His mouth is dirty from the baby bird formula he eats - some yellow powder that is mixed with warm water.

Baby Sparrow Post 1

Baby Sparrow Post 2

Baby Sparrow Post 3

Off Topic: Baby Sparrow Update - Still Kicking!

How can you not love this little fella!!! It has been about 55 hours since the peeper tumbled a foot down to the awning over my back door from a bathroom vent, rolled down that searing-hot awning which bakes in the sun around 4:30, and finally dropped 8 ft to the hard cement below. Due to the location, it was impossible to put him back in the nest - the preferred method, plus any shock or injury from the fall would make it difficult for him to compete with his siblings for food.

I could not take him to work, and thanks to Denise at Classic Pets in Warren, the wee little guy is still hanging in there. She is very experienced, caring for dozens of birds, and raising babies. But, she had never been in possession of baby bird no more than 24 hours old. His eyes hadn't opened when I found him. You can see now, that they are opening.

Like with me, Denise noted that he was extremely active first thing in the morning, demanding food, with neck stretched and beak opened. But, after that feeding, he needs coaxing again. She explained that food does not go directly to a birds stomach, but in a place called the "crop". It is stored there then slowly emptied into the stomach. She watches for it to fill, saying he takes two full syringes, then she waits for it to empty before feeding him again. She also said temperature has everything to do with how fast the crop empties. The higher the temp, the faster it empties. He's being kept at around 85F.

Denise says she'll try to send me pictures and provided I don't hear from her otherwise, our little guy is still progressing. Only God knows if there was damage done in that fall. If not, he should be fully feathered in a week, and take flight in another 17 days! If he makes it that far, I'll tell you how he will be integrated back into the wild.

His leg looks a little awkward in the picture, but I can assure you it is in normal shape. He kicks those legs and flaps his wings. She said he is picking his head up more.

Sparrow Post 1

Sparrow Post 2

Off Topic: Update on Baby Sparrow

If you read my early morning post today, you'll see that I'm in possession of a 24-48 hour old sparrow which dropped about 8 feet onto the cement outside of my condo.

I had to run to the drugstore for some medicine for myself and on my way, I dropped into a pet shop near my home. Denise, bird expert and owner, agreed to take him from me around 6:00pm tonite, if he is still alive. Just as I am assuming, she says this little guy has a very likely chance of dying sooner than later. Even if he hasn't sustained internal injuries, it is rare for birds this age to survive. It is difficult to feed them, and easy to get food into their respiratory system. They must be kept warm, but not hot.

My little feather-less friend is still eating and Denise gave me some powdered baby bird formula to mix with water for him to eat. She explained how they eat and from her standpoint, everything that I was concerned with, she said was normal. The red, bloody appearance under the belly skin she said was simply left over from hatching, along with that big pot-belly. All limbs are moving and retract fine, and there is nothing wrong with his neck. Reflexes seem good.

However, his lethargy concerns me. I suggested that if it was not due to internal injuries or sickness, maybe I wasn't giving him enough to eat. Well, I got him to eat quite a bit, but stopped so he wouldn't be too full. He ate probably about 1/4 - 1/3 teaspon and I do this about every 20-30 minutes with a syringe. According to Denise they do sleep alot at this age, but he doesn't beg for food like he did this morning. Hopefully, he's just delayed.

Here is a picture I tried to upload to go with the other one. Both were taken at 4:30 this morning (scroll down to see original post and pic).



His feathers are coming in literally before my eyes. Hour to hour he changes. I always wondered how they could be fully feathered in under a week when born bald. Well, he's growing them before my eyes.

I just took this pic a few minutes ago on my camera's macro setting. What is different from last night or even 4:30 this morning are all those specs on the bald area. Those are feathers coming in. That was barely visible last night and now it is easily seen.



If he survives, I'll try to stop in by Denise daily and take pictures of his development.

Off Topic: Baby Sparrow Falls from the Heights

Well, I have to step away from liturgical talk to share something rather new that is going to be taking my time away, as long as the good Lord desires.

Here it is.... with a US Quarter near him.

I came home from work, and walked into my condo door. A few moments later, my brother stopped over and told me that there was a baby bird on the cement just outdoors. Now, the birds have a habit of building a nest inside of a bathroom vent that is inaccessible to us. Now and then, we find dead, featherless birds on the cement. They usually die instantly because they drop to the awning, then roll down all along it before finally plunging some 8 feet down to hard cement. Apparently, the nest is too close to the end of the vent and some just fall out.

As I went out to pick him up and bury him, he was still breathing. I pondered whether I should euthanize him or not. It wasn't good to leave him on that hot cement and the bugs were crawling all over him. It was just an unmerciful scene.

I then figured he probably had broken bones and internal injuries and would likely die shortly anyway, so I took him over to the base of a tree where there was a cup shape of grass. I placed him in it. 30 minutes later it got the best of me. Figuring I'd find him dead, he picked his little head up. That was it. I had to bring him in.

I figured I was just bringing him in where he could die in peace, without bugs crawling all over him. But he was ice cold now, having been under that tree with no warmth in the shade. I took him in and stood with him in front of an electric heater a few minutes and he come to life. I then a letter opener and just dipped it into some sugar water. Concerned that he was dehydrated, I nudged at its beak and the drop fell against his mouth. Apparently it went in because I saw him swallowing next. I did this a few more times.

He was already breathing very heavily when I found him leading me to believe he had internal injuries, and possibly blood in his lungs. I seen what appeared to be blood under his delicate skin and figured by morning he would be gone. But, I went out and got baby food - chicken and beef - after reading that sparrows need animal protein and finding it recommended on a website. I put him under a lamp, then put something dark over it so it would simulate night.

Well, I got up at 4:30 this morning as usual, went in the other room thinking I'd find he had left me, only to find that when I moved the tissue, he popped his head, and opened his little eyes which had been completely closed the day before, and threw open that mouth with vigor!

Using a dropper and a little water mixed in with the baby food, he took about 4 drops. A few minutes later, he soiled the tissue pretty hefty way - a good sign. I've been feeding him every 20 minutes or so, with just a few drops of beef baby food. Then he goes into a deep sleep.

The little guy is still breathing very heavy. My suspicion is that he has blood or fluid in the lungs from the fall, or pneumonia from getting chilled, which I had read happens easily. The food I'm feeding him could also get into his lungs - it is a very delicate process.

Because he needs to feed every 20-30 minutes right now, I will have to take him to work with me and hope no one makes a fuss. I'm going to make some calls and find out if there are any volunteer rehabers. If he survives all of this, which is highly unlikely, he will have full feathers in a few days, and in less than a week could be in a bird cage beginning to take a taste of seed.

I found a really good site where someone else raised a baby sparrow. Ordinarily you want to put it back in the nest unless it is too weak to compete with siblings for food. But this was not possible. Hand scent, apparently, with sparrows is not a deterrent for parents.

I am keeping him warm with a lamp, but have switched this morning with one of those "bean bag" microwaveable heating things you use for sore muscles. It is underneath some aquarium filter floss, and on top of that a napkin to line the cup shape I formed. I put another piece of floss over the top to keep heat in and its running about 82F in there. I tried to upload another pic, but blogger is not letting me, once again.

If someone reading the blog in southeast Michigan is home much of the day and would like to try raising this little guy, here is that site I found. She explains how she raised it to go wild in a very short time and how it returned each year to her house.

I won't pray that it survives, I'll pray that God's will is done for this wee little creature of the Lord. If he's still alive, he'll have to go to choir practice with me tonite so I can keep feeding him. He's actually a very fine soprano, having heard his little voice peep this morning. In the spirit of St. Francis, perhaps one of the fine priests there won't mind giving him a little blessing.