How to keep a baby bird alive?

At the breeding season, which is mostly in spring, there are more chances you will get more engagement with various birds. 

That time you should also be aware of getting a nestling or fledgling. 

Well, birds attract people with their charming behaviour. However, they should not be disturbed with human presence nearby. 

You can help birds by keeping harmful things and pets away from the yard in the breeding season.

Further, you can construct some birdhouses in the garden as birds face many difficulties finding suitable places for building a nest. 

 If someday you find a baby bird in the yard, you should take special care of it. People often try to be overprotective, and that becomes a reason for baby bird death.

So, read the following information carefully as here we discuss all important things about how to keep a baby bird alive. Let us jump right in. 

 Identify the baby bird

Firstly, identifying a bird is an essential step that must be taken immediately after getting a baby bird.

If you found a nestling, then it is crucial to find its parents because these baby birds are dependent on their parents. 

So, discover its nest and then put it back there. If you found the nest very high, then place it in a box nearby so that its parents can quickly identify the baby. 

Else if you find any injury in that nestling body, then contact a bird rehabilitation centre. If they are fledgling, it means the baby bird is out of its nest for learning how to survive without its parents then do not bother the baby bird. 

If you think that it is unsafe, then locate the baby bird on a twig or stick. Similarly, if the baby bird has wounds as a nestling, take care of it until the bird rehabber or vet arrives. 

 How to know if the bird is injured? 

The most commonly seen baby birds include fledglings. So, it is crucial to observe if they have wounds for keeping it alive for a longer time. 

Recognize whether there are wounds with blood, weightless legs and wings, and feathers with bad conditions. 

Further, if the bird lies on the ground and cannot stand on its own or the fledgling is seen abnormally. In that case, the baby bird needs your help for sure. 

 Decide the time for keeping it harmless.

After identifying, now it is time to decide if you can take care of the baby bird on your own or bring him or her to a bird rescue centre. 

Wild varieties of the baby birds are allowed with permission for the adoption. Further, vets and rehabbers are skilled in taking care of any birds comfortably. 

If you have never handled a bird before, then the baby bird must be given to a rescue center. Otherwise, if the baby is a common species, you can keep it with you until it becomes an adult. 

Now you can understand whether you want to keep the baby bird alive until reaching bird rehabbers or wait till it becomes cured. 

 Special arrangements to keep the baby bird alive

So, if the bird is injured, you need to take some pre-care before the bird rehabbers or vet arrive. 

In order to keep it alive, you need to arrange a temporary nest first. 

Take a shoebox and put some dry straws, to make the baby bird feel like its nest. If you cannot find any straw, quickly put some tissue papers inside that shoebox to be a temporary nest. 

Now keep a heating pad under the box to keep the baby warm. Baby birds must be kept warm. 

Keep the nest in a calm, isolated place. Try to locate the baby bird near the community of that particular species. Some baby birds do not respond to human beings, and keeping them near their parents will make it easier to care for them. 

Suppose you have decided to care for that baby bird by yourself. You must afford to buy a brooder that comes specially designed for keeping baby birds with appropriate temperature and humidity. 

 Should you feed it or not and how to feed it?

Birds have different kinds of nutritional habits. A single type of nutrition knowledge can not be fit for all birds. Further, there are some do’s and dont’s you must know before trying to be overprotective. 

In most of the cases, trying to feed a baby bird becomes the reason for its death. So, if you want to keep it alive, avoid feeding. 

Wait for bird rehabbers to arrive or until they reach the location, ask them about feeding it. Baby birds can live without eating for a long time. So, do not worry about that without any reason. 

If you are thinking that the bird is starving (usually they open their beaks wide open repeatedly), then provide it with the following emergency foods:

• Soften cat or dog kibbles 
• Moistened high protein dog biscuits 
• The raw liver without seasoning 
• Hard-boiled egg along with their shell

Never provide milk, bread, whole seeds, worms, or water to baby birds. Also, never let them overeat. Bird rehabbers fed them every 2-3 hours according to their nutrition requirements. However, they know how to care for them properly. 

You can feed that fledgling or nestling birds with a syringe or a forceps. Sterilize everything and wear gloves before handling them. 

 How to keep the baby bird alive for a more extended period?

If you have decided to keep that bird alive until it can survive independently, you must acquire some useful knowledge about baby birds. 

You should consult a veterinarian for the treatment of the baby bird wound. Ask the vet about the baby bird’s diet until it becomes an adult. Buy essential supplements for the baby bird. 

Always place the baby bird in a calm and solitary place to avoid any harm due to high noise or pets.