Bird knowledge needed! Please

kiwikid


Joined: 18/08/2008
Posts: 496

Message Posted:
11/05/2009 13:28

My darling husband came home yesterday morning with a baby bird that he had saved from being eaten by a dog. The little thing is going well, but not eating much, the problem is no one seems to know what it is, so I'm not really sure what to feed it.

It was found near the coast, but it doesn't have webed feet, its a bit smaller then a baby chicken, is light brown with thin black strips and has really long green legs with a pretty large green and black beck. And it almost looks like he has eyebrows and is always frowning.

So if anyone has an idea, what it could be so that I can do a google search, please let me know.

Will try and get a photo up when I find my camera.

Thanks in advance.

Angela

kiwikid


Joined: 18/08/2008
Posts: 496

Message Posted:
11/05/2009 14:12

There must be someone out there who knows something about birds. It eaten cooked rice now, but not sure if thats good for it.

Btt

Wiser


Joined: 30/07/2008
Posts: 796

Message Posted:
11/05/2009 14:20

Could you perhaps try calling the vet and see what they recommend?

madmazz


Joined: 14/01/2009
Posts: 82

Message Posted:
11/05/2009 14:21

Sounds like it might be a green sandpiper - a wading bird.

ttoli


Joined: 24/03/2007
Posts: 1172

Message Posted:
11/05/2009 14:27

Spring is here and our native birds are finding food scarce, Please go to the pet shop and buy bags of nuts for our feathered friends...



There is no finer site on a spring morning than a pair of tits around your nutsack...



Just remember..it's a bit early in the year to expect a Swallow

catalkoykid


Joined: 15/02/2009
Posts: 1190

Message Posted:
11/05/2009 14:29

you blowjob me away

madmazz


Joined: 14/01/2009
Posts: 82

Message Posted:
11/05/2009 14:30

Baillon's Crake also has geen beak and legs. Both of those I mentioned eat insects.

catalkoykid


Joined: 15/02/2009
Posts: 1190

Message Posted:
11/05/2009 14:31

you blowjob me away

kiwikid


Joined: 18/08/2008
Posts: 496

Message Posted:
11/05/2009 14:39

Thanks madmazz I' m checking now, Have asked a couple of vets but they don't seem to know much about wild birds.

ttoli


Joined: 24/03/2007
Posts: 1172

Message Posted:
11/05/2009 14:42

Just a thought(and sincere apologies, for hi-jacking your well intentioned thread), have you tried searching the internet for Bird watching sites etc?

ROBnJO


Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 1289

Message Posted:
11/05/2009 14:47

If you don't know whether its a meat eater or a 'grain' eater, the safest food will be a moist meat type diet.



small regular amounts of catfood, flies, (if you can catch or swat some), crushed maggots if you know a fisherman., or chopped up worms. Every half hour initially during daylight. Sometimes a small fluffy toy in it's nest can help for a 'mummy' to bond with.



Not too much rice, and definitely NO bread, milk or excess water. It should, if healthy, produce regular droppings after feeding.



Best of luck.



Rob

kiwikid


Joined: 18/08/2008
Posts: 496

Message Posted:
11/05/2009 14:56

Thanks for everyones help, madmazz think you might be right about the sand piper it looks just like the pics on the internet. But do we have sandpipers in cyprus? trying to find some ants, they are anyways around when you don't want them and today I can't find any.

ozankoys


Joined: 20/06/2008
Posts: 905

Message Posted:
11/05/2009 15:24

I believe that Stephanie who works with Pertev knows a lot about birds have you been in touch with her?

madmazz


Joined: 14/01/2009
Posts: 82

Message Posted:
11/05/2009 15:48

The sandpiper migrates via Cyprus, it is a freshwater wader and eats insects found in and around mud.

bridie


Joined: 18/09/2008
Posts: 308

Message Posted:
11/05/2009 16:23

The chick sounds like a Sandpiper. You could try minute scraps of liver, or very small pieces of frozen raw shrimp, thawed out of course, together with water. It should drink on it's own as they feed themselves from the day they hatch. Good luck!

kiwikid


Joined: 18/08/2008
Posts: 496

Message Posted:
11/05/2009 19:46

the little guy is going well, and yes he is a sandpiper. Had the kids catching ants this afternoon, which he is eating and a bit of baby chicken feed. So far so good. Named him groucho on account of his eyebrows.

madmazz


Joined: 14/01/2009
Posts: 82

Message Posted:
14/05/2009 11:32

Keep us posted!!! What a lovely name, I bet the kids are thrilled seeing a wild bird close up like that!!

kiwikid


Joined: 18/08/2008
Posts: 496

Message Posted:
14/05/2009 11:54

Hi Madmazz

He's still doing great, feeding by himself, though he does have expensive taste and will only eat shrimp not fresh fish, and he likes like dog biscults soaked in water but not the cheap ones only ekanobia.

Not sure what I'm going to do with him when he starts flying as he is to tame to be release in to the wild.

Thanks to you and everyone for their help.

Any idea how to post a photo?

Angela

Ailletoo


Joined: 24/01/2009
Posts: 1003

Message Posted:
14/05/2009 14:19

Have you tried him with tinned cat food? I once raised 3 baby starlings on tinned cat food.



One day they decided to leave home and I never saw them again. Gratitude!!!

The-Wicks


Joined: 27/05/2007
Posts: 2279

Message Posted:
14/05/2009 14:25

Cat food is a good idea. We raised a baby thrush on worms and cat food. He became very tame and would wander into the house from the garden every time he heard the fridge open!



We released him in a local park. Next morning, tweet, tweet, he was back on our patio and demanding breakfast. He did go eventually but we did miss the little fella



J

kiwikid


Joined: 18/08/2008
Posts: 496

Message Posted:
30/05/2009 16:15

Just thank you all for your help, the little guy is going well, and very healthy, and about 5 time the size as when I got him. Today I handed over to a friend who has other birds and a garden so he can now run around instead of being stuck in a box.

Also found out it was a stone curlew not a sand piper as I had thought. But I don't think the cat food and prawns have done him any harm as he hasn't stopped growing.

Thanks again for your advice

Angela