Friday, July 31, 2009

Help, robins eggs???

Can someone please advise, We had a pair of robins nesting in the ivy the eggs have been in their for a few days (6 eggs) My cat has just killed the female, we have removed the nest as the male will not be able to hatch them by himself. We have put the nest in a small box surrounded by polystyrene beads with a small soft toy on top and put it in the airing cupboard. Can anyone else advise us how to give them a chance to hatch? We had to do this a couple of years ago when we pulled down the ivy without knowing there was a nest in it and managed to get them to the embryonic stage using a houshold lamp, but we had a cold night and the temperature of the eggs dropped by a few degrees and they died. we haven't got the lamp anymore and have forgotten what temp they have to be at. We feel so dreadful for the poor things, I am glaring at my cat right now!!!
Please help, if you can.
Answers:
Hiya.

If you live in the UK then call the RSCA for more information. They will be able to send someone out to help or tell you what to do:

http://www.rspca.org.uk/

The main people who can help are the birds society RSPB. I would definately contact them as they will know best. Also, there website has information on it about these situations. You can email them for help if you are outside the UK:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/

Certainly do not listen to the people saying get rid of them. I advise you try first, and if it comes to the worst when you cant do anything you may have to sadly dispose of them. But remember there are places like Pets at Home in the UK (you might not realise but the animal staff are highly qaulified people so know what they are on about) and they will assist you very well. Vets etc are also on hand. But I would definately recommend the RSPB. Cats will do that so dont worry about it the slightest but the chances of you succesfully doing this on your own are highly unlikely. Good Look! john
robin eggs taste fantastic
Ring the RSBP or animal shelter for advice... Flipping cats eh? I've just been putting my washing away and have discovered a mouse head and a couple of foot away I found half of it's body! nice...
Considering your situation and the situation of the eggs, do you really think you can 'raise' baby robins? Your cat will get them too eventually, so if I were you I'd just give the cat the eggs. They're only eggs, right? You wait until they're baby birds and helpless, much worse can happen. My thoughts.
Call your local zoo. Maybe they can take them.

And put a collar on your cat that has a small bell attached. It's a great warning system for the birds!
sorry thats "nature" , (i would rather have the birds than a cat though)
This is unavoidable, cats are predators and nothing will change that. Who will feed the babies if they do hatch?? You?
Do you fancy chewing on worms and then spitting them down the chicks throat. No , thought not.
The best thing to do is get rid of it all. I know this is harsh of me to say, but there really is nothing else for it.
Robins are migratory birds in the U.S. Don't know if you live there but...

Q: I found and injured bird. Who do I call or Where can I take it?

A:The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service does not have rehabilitators here on staff. Call your local veterinarian, humane society, or county or municipal wildlife agency to find the nearest qualified wildlife rehabilitator that can take and treat the bird. Or you could call the Regional FWS Migratory Bird Permit Office to locate a federally permitted migratory bird rehabilitator. You may also access the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) Hotline site or the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA) site to help put you in touch with a qualified rehabilitator. While you are locating a suitable rehabilitator, keep the bird in a dark box in a warm, quiet spot. Do not disturb it or offer it food. Let it rest.

Q:Can I keep the bird and nurse it myself?


A:No. It is against the law to keep a bird, injured, orphaned, or otherwise, without the proper permits. In most cases, injured birds required specialized professional attention to survive and to be successfully reestablished in the wild. Maintaining migratory birds as pets is prohibited.

It breaks international and federal laws, and maybe your state's laws by keeping the birds eggs and trying to hatch them yourself without a permit:
http://www.fws.gov/laws/laws_digest/migt...

The best thing to do would be to contact a rehabilitator and hand over the eggs. But I'd say the chances of the eggs hatching are slim anyways.
Chances are they have cooled to much by now, they need to be a constant 100-102 degrease Fahrenheit.They also need the correct amount of humidity, without the right humidity they will not hatch. If you let them cool at all while moving the nest they have expired already (it only takes 15-20 min without heat to cool) Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. It isn't a good idea to hatch them without contacting a wildlife rehabber. Robins are protected and without the proper care (after they hatch) they will not survive.
You can hatch then ans you can feed them yourself...you do not have to chew up worms.they sell formula at the pet store. If I was you i would go to the pet store and ask them they should be able to help you more then the people on here. GOOD LUCK.
A heating pad kept on low on top of the nest will keep them warm enough to hatch. Try taking them to a local rescue so they can be properly feed once they hatch. Also this is the reason cats do not need to be outside. The killing of an innocent momma robin, and maybe the two eggs she was tending to. So sad. Keep the cat indoors.
unfortunately.. its probably too late..
you really need an incubator.. the eggs have to stay warm constantly or they will become unfertile.
I would put them back and maybe . the male can find a new female to help him...

Help, found a baby robin!?

i found a baby robin. just hatched no wings and a piece of its shell stuck on its head. for the moment how do i feed it or what should i do? the rescue center where i live is closed and dont know what to do please help!
Answers:
For the moment, keep it warm and hydrated (tepid water from a dropper should take care of it for now). As soon as possible, get in touch with a zoo or rescue center; they can point you at someone who is authorized to care for orphaned birds. If you are able to find the nest, put it back in; contrary to popular mythology, the parent(s) cannot "smell human" on the chick.
if you handle it handle it with gloves put it in a cage until morning then call anm. rescue
feed it tiny amounts of wet cat food on a toothpick
I had read years ago that wet dog food mixed with egg yoke (since they live on it while in the egg, very nutritious) makes good infant bird food, and definately keep it warm. Don't feel bad if it doesn't make it, baby birds that young seldom do and are prone to all kinds of ailments. Bless you for trying, and letting the tiny thing not die a slow death ,cold, and being eaten alive by ants. Also little birds eat constantly, in small amounts, hope you don't plan on sleeping.
Do not give it any water. Its system is so small it would drown. Get it to a vet ASAP
If you know where the nest is, return the baby bird to the nest. The parent birds will not smell your scent and reject the baby bird since most birds have a poorly developed sense of smell. If you cannot find the nest, make a substitute nest out of a little basket or flower pot. Put dried grasses or leaves in the container and put it near the place where you found the baby bird. Chances are, the parents will locate it and continue to care for the baby. You can watch the baby for an hour and see if the mom comes back to feed it.

If you find a fledgling bird, one that is fully feathered and out of the nest but calling, leave it alone. The parents are nearby and will take care of it.

If you find an injured baby bird, or one that is truly orphaned, check the websites below to get the name of the closest bird rehabilitation facility. It is illegal to have a wild bird in your possession unless you are a licensed rehabilitator.

To care for a baby bird until you can get it to a bird rehabilitation facility, keep it in a warm, dark, quiet place, such as a shoe box with air holes in the lid.
How is your robin? Where are you located? I have raised tons of wild birds. What you need to do is go buy some Purina One Senior Protection DOG food and some applesauce. NEVER EVER give a baby bird water. Take the dog food and soak it in water until it is all soggy and gross, and then take the soaked dog food out of the water and mix it with a few tablespoons of applesauce (make sure the applesauce has NO SUGAR added.) The bird will absorb the water it needs from the food.

The bird needs to be fed from the moment the sun comes up (around 6am) until about 10 am... every half hour. So it needs food at 6, 6:30, 7:00. 7:30, 8... and so on. After 10 you can have a break until noon. feed again at 2pm, 3pm, and then after 4pm feed 3 more times. Babys fall asleep as the sun goes down and they sleep so deeply that you cannot wake them up. You may think that it has died if you check on it in the middle of the night because it will be unresponsive.

If you are close to Missouri I can raise it for you. It takes a lot of care to keep them going. But the reward is awesome. Let me know.

HELP!Robin eggs what do i do if my bro is scaring away the parents and they havent been back for an hour?

The parents have been gone for ages and i dont want the babies to die! I also dont know a thing about robins.
Answers:
The parents will be back. Mother birds rarely hand around the nest, they spend most of the day just stopping in to feed. Mother birds are also ver slick when it comes to returning to the nest. The mother does not want to draw preditors to the nest so she sneaks back.

Do not remove the birds, just leave them alone, the mother will be back when she feels it is safe. Most likely she is near and waiting. An hour is nothing mother birds search for food for awhile before returning.
Lock your brother in the house. The parents will be back.
Tell your brother to cut the sh!t out and then if the parents dont come back after a couple days carefully take the eggs to a local shelter or farm or lab at a local college ir somewhere where there are ppl who know how and are willing to take care of them, and while you are at it see if they will take your brother too. Just Kidding!
Robins are beautiful birds and have a musical song. They eat lots of mosquitoes and other bugs. Good to have around.
Get your brothers a telescope so they can watch the chicks in the nest and appreciate nature instead of chasing them away.
Try to stay at least 50 feet away from the nest and the parents will return. I have lots of robins in my yard, I sit quietly in the yard and once they learn to trust you, they will go about their business and become quite trusting.
hi
if the parents havent set on the eggs for over an hour.. the eggs are no longer fertile.. tell ur bro to back off next time. :)

you may also want to tell him he could get into big trouble!
Robins are protected in every state.. and so are the eggs!!!
big fines!
After I'd thoroughly kicked the brother's backside a good one, I'd keep him away from the chicks and wait for mama and papa bird to return (they will).
lulu

HELP!!! I think my lovebird is SICK!!!?

it looks so pale (in a bird way) and sleepy, he doesn't chirp as much as he usually does, and his chest area looks "skinny".
he doesn't sneeze, but usually sleeps even in the day! can someone help me what should i do to make him feel better??
Answers:
My lovebird has a very skinny breast bone area and he will sleep ( nap) 4 and 5 times a day..He is also very quiet but he always has been.
Do his poops look normal??
Is he eating/
Where does he sleep..on a perch or on the bottom of his cage?
Cover his cage to keep nighttme drafts off him.
And first thing in the morning call your Avian vet.
Birds are slow to show illness and slow to respond to treatment.
If you think there might be a problem, you need to get to a vet as soon as you can. Only fast treatment will save the bird.

Sorry, I could be any number of things, I don't know for sure.
He looks skinny probably because he's not eating which can be a sign of almost anything. There's not much you can do to make him more comfortable except make sure he is nice and warm. He needs to go to the vet right away.
How old is the lovebird?If he is a baby still he needs to be hand fed or he could die he needs to be warm also.
I would take hime to the vet. How long has this been happening? Is he eating anything? It could be mites or some kind of parasite. To check for mites, you can put a white sheet over the cage at night instead of whatever you do put over it and in the morning if there are red spots, then your bird has mites. Your best bet would be to get him checked out by a vet.

HELP!!! Ducklings Splay leg is swollen!!!!?

My duckling has splay legs and one of them has swollen really big making it even harder for him to get around! Please, tell me if there is anything i can do for him to help the swelling to go down!!! i can't go to a vet because there aren't any where i live so please tell me something that i can do myself.
thanks
Answers:
Splay legs is common in ducklings. You can try hobbling the little guy. Which means tying a soft piece of yarn around the upper half of the one leg, and take the yarn to the other upper half of the leg and tye it. Take a look at other ducklings and see how far apart their legs are and try to accomplish the same thing. This will help duckie to keep a standing position and train the legs. He will be able to walk without the legs getting out of position.

As for the swelling? That's not a good sign. Just make sure he has a good non medicated diet for ducklings. Keep him warm. You may want to make a mash for him to eat. Just add water to his feed and soften it. You could try calling a vet for telephone advice. Or a rehabilitation centre for wildlife.
He probably needs a duck friendly antibiotic. Try to keep him as comfortable as possible.
There isnt much you can do for that without a vet. You also need to see the vet to properly have the splayed leg fixed, if you wait to long the leg will develop that way and the duck will be permenantly crippled. You need to see a vet ASAP

In the mean time try and keep pressure off of the leg, don't allow the duck to try and walk on it.
Just put food and water near by so it can eat %26 drink, keep it warm. Give it some time maybe it will take care of itself.
try massaging it %26 using ice to lower the swelling

HELP!! The bird nest fell down, and the baby bird just hatched... HELP!!?

We just found a baby bird. It just hatched, but the nest was lying on the ground! The mom won't come back to it at all. What do we feed it? What do we do?? PLEASE HELP QUICKLY!!
Answers:
Usually the parents will continue to feed it if you leave it where it landed and the chick is ok. The parents probably weren't far but won't come around if you are nearby , so stay away. They also won't "sit" like they did before the chick hatched--they spend their time finding food and bringing it back.

You might have to keep an eye out for predators though as chicks on the ground are a good target. Don't feed it yourself unless you know what kind of bird it is as different birds eat different things. Some are carnivores and eat worms, grubs, etc, while others eat seed, and so forth. Also, you would need to be feeding it pretty much around the clock.

If you have already taken it in, see if you can find a local wild bird rescue organization to take over. Feeding wild baby birds is tough for someone who doesn't know what they are doing.
call your local animal control or vet
feed it worms if it's an insect eater. they usually eat worms or small beetles.
I would say put the nest back where it was orignally, and watch and see if the mom goes and feeds it. Most likely it would.

If the mom does not feed it, you can go to the store and buy a hand feeding formula which is a powder
definetly call your local vet or animal controle that has actually happened to me before and they said never to feed it or hold them becuase they might have a deseas but definelty call the peeps asap
Call local vets and ask for a local wildlife rescue. Attempting to raise the bird on your own will likely fail. For now I would just leave it right where it is. If you handle it the mother may never come back to it. If it turns out you are forced to bring it inside due to cold temperatures or threat of cats or something, use gloves and take the entire nest in. Chances are it won't survive (they can't take much stress) but hopefully it will hang on until you can contact a local rescue. Sometimes the local police department can put you on the right track too. Good luck!
Go to a pet store and buy some formula!!! Raise the chick as your own lolz
Had this happen, put the nest back in the tree, if you can't, put it in a pail and hang that. Mommy, will normally come back, as she hears her baby crying for her, for food, whatever.
you put the nest back immediately!!! and watch from inside to see if mom comes back...this may take a while but leave them be! Mom should come.
If you touch the bird itself mom will not come back. Move the nest back and keep an eye out. If she doesn't come back call a vet.
try to replace the nest back to where it was orignally and see if the mother will come back to feed. You will have to watch from afar as the mother will not come back with you standing there watching. ONLY if you know the parents are not coming back.then you need to get this bird to a local wildlife rehab in your area. Vets and your local humane society may have contact information as to who will take baby birds in your area. The parents WILL NOT abandon a baby just cause it has been touched...that is an old wives tale and not true.
dear you, well I have a baby bird here myself four! just to let you know. I also know that if it seems or looks like it is injured leave it there for an hour or so DO NOT TOUCH IT!
if there parents do not come for it in a an hour then you should out it in a cardboard box or container that has enough room for it to stand up in put a towel over the box or container and place it in a warm quiet area of your home. If that doesn't work call your local animal reabilitaion center.

HELP!! My love bird is a fatty!!?

my male love bird is eating 6 to 7or more times a day and sometimes all the time, even. I'm really worried like what if he gets TOO heavy and can't fly or exercise.
Will i have to buy him diet bird food??? Is it endangering it's health, by getting too fat? PLEASE HELP ME! please be so nice advice.
Thanks in advance
Answers:
It is always best to keep Love birds in pairs. This is their natural arrangement. If this is not possible and your bird is eating constantly then just be careful what you are offering the your bird. A combination of pellets and seed (more pellts) is preferred and fresh vegtables are a must. You also need to make sure they have outside the cage time every day. These are very energetic birds and need to have their flying time. I prefer to have my birds wings clipped to a limited amount. I think it is important that they are able to fly low and safely from one place to another but not far distances. This way if they do get out you won't loose them forever as they will not be able to fly far without landing. There are places online that show how to clip the wings to provide manageble flight.
As far as your question goes, you really need to provide healthy food (sunflower and safflower seed is like candy, not food) and give them time outside the cage on a daily bases.
Look into purchasing pellets rather than seeds. Seeds provide alot of fat but very little nutrition. However, pellets are packed with nutrients and lower in fat. Get the katee brand, the really colorful ones. It draws attention, to help introduce him to it, they are flavored. Cut back on the amount of food you give hi too. Even if it seems to bother him, he isn't going to starve. Just like with us, obesity in animals is endangering to their health. My mom is a bird breeder and I helped her with her animals, and have even bred cockatiels. I also have been to many bird meetings and events with my mom. So, from all my eperience, I do know alot. People just feed seeds because it is cheaper, but I would definately look into pellets and cut back on the number of times you feed your pet, and until he loses some weight, don't give him bird treats, it will just make him gain weight. Feed him fresh fruits and veggies. On like a small saucer in the bottom of his cage, give him dark greens like calard greens, kale, use romaine lettuce sparingly. No icebreg lettuce!!! No avocados! Bad for bird. They love greens!!! Try it. High in nutrients low in fat...
First off what are you feeding him? Seeds? pellets? fresh food?
He should be on pellets and fresh veges and fruits. You have to limit what you put in his cage. You are the person responible for what and how much he is getting. Not trying to say it mean but just letting you know if he is getting mainly seeds then you are giving him to much to eat and the wrong kind of food. I have breed and kept birds for most of my life so i do know about birds. we have 3 pairs of lovebird breeders and we have 8 lovebirds that are our pets. Their diet consists of Zupreem pellets, kale, carrots, grapes, corn, green beans, bananas, kiwi, strawberries, mustard greens, spinach and much much more, but we only put in one small bowl of pellets a day and do not refill it when it becomes empty until the next day and each bird has its own cage. So I am not a believer that they need to be kept in pairs. Single they are more likely to be bonded to you.
Hope this helps you

HELP!! I have some baby ducks hatching in a couple of days.?

I don't have any idea what to feed them. Can anybody help?
Answers:
Feed is readily available at the farmers type of feed store. I used biddy or baby chicken feed to start and then duck pellets. Make sure they have plenty of water, especially when they eat. They can choke or get impacted graw if you are not careful. They are very messy if you don't have a appropriate setup. They love bugs and tiny micro organisms they get out of the edges of a pond or marsh in the wild or if raised in more natural habitat. The problem with more natural habitats is that ducks are very vulnerable to preditors. They sleep very soundly, so dogs, foxes and other carnivors find them easy prey. If you hand raise ducks, they will think of you as mom and they may follow you around if allowed to do so. A baby duck adopted my daughter and truly was a best friend.
duck feed - you'll have to go to a Gebo's or tractor supply or somewhere that sells hay/feed
i used to buy alomost-just-hatched ducklings from the fleamarket. they are so fun to raise!! if they dont have a mama, feed them dry oatmeal%26oats (dry, just out of the container)
if your keeping them inside, make sure they can get to lots of water, they will die if they get dehydrated. but they cant swim until they get some kind of special wing%26feathers type deal when they grow up some. they will eat small bugs like spiders and such.
good luck on your ducklings!!
Feed the Duck and Goose Starter. You can find it at a feed dealer, usually thay will have recomendations.
You need to buy non-medicated chick starter.
try searching looking after ducks on the internet in books
if theres a mother then let her take care of them. if they are alone then like other people have said go shopping around for some feed that ducks can eat. or try the oats.
Go to a feed store and buy them duck food.

Help! poor little bird!?

I found a little new born bird that fell out of its nest in my back yard. It is still moving a little bit, but it is almost dead. Please, how can I nurse it back to health? Hurry! A life is in your hands, and literally in mine!
Answers:
Three years ago, I had the same thing happen to me. I picked up the bird and took it inside, and had to train myself on how to raise a hatchling. Here is what I did:

First I warmed the bird up in my hands, until it stopped chirping so loudly, then I got some dry cat food and soaked it in hot water, until it was mushy enough to offer the bird to eat. (baby birds need a lot of protein to develop properly, so catfood is actually an adequate substitute temporarily). The bird went to sleep, and I set about trying to find an incubator. Several websites tell you how to build one using a warming light--but I didn't have any of the supplies. So for my incubator, I used a electric heating pad in an old shoe box. I made a nest out of toilet paper and paper towels to protect the chick from the direct heat of the heating pad. (The nest needs to be changed frequently, as the baby poops frequently.) I also got a cheap digital thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature of the incubator. [ You can find some in the automotive department that have a cord on them, so you can keep constant track of the internal temperature, without opening the box.]

Whenever the bird would cry--I knew it was hungry. I know that in the wild, parents would be bringing it crushed insects and worms to eat, so I dug up a bunch of worms, and would chop a section off when my baby was hungry, and feed it to her. I did this for awhile until I discovered that my local hardware/pet supply store carries infant bird formula. It has all the nutrients your baby needs, and can easily be mixed with hot water. A lot more pleasant that squishing worms!

My bird did not have any feathers at all, yet, so I had to be careful about her skin. The salt from our bodies can dessicate (suck out the moisture from) the baby bird, if handled too much. I ended up buying alcohol-free, sensitive-skin type babywipes, to wipe down the baby bird, after handling. Also be sure that you bird is getting some moisture in its diet, especially if you stick to feeding worms and insects from outside. Another important thing to remember is that the insects need to be dead, or at least headless, before feeding them to the baby. The bird will swallow whole whatever you feed it, and if the insects have mouths, they can actually chew through your baby bird's crop.(The crop is located in the neck, and it's where the food is stored before being passed down to the stomach.)

My bird turned out to be a sparrow, but she has a twisted leg and cannot fly very well, so I still have her. She is full-grown, now and quite peppy--also a LOT easier to care for than when I found her.

Although I do think it is important to contact a veterinarian about finding any wild animal, do not be surprised if the most they can offer you is a humane euthanasia. I love my veterinarians, but that was all they told me, and basically gave me a "Good Luck." However, now that my bird is full grown, they have given her a health check-up and treated her for a muscle strain in her leg.

Basically it is a very difficult task, but just remember to keep the baby warm, hydrated, clean, and fed! The brand of Baby bird formula I found is "kaytee exact Hand Feeding Formula For All Baby Birds." Once your baby is old enough that you can figure out what kind of bird it is, you will want to learn what its natural diet consists of, and begin weaning it onto that food.

Good luck! I hope it isn't too late.
I'm not an expert but it sounds like this bird might have broken some bones.Carefully wrap him up in a blanket,make sure to always keep him warm,and get a little medicine dropper and a bottle of water.Don't give him water or food yet as he might have a broken neck and can't swallow.Bring him to the closest vet or doctor.This is the best advice I can give.Good Luck,and remember keep him warm, at all times.Also you will probably have to keep him since the mother will not accept him back.
Bring it to a vet. It should help and all the answers are best given by the vet...
Hello..sorry there is nothing you can do to feed %26 save this bird... bout all you can do is put the chick back in the nest when you can %26 it's safe to do ( like not too high up in a tree or bush ) %26 see what happens, as it often is in Nature, things can be cruel, parents push out bad or weaker chicks, as do the siblings @ times..Take Care :)
aww, do u know where the nest is? most little birdies die after such a thing as getting pushed from a nest, i found one last year and sat him in a box on my porch and he eventually took off. but you need to find this bird somethig to eat, worms.. a little bread water.. he will most likely pass, but that is nature. its a creul creul world..
I think Collen is right.SO HURRY TO SAVE HIS LIVE PLEASE.
1. Put it in box with newspaper in it, in a warm place. Not a cage, but a box. he needs to feel safe, and seeing you around stresses him. Cover the box with a wired thing, like a shelf from your fridge.
2. To give him some water, take a wet cotton piece or an eyedropper and carefully drop a few drops on his nostrils. They lead to the inside of his beak, so you will probably see him swallow. Don't drop anything other than water through the nostrils though, you don't want to block them.
3. To feed him, take some kitten dry food and soak it in water. when it is soft, mash it and put it in a syringe, without a needle. Then try to open the bird's nose quite wide and put the food with the syringe deep into his mouth, not in the beek, but deep. Careful, don't choke him though.
4. ATTENTION: In order to do all that feeding etc, the bird must be quite lively. You can't feed a bird that is almost passed out, you'll choke him. he needs to be a bit revived first, with some water and a nice sleep. It is hard to care for a baby bird, it needs special care. If you have a wildlife rescue centre in your area call them. Good luck.
most birds can not be feed by humans it just really isnt a good idea, Take the baby and put it back in the nest, it is an old woves tale that the mother wont care for it if you touch it.
You will not be able to feed the birds on your own. It is extremely hard and illegal. Call around to vets in your area and ask if they have a number for a wildlife rehabilitator. Most big animals hospitals will, or can direct you to who does have the number.

This bird best chance is with a trained professional who is knowledgeable in the care of orphaned and abandoned birds. Also the mother not accepting it back is a myth, I remember hearing once it was made up to keep people from poking their noses where they did not belong(ie-bothering mother birds)

In the mean time put it in a box, heating pad underneath, towels and then call around.

Good luck
You should never attempt to feed or give water to a baby. They breath through a hole on their tongue and by dropping things in there you are aspirating them. Which means you are putting food and water into their lungs. Its only a matter of time before you kill him. Please find a licensed rehabilitator and give him a real chance to live. If you are interested in taking care of baby birds I suggest you ask them about volunteering so you can help and learn to do things properly.

www.wildliferehabber.org
or
www.wildliferehabber.com
If at ALL possible, but the bird back in the nest for the parents to care for. This is it's best chance of survival. If you absolutely cannot find or reach the nest even with a ladder you should get his chick to a wildlife rehab in your area.
Well, if it is almost dead, it will probably die. Just put it back in its nest. Birds will attack and neglect defective offspring. Birds cannot smell well and can't possibly pick up on the human scent. The parents will either take care of the bird or reject it because of defects in which the bird will not survive under any circumstances. It is survival of the fittest. This life is in Nature's hands, not ours. Have a great day and know that death is not the worst fate of living things including us.

Help! My shih tzu has red stuff under her eyes?


Answers:
Are you sure it's not tear stains? My shih tzu appears to have redness on her fur but it comes from tear stains.
I think you have this question in the wrong section. If you move it to the dog area, you will probably get more answers. Word of advice!! :)
it's probably tear stains. Mine had the same. They should sell cleansers for the eye area at your local pet shops. It will help.

HELP! my shafttail finches just had babies this morning!?

how can i know that the parents are feeding them and what should i feed them (other than meal worms and veggies that i do already feed them)? should i put a heat lamp near the cage? i live in so cal so the temp outside is nice. just any advice...there are more eggs. also i have heard of society finches as fosters how will i know that i need to take over if need be?
Answers:
ok, well let me give you a quick biology class. Bird do not have babies like mammals, they lay eggs.
You didnt say if you had them in a breeding box or not. Its just a wooden box with a hole really and if they are in it you dont need a heat lamp their parents will take care of them. My Cockateils raised their babies on their normal food but at a larger amount. When they get older you can give them these pellest from the pet food store, they will be with the normal food. They are little brown pellets that you can either give to them dry or add a little water for easier eating. Birds are good parents and the only time there would be need to intervien would be if they have too many.
First off, LEAVE THEM ALONE.
Do not be sticking your nose in there every ten minutes trying to see what they are doing.
Do not provide any source of extra heat.
Do not change anything in the cage set up.
And from what your feeding now do not change.
The birds have gone to nest assuming the food source they have now is fine for raising young.
Any changes made could effect them and stop them from feeding.

Help! My cockatiel is losing feathers!?

underneath my cockatiels crest, he is losing feathers! what is happening? will they grow back? i tried separating him from the other cockatiel but he still seems unhealthy.
WHAT DO I DO?
Answers:
All of my birds are in their spring molt right now, and it sounds like yours is too. Either that, or you've just discovered the natural bald spot that all 'tiels have. As long as he's just dropping feathers normally, and not plucking himself bald (which he couldn't do on his head) he's probably okay. Check to see if there are little pin feathers emerging from his skin - they look like small, pointy quills. Eventually, these grow out and open into replacement feathers.

My only concern is that you said he seems unhealthy. Without more information about his symptoms, other than feather loss, I can't guess what else might be wrong.
perhaps because of MOLTING or he's STRESSED, don't worry feathers WILL grow back soon. give him more nutritious food and water to get him healthy.
i know this,,i had a parrot once totally vicious,,,anything you put in the cage with him ,he killed it,,,i put a vulture in with him and the following morning the parrot was totally bald and the vulture lying dead in the cage,i said what the hell and the parrot said sorry had to take my coat off to that one.
sorry couldnt resist the flippancy to a serious question
sounds like stress my cockatiel had the same. please ring your vet or an expert in looking after these birds.

I wish i could advise more but i was only young when i had mine. As he has a companion i dont think its depressed -does he get on with his
companion?

It could be mites !
I strongly advise taking him to an avian vet. You cannot 'see' a bird on these forums.

check www.budgieworld.net
is he pulling them out if so you cant do anything its a habbit they pick up an they dont stop,mabe its just mallting
Hi definitely sounds like mites so spray him/her for that. Never tickle a bird as most birds lose feathers on their head and chest where caged birds put there heads down for a stroke never go up as they will lose there feathers and they do not grow again just stroke down lightly.
Sounds like he's moulting.They do that a couple of times a year.New feathers will replace the ones he loses.

If he develops visible bald patches though take him to a vet as that isn't normal.

HELP! I"m keeping an orphaned baby gosling and dont know how to take care of it. HELP!?

I live by a lake and found this adorable little gosling. I know that its a canadian because thats all we have around here. I'm guessing it's under a week old because It only has a few feathers. But I have NO idea wat to feed it, what kind of beding it needs, if i should let it swim, ect. PLEASE HELP!!!
Answers:
Determine its age. Does it have feathers?

If not and you know where the nest is located, replace the hatchling in the nest. The parents will take it from there.
If it is feathered and not obviously injured (broken wing, leg, etc.), clear all pets and children away from the fledgling and observe it for an hour. Chances are the parents will return for it. They may be waiting until all the hoopla has died down before approaching the youngster.

I tried all that, I don't know where the nest is and/or the parents haven't returned. What do I do now?

Carefully pick up the baby and put it immediately in a small cardboard box or plastic food container large enough for the bird to stand up in or move around a bit. (Try to have the container ready before you pick up the bird; this will reduce stress on the animal.) Use facial tissue, toilet tissue or paper toweling for padding and cover the container LOOSELY with a towel leaving a small gap at the edge for good air circulation. Place the box in a warm, QUIET area of the house and call your local wildlife rehabilitation center (see below) for further instructions. Do not offer the bird food or water until you have spoken with them and avoid peeking at or disturbing the bird.

Well, I think this baby I found is a duck. Do I do the same thing?

Absolutely. Always observe a young waterfowl before picking it up. These birds are doting parents and will respond to a lost offspring. They do know how many babies they have. Because of this, they'll backtrack until they find the errant youngster. If you listen, you'll hear the duckling/gosling calling for its parents.
If you're sure the duckling/gosling is an orphan, follow the same steps as above. Place it in a padded box/container, covered with a towel, and put it in a warm, QUIET place. You'll want to use a deeper container for ducklings as they will jump. Immediately call your local rehabilitation center for further instructions.

Tips on Capturing Wildlife For Transfer to a Rehabilitator

If you spot an animal, particularly a young or juvenile animal, that appears to be deserted or in difficulty, do not catch it right away. Take 20 minutes or so to observe it's behavior.

In the case of a young or juvenile animal, it may simply be waiting for a parent to return. Remember, adult animals will often leave their young to hunt for food and truurn within a short period of time to feed/care for the offspring.

If you believe the animal is injured, call a rehabilitation center near you BEFORE you pick up the animal. Injured wild animals can be dangerous and need special handling. Keep an eye on its whereabouts and describe its condition to the rehabilitator you reach on the phone. They will give you the proper course of action to take for that particular animal.

If, however, you are unable to reach a rehabilitation center for advice, a good rule of thumb is to wear appropriate clothing and safety equipment. use common sense: if the animal has teeth (like raccoons, opossums), a sharp beak or talons (like hawks), wear gloves and eye protection. Place an injured animal in a covered box (with air holes punched in it), and keep it in a warm, QUIET place. Do not try to administer first aid, offer food or water to the animal, and avoid lifting the lid to check on its condition. The less it sees of you, the less stress it will experience, and the better its chances for recovery will be. Call a rescue/rehabilitation center or, if you're traveling, deliver it to the nearest rehabilitation center, Fish %26 Wildlife office, or police station. In most cases, these people will be able to direct the animal to an appropriate rehabilitator.

Remember, most species of birds are protected and therefore it is not legal to keep them unless you are licensed to do so. Beyond the legalities, these animals require specialized care and diets to grow up healthy and strong. It's important to turn them over to an experienced person as soon as possible.
In most areas, Wildlife Rehabilitation is governed by Fish %26 Wildlife or Wild Game agencies. Although some areas do not have established shelters for wild animals, there are rehabilitation individuals who provide home care. Again, Fish %26 Wildlife offices, humane societies, animal control agenies, and often state or local police will be able to provide you with phone numbers and/or addresses.
One day that ugly duckling might become a swan! Good luck.
ah! bad thing! you should have left it. geese are very viscious, like swans. the bite, snap and hiss. i think you should call an expert.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art3...
i will research it 4 u!! brb


P.S i heart animals!! good luck!!
It's probably illegal for you to have this animal, just so you know. You need to get in touch with a wildlife rehabilitator in your area. He or she is licensed by your state to care for and hopefully release orphaned and injured animals and has all the necessary resources to do so. I STRONGLY encourage you to call as soon as you can!
call the DNR and have it sent to a wild life rehab station.
for now, i would buy birdseed and breadcrumbs, but I would research this and find out what they feed on naturally. You could bring it to a nature center, but they'd probably take it away from you.
some pet food suppliers will sell "duck feed" which although probably isn't optimal...i think its a start...

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distributio...
has some tips..

When my brother had a pet duck he used to feed it a bit of cooked steamed rice...you don't want to just give it rice because it would be malnutritioned- but its a way to buy you some time to figure out how to take care of it.

When we raised chickens in class - we'd feed them crumbled hard boiled eggs (yes I know- canablism...but if you think about it- eggs are rich in the nutrients and proteins they needed to grow up- it should be a very rich and ample starting feed)

I hope that helped somewhat- I'd call your local vet and ask as soon as you are able.

And just because its cute...doesn't mean its legal for you to keep it or care for it...you might need some kind of license depending on local laws...i'd contact a wildlife center and figure out what you can do.
For now, let it eat some bread. Go to a feed store and buy it some mash, or cracked corn, and of course water to drink. Don't worry, geese like to eat grass too. I raised geese before and it is easy.
Another thing you ought to do if it is really tiny, is boil some water and fill a mason jar with it ,and then close the lid and put that next to it in the box. It is warm and like a mother and will help it sleep. also change the papers periodically.
I hope the thing grows up, because if you set it free, it may leave and come back to visit you many years to come. Any bird will.
I would check with a wildlife specialist, they can tell you what you need to do. Just a word of caution, it may be illegal for you to keep it, they may take it to raise.
as the bed, use an old basket and put a blanket in it
feed it wet bread (take half a piece of bread and get it wet feed it to it)
give it another box which is 1/3 full of water so it can swim
and you think about it
Get this bird to a wildlife rehab for it's best chance of survival. It is illegal for you to have a wild bird in your possession.
The problem with raising a single gosling is they imprint on people real easy. Unless you plan to keep the gosling for its entire life then you need to take it to someone who will raise it with other geese. Otherwise he will think your his parents and when you go to set him free he will be lonely and miserable. For how imprinting works check out this site

www.thegoosesmother.com

Help! I need a formula recipe stat!! D:>?

I found a baby bird today and I attempted to feed him via a sryinge and mushy worms. He ate ok, but I don't know how many more I'll be able to find and he needs to eat every 2 hours. Does anyone have a quick formula recipe? There's no chance of me getting to the store tonight so any help I could get would be awesome. Please help me.
Answers:
You should contact a wildlife rehabber. They will be able to identify the bird, and know what food it should be eating. Different species require different formulas depending on what they eat in the wild. If you feed the wrong formula for the species, or not often enough the bird will either not make it or wind up with serious metabolic disorders.
I don't mean to be rude I know people are trying to help, but if you feed any of the formulas listed above the bird will not thrive. Don't get me wrong, those recipes may have worked for some people or they wouldn't be on the Internet. Species like English sparrows and Starlings can do OK on formulas such as those.
To be safe like I said, I would contact a rehabber.
Try some bread until you can get to the store.
If you have any kind of powdery cereals like regular malt o meal, oatmeal, rice cereal, baby cereals. Put it in a blender and pulse it into a fine powder. If you have any applesauce, add a little and add warm water to make a soft baby food the consistency of baby applesauce. Warm it to the temp that you can put your finger in it and its hot but does not burn you if you leave you finger in it to stir. Temp is appx 110 degrees. if you have a thermometer. Use this until you can get to a store. When you get to a market buy some Gerber baby cereal Oat or mixed and some baby vegetables. Try to get some commercial bird formula. Pet stores carry it. Zupreem and Exact are good common brands.
Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in your area. They are the ones with the experience to feed the baby bird properly. Also, most birds are protected under law, and it is illegal to have most birds unless you are a licensed rehabber.
http://www.petplace.com/birds/guide-to-r...



Baby Bird Food
Categories: Make | Your | Own

Serves: 1 Servings

Ingredients:
1 cn Ken-L Ration dog food
1 Hard-boiled egg; mashed
2 tb Hi-Protein baby cereal

Instructions:
Mix well. Form into rather large pellets (the size of a raisin). Offer to
birds every half hour, feeding as much as they will take each time. Mixture
may be refrigerated. Offer water from medicine dropper, but very little is
needed and should be given carefully to avoid aspiration into lungs causing
pneumonia. It is next to impossible to overfeed.

Note: It is illegal in most states to cage most wild baby birds, but this
food may save them until they can be released.

Recipe by: When Fall From A Nest.

HELP! i HAVE 22 DAY OLD CHICKS THAT ARE GETTING STUCK IN SHELL. WHAT CAN I DO?

PLEASE GIVE ME SOME HELP ON WHAT I CAN DO TO HELP THEM OUT.
Answers:
What do you mean by stuck in shell. They can't hatch or they are stuck to the inside of shell side. if they can't get out and they have already created a hole in the egg or cracked it all the way around you can assist. If it has not be 48 hours since the hole in side was created. Then they still are working on it. candle one egg and see if they are pecking at the shell or if you don't know how to do that put one up to your ear and see if you here a little knocking sound. If it has been more than 48 hours and the chicks are still not out what I do is break gently making sure if you see any blood you stop immediately. starting with the air cell area that way I can see more of what is really going on. Then you can continue if there is no blood and you can see the chick is alive and ok start slowly breaking away shell. put back in incubator often to keep warm. work in a warm room. take your time once you have broken into the air cell they are not going to die right away if you don't finish immediately. keep going slowly. If you can see they are stuck to the shell then, slowly peel away the outer shell then with real warm water about as warm as your hand can comfortably take, use you finger and wet each area slowly. do not pour water on them. just start peeling slowly away as it loosens. Again make sure it has been at least 48 hours since they pipped the shell. The days don't matter as much when incubated because if you had the temp to low it can create a slow incubation period meaning, they could be 2 or 3 days late. If you did not turn the eggs when they were incubating, they might not make it through this process. Remember once you start helping them through this process you have to stay with it and finish. If it has been under 48 hours be sure you have the humidity in the incubator at 90% and let them go. They take time to hatch this is a very tiring job.

Good Luck
Just let them do their thing. They will make it. Getting out of their shell is their first challenge in life. If you help them they might die so just let them go and if need be the mom will help them
as they start to brake shell very carefully help to brake there shell open you my need tweezers to do it
This is a very delicate situation. Surf www.birdsnways.com they should have some details. Up the humidity in the room any way you can ASAP and give those babies some moisture. If you have no other way, then just gently mist the outside of their nest box with water, but don't soak it. If it's too late this time then next time the birds breed and lay increase the humidity in the room so the membranes in the eggs are not so dry and stick to the babies. I have a cool mist humidifier that I bought from Home Depot and I use it at 55% for the whole room. It is possible too that the shells are a little too thick and that is parent caused by calcium stores and diet. Good luck.
Are they in an incubator? Or are they parent raised?

If they are parent raised, totally leave it alone ...

If there are medium squeeks, cracks and early discoloration: too soon

Loud squeeks: Crack line around circumference, creamy patches, moist membrane ... normal hatching

Loud squeeks: Crack like around circumference, creamy patches, dried membrane ... assist

Loud squeeks" Large hole, drying membrane ... assist
Well if the eggs were not turned three times a day everyday until three days before hatch they will be crippled but if they were turned you need to be sure that chick has sucked in the egg sack in the anul area. Also make sure the inside of the egg shell is dry and you cant see any blood and then your able to help it out. Sometimes the chicks need help getting out but open it up until one of the legs is out and then it should be able to get out on its own.

Help! how do i take care of a hatching robin egg?


Answers:
Break it open!!
You will need to clock on it!
keep it warm!!!!!
WARMTH!!
you cant. you can try but it wont work just keep it warm and make sure it has Light on it 24/7 like a heat lamp.
they make incubators for bird eggs to keep them warm, i dont know what the ideal temp for a robin would be though
How did you come across it?
Research on the internet or take it to an animal rescue centre to someone who knows what they are doing.
and just what do you propose to feed it. you realize that hatchlings will only eat what mama has regurgitated? I tried to hatch a robin egg when I was a kid. It hatched and then we watched it die because we could not get it to eat. Just thought ya ought to know.
I am sorry to tell you but your chances are very remote.My wife has raised almost every kind of baby animal we ever had but the baby birds always die.
Baby birds only eat chewed regurgitated food. Don't try to give the baby bird bugs, no matter how small they are. Bird can't chew. make sure that it is always warr. See if there are any websites that offer tips. But don't be surprised if the baby bird won't make it, for it is very difficult for it to survive without the proper care of its mom. just be patient
The best thing you can do for the baby bird is put it back in its nest. It is not true that adult birds will not take care of young that have been touched by humans. It's a myth. If you know where the nest is and it's accessible then you should try and put it back. Watch to see if the parents come back. They probably will especially if there are other birds in the nest.

If this is not possible, try looking for wildlife rehabilitation centers in your area, or call your state game warden's office. A vet may also be able to help, especially if you find one that specializes in birds.
Take it a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, you will never keep it alive.

www.wildliferehabber.com

www.wildliferehabber.org

It is also very illegal for you to have the bird in your possession.

HELP! A bird nest with eggs is in my hand...?

Okay, I was hiking in the woods (i live in south wisconsin) , i tripped and fell, broke open a log, and found a bird nest made of gray fluff, bits of dead grass/leaves.. eggs about 2 cms long, cream with brown speckles.. we took the nest (there was a raccoon nearby) and we have it under a lamp... please help, what should i do?
Answers:
You should have repaired the damage and left it there. But, you can't do that now can you? So lets say you have the most miraculous luck and the eggs hatch, you successfully feed them but what do you have. Birds that imprinted on humans and will not survive in the wild. You should have left them there and the raccoon would have had some food.

Generally if you come across an egg that has fallen from a nest and unbroken you should try to place it back in the nest. If you come across a baby bird that is out of the nest you should leave it as most likely it is fledging and tried to fly. It will try again and eventually fly off.
keep them warm.
unfortunately, there is not much you can do really, since you have disturbed the nest, there is a good chance the parents will reject it.

The best thing to do is to keep it warm, about 100 degrees. Call a local animal shelter, they can tell you what, if anything, you can do, and perhaps get you in contact with someone who specializes in wild birds. Taking care of wild bird chicks is best left to professionals

If you find a bird nest, you should never, under any circumstances, disturb it. Best thing to do might've been to chase off the raccoon..

Good luck,
~Soylent Yellow
You may have wanted to leave it be. The mother normally would return to continue to sit on her eggs till they hatch.
If you touched the eggs, she would smell the human scent and not return.

Since you did take the nest, try placing it under a heat lamp and hope for the best. You may get lucky,and the eggs will hatch!

You can also call your local zoo or bird sanctuary in your area. They may take the nest and know exactly what to do. Then maybe you can go and visit the birds!

Help! My husband found baby birds!?

My husband found a birds nest that fell out of a tree. I don't know anything about birds. What can we do to keep the babies from dying? Please help!
Answers:
aww how cute, well feed them baby formula in stores now.
Also keep them in a warm climate with food water and their favorite food
Acually, take them to a refuge, or the veteranarian. Sadly, when a mother rejects their babies from the nest, it usually means that they won't survive long or they have a disease of some sort.
Good luck!
- Naturegirl098
If it is at all possible try to put the nest back in the tree. Contrary to rumor, the birds will recognize the babies and continue to nurture them. It would be very very hard for you to take care of the babies especially if they are very young. If you think the parents are alive try to put the nest back in the tree. If you can't, the parents will hear the babies and take care of them on the ground but the worry would be whether or not they are safe from predators there. If you can't put it up and can't secure the area you should call a local wildlife shelter and ask for advice or whether they can take the birds as they will be more equipped and experienced with rehabilitating birds. There are baby bird foods available at most pet stores but you have to be careful if you decide to feed the babies yourself. The food has to be between 103 and 104 degrees farenheit. Any higher can burn the bird's tongue and crop and kill it, lower it will not eat or digest properly. The bird also has two throat holes, the one on the left is correct, the one towards the middle if you put food in it could kill the bird. You also need to be able to feel the birds crop (a sac on the top of its chest where it holds the food) to see whether it is full or not. Anyways, put them back if you can, if not call a wildlife rescue! Hope that helps!
Contact a local animal shelter or a veterinary hospital. They should either be able to take the babies or know of someone who does wildlife rehabilitation.
Follow the directions above (rehab or vet), or call your local ASPCA or police non-emergency number, and have them direct you to someone who can help.

Don't attempt to keep the birds on your own, most species of bird are protected by law, and you can end up in a heap of trouble, if you're caught with them.
The moma bird will take care of the babies Evan if they are on the ground, but if you have already taken them away you need to get some worms and pure them and use a med. syringe to feed them or find someone who raises birds and take them to them.
Try to put it up a bit higher away from cats etc but birds really often dye from stress, I took a chick home before thinking I had done the right thing and it died. The mum will either come back and care for them but to be honest I think the outlook will be bleak. Try your local rescue centre and they may advice you. Good luck and I hope all is well x
Take a cool whip container and use rubber gloves to fix the nest. Make sure you don't touch with your bare skin!
Go to a craft store and purchase some green florist's wire, and use it to reattach the nest to the tree branch. The parents will find the nest and continue to raise the chicks if you do this soon enough.
If you've taken on the responsibility for keeping these birds alive (the mother has rejected them), there are a few things you can do.
I was in a similar situation, but only one baby mockingbird survived the storm that knocked out the nest. The vet told me to keep them comfortably warm.
For food: raw hamburger meat mixed with bread in the form of tiny worms. This resembles the regurgitated food that the mother would bring to the baby. He also suggested an eye dropper to give them a tiny amount of water after the food if they struggle with it. The babies should just open their mouths skyward and cry for food when they're hungry, which will be just about every hour or so. A baby bird is supposed to eat 4 times its weight daily.
Just so you know, if these birds still have tubes on their feathers, they will pick them off themselves. And if a leg looks hurt, usually they heal themselves.
My little mockingbird made it and finally flew off. He was a little more scraggly than the other mockingbirds because he didn't get exactly what he needed in terms of nutrients, but he stayed near the home and actually came back and "visited" the next year, flying into (inside) my home and then flying out and hanging on the clothesline for awhile.
So, it IS possible if you want to try to help these poor guys out, but only do this as a LAST RESORT. You want to get the mother to take these guys back if at all possible.
Also, if you do this, make sure you speak to a vet or an area expert on birds (a pet shop may have a number of a bird breeder) who can give you more expert advice.
Remember, handle them as little as possible when they're in your care. They can make it outside, but you want them to remain as wild as possible!
Birds really dont ahve that great of a sense of smell. placing the nest back into the tree is the best option. If not place the nest in a berry bascket (or just any small basket). If there is no nest, make some out of grass ripped from the yard (no mud). Tie that into the tree. ussually the parents will come back.

Or find a wildlife rehabilitator.

If you decide to feed the birds yourself, PLEASE feed them carefully. dont force feed them! There is an area looking like a hole at the base of their "tongue" that is BEFORE their throat entrance. Avoid that hole at all cost as it goes tot heir lungs!

here is a GREAT link on EASY ways to feed birds. My favorite is the one where the gentlemad used baby bottle nipples.

http://flatratewebsites.com/phpbb2/viewt...

This link has aother links that show the feeding methods.

(note the photos of when the "crop is full." make sure it empties once a day before feeding again. if the "crop is hard" give water (bottled with no chlorine). It should feel soft, not hard. Also, dont over feed!!!)

I you know what kind of bird they are, research what they eat if you are making a home based formula. if not, try to get kaytee exact bird formula (pets supplies plus carries it. call any pet shop!)

good luck!

Help with taming cockatiel?

Hey, please only give professional help, okay?
I've got a cockatiel now, and I've had him for over 4 years. I never managed to tame him, but I would really like to. I've got another, younger cockatiel that I HAVE tamed, and the two live in the same cage.
My older cockatiel is really nice. He's smart and witty, and he likes to explore. We let them both out in the sunroom almost daily, and he'll come back into the cage when we put them away. If I put my finger in the cage, he'll even nibble at it curiously.
But whatever I do, I can't seem to get close enough to touch him, or convince him to stand on my finger. I've tried just about everything. What can I do??
Answers:
One method – clip his wings. If you’ve never done it before, I’d highly recommend taking him in to a professional first (many avian vets will do this). Be sure not to clip too many or too close. You want to allow him enough lift to still be able to gently glide 15-20 feet, not drop like a rock.

Pros – He will have to learn to trust your finger as a perch since he won’t have the option of flying off on his own.

Cons – This can lead to other destructive behavior and habits he might not have presently (feather plucking, over preening, self mutilation).

Unless you clip both birds, this can create an imbalance of power among the two… which can lead to unforeseen behaviors in both birds.

If someone were to break both your feet and you ended up in a wheel chair for a few months, how would you feel? Don’t think it will be any different for you bird. The same psychological trauma of being dependent on someone else and unable to get around on your own will all apply. It’s one thing if the bird has never learned to fly; it’s another to steal it away from them.

Think like a bird.

There are a couple of ways you can try.

Out of the cage:
When you see him, offer him his favorite treat, but ONLY when you spend time with him, not as part of his meal or hanging in his cage.
Let him come to you for the treats.
Start by giving it directly to him, and then move slightly farther away each day so that he has to come to you.
In time he’ll learn that you = treats!

In the cage:
Keep his cage below eye level.
Spend time around him, but not directly with him.
Bring the cage inside and place him near you when you sit down to watch TV, read the newspaper or a book, etc.
If you can’t bring him in, then set a chair next to his cage and do the same thing.
Let him get accustomed to you being in a very close proximity, without “harassing” him in the safety of his cage.

Just remember patience and routine are essential. Do the same thing every day for set amounts of time. Birds can’t be forced to do something they don’t want, but they can be convinced to do something you both want. Between both of those, he’ll be comfortable around you and learn that you’re a good thing. With enough patience he might willingly fly down to you and land on you in time.
It is too late to tame a 4 yr old if there were not tame before. If they do not have the basis when they are young, you can never really tame him. He may eventually go on your finger just to follow the other bird, but you will not be able to pet him.

I have a male right now that was hand tame until 1 yr old, and then his next owner did nothing with him for a year. Then I get him at two years- bits so hard the wound drips blood for a half hour. After 7 months, he will now follow me on to my finger, but ONLY if the other bird is out. If I go to get him first, he will attack.

If he did not have that basic, instinctual "step up" command from when he was a baby, I know that I would never have been able to get him to step on my finger.
Here's a couple if tips. 1)Be sure your,cage is lower then eye level. This tells them you are head bird in charge!!. 2) Make sure wings are clipped properly. Be sure to check for blood feathers, DO NOT CUT THOSE!!! Clipping wings tends to calm them considerably.
Now, everyday try to get him to sit on you finger. Place your finger long ways against his chest and say up, forcing them to step up or tilt backwards. Do not jerk your finger away, even if bitten. Showing no fear is a very helpful tool. Practice this daily, one day it will work.

PS- It is NEVER too late to train a bird. I aquired a 22 year old wild caught Blue and God Macaw, she had been badly abused on top of being wild caught. I have her now 16 years, and is better behaved now then my handfeds!!! She is 38 yeras old, and learning new things everyday! Fowl mouth chicken!!
Both my parrots are store bought and they are both awesome birds, so I can't fault you for buying from a store.

I just want to add that if you follow all this advice and he still doesn't want to hop on your hand, so what? You still have an awesome little buddy who is happy and loves you, even if he doesn't think of you as a mobile tree. Love him for what he is and you will have a friend for a long time.

HELP WITH A DUCKLING please!!!?

A duck had layed 13 eggs in my backyard and this morning they hatched! However, there is one egg left and the mother got out of here before that final egg hatched. What can/should I do with this one? The pond the mother went to is not far away (I had to stop traffic on a moderately busy road for them to cross) so should I leave the egg alone or try to reunite them?
Answers:
Well nature has it's wise ways, so that egg is probobly dead or a dud or something. If yoou want you can see if there is anything inside the egg. Here is how: Put a flashlight under the egg to see inside! Go to: http://www.ricecrc.org/reader/poultry/du...

Otherwise I would just leave it alone.
Scrambled eggs with bacon.
The mother might be back, but unless you have kept the egg warm, it probably wont hatch, it might even just be an egg that didn't develop properly. My best bet would to take it somewhere where there is an incubator, and let them try to hatch it.

hope i helped! ^-^
if the egg did not hatch it is infertile. You should leave it alone for another animal to eat but nothing will come out of it.
pick up the egg and throw it away It is mostly rotten and all that is to hatch has done came out. She knows when to come off the nest, And the one egg is no good
if she left the egg unattended it has probably cooled down and the duckling inside would have died
i would get rid of it before it starts to stink
More than likely, that egg will not hatch anyway. The mama duck will sit on the nest until all that are going to hatch do so.or at least the majority of the time she will. If the other ducklings were all dried and ready to follow mom out into the world, they have ben hatched already for quite some time.

Good job getting the rest of the duck family safely to the pond, though. : )
its probably dead otherwise the mother wouldnt leave
I think that since the momma duck left that egg that it is probably not alive. You should either try and get rid of it or just leave it.

HELP parrot got attact by a fox and his claw has come off!!?

My parrot was out side in his cage yesterday and a fox came along and tried to attact him. he obviously caught him cause there was blood all over his foot.
i noticed the claw was also missing (i have just found it out side)
his foot is pretty swollen and looks a bit raw. what i want to know is will his claw grow back?
the inside part is still there, this is where im assuming most of the blood came from. my parrot is not friendly enough to let him touch him so i cannot inspect him to find out if he has other wounds.
so does anyone know if his claw will grow back?
Answers:
i would suggest taking him to the vet so he can be checked properly especially if you cant examine him he might have injuries you can see
His claw will not grow back. You need to get him to a vet as it could get infected. Your parrot is quite lucky to have survived!
Take it to the vets and get some antibiotics , foxes carry a lot of nasty deceases !!
Take him to the vet or you are looking at certain death. Why would anyone leave a parrot outside unattended? Shame on you... now get him to the vet before the infection of the wound kills him.
Hi. If your bird's foot looks sore, you should take him to an Avian Vet. He might get an infection, and that could be fatal for him.

If your bird survives his ordeal, you may want to consider being a little more careful in the future, by not leaving him unsupervised and vulnerable to predators.
take him to the vet for a good check up . might need an injection . poor little parrot . best to do it quickly as could get an infection . ah bless
Take him to the vet immediately.infection could set it and you owe it to the bird ..you NEVER leave a parrot outside unattended. Please care enough for him to take him to the vet before he loses his foot from some infection..maybe you can prevent this...
I assume you are in the UK. I looked up two avian vets for you. It is worth while to take him to an AVIAN vet instead of a regular one because they specialize in parrots.

Stephen Bamber
43 Birches Lane
Kenilworth, CV34 6PT
Phone: 01926 854181

Simon Girling
6 London Road
Andover, SP10 2PH
Phone: 01263 352 323

I don't know how bad the foot is damaged but if his claw is all the way off the tissue is probably damaged enough that it will never grow back. To stop the bleeding you should use pressure to the area to enhance the chance of the blood to clot. Flour can also help.

Put him in a carrier with a towel and keep him warm and still. Avoid putting water in the carrier until you get him to the vet as it could spill.

You are required to get him to the vet within 12 hours as he may have broken bones you haven't seen and he will need to be on an antibotic.
You must take him to an avian vet asap, he could get an infection that could kill him.

Help on parakeets?

why everytime when I buy two different genders of parakeets they never have babies or nothing?
Answers:
They're either in poor breeding condition, which would make sense with some pet stores with shabby standards of care, and/or you're not giving them the proper breeding conditions.

In my opinion, if you're asking this question, you seriously should not try to breed them.
You need to put wine in their water dish and lower the lighting...put them in the mood.
i have two parekkets and they did not lay eggs and i had ,y parekkets for long! it is becasue you have to wait till it lays eggs you cant force it to lay the eggs! Do not keep on buying parekkets ors they will never lay eggs!

good luck!
Are you sure you are being sold two different genders?
If they are of different genders, the color surrounding the beak area will be lighter or darker depending on gender.
Sometimes people at the pet store do not know for sure either. Sorry i could not help more. Good luck...
Try putting a nesting box up for them and see then if they have babys.
if you've just gotten the birds they are probably too young. also they won't breed with each other just because they are opposite genders. perhaps they don't like eachother?

you shouldn't be breeding birds if you don't know what you're doing. there are too many homeless birds out there who need homes, we don't need to add to the problem.
they probably do not have the flourrcse in the female becuase that is what the male looks for.his came from a website.Why do the bird's breeding feathers flouresce? It's a sign of a healthy bird, that they have enough breeding feathers to absorb the ultraviolet rays, and also a sign of a healthy bird that they were out in the sun for a long while. Parakeets need lots of sunlight to absorb the vitamins from it.

Ms. Arnold's research therefore was to put sunblock on a bunch of parakeets, so their feathers did NOT flouresce. She found that parakeets of the opposite sex - potential mates - began ignoring the birds that had been sunblocked! So parakeets use that glow to help them determine which birds are suitable for dating. Other birds of the same sex stayed friendly, so it wasn't a "you are a bad parakeet" thing. It was a "you are not a suitable partner to raise kids with" thing.
you have to focus on their age range.

my parakeets didn't have babies after they were like 4 or 5 years old. It takes a while for them to bond completely and get used to the box. They dont know what its for at first because if you bought them at a store, all they did was play.

it takes time. make sure the nesting box is comfortable and see that they arent scared to have eggs because of their surroundings. sometimes birds dont lay eggs because they look outside their cage and see something dangerous or may be harmful to their babies, such as a dog or something. Provide them with good nesting material and put some treats in the box to lure them in. They'll eventually get used to it, but as i said, it does take a while.

Help my cockatiel?

i just got a cockatiel for mothers day and this morning when i took him out of his cage his chest was bleeding i dont know what happened i dont want him to die on me, how could have this happened, how do i get it to stop bleeding and could it be that the cage is to small i need help PLZ HELP ME TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO DO
Answers:
Ok, this just happened to my parakeet (which is very similar to cockatiels in care). I was looking for the answer online, and just went to the vet so I think I can offer you some tips:

1. Using a dry soft washcloth, gently pick up your bird from the back and hold it so you can see its chest. You can probably get a good look at what the wound looks like that way. Are the feathers sticking out by the wound? If so, the bird may be picking at it (and making it worse).

2. While holding the bird, put some flour on the wound to stop the bleeding. Also, if you can get a tissue or some gauze or something, apply some pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding (not too much pressure!).

3. IF YOU CAN, try to wrap your bird with some stretchy gauze (not too loosely, but not too tightly either). I'm sure I will get a lot of people disagreeing with this, but this is the only way you can get your bird from not picking at the wound.

You don't have to do this if you never see your bird picking on it, but remember -- they only pick at it when they're bored and doing nothing, not when there are people around. Picking on the wound will cause more blood loss, and the bird does not have that much blood so any loss can be dangerous. Another option is to just keep watching the bird and lift her beak with your nail if you see her trying to pick at the wound.

4. The next thing you really *should* do is see the vet. Why? Because you have no idea what kind of wound your bird has, and neither does the vet until he sees it. If you're short on cash, I would go during normal business hours of a regular vet clinic, not an emergency center which is more expensive.

The vet can take out any feathers in the way of the wound, clean it up, and put some kind of 'glue' on it to keep the wound shut. They also typically give an anti-inflammatory medication and also another fluid medication to help them create more blood quickly since they probably lost a good bit of blood. My bird also got one of those plastic cone-shaped collars around his neck to prevent him from reaching his chest to pick at the wound. That usually has to be kept on for at least 3 days or until the bird stops picking at his chest (if he starts to pick at it, put it back on). The wound should heal in 7-14 days, if not serious.

Remember, the injury can range from a damaged blood feather to a skin wound to a muscle wound to a broken chest bone or worse. You will never know until you see the vet. The bird has a chance to not die, but if you don't want to risk losing the bird, take it to the vet. They have payment plans, and I'm sure you can talk to them to ask any other options they have to help make it more affordable.

Hope this helps... and remember, a pet is like a member of your family, so you need to take care of it!!

:-)
Check his wings!! he may hve broken one at the base. they will bleed when this happens!! and it is like gushing...i kno previous experience. if not that go to vet immediatley!!
Check over the cage real good make sure there are no sharp edges any where. If it is still bleeding i would see a bird vet. really look it over and see if maybe it ripped out a blood feather. I dont know much about bird but i do have a cockatiel which mine broke his beak last month. I went to see the vet . because with a bird ya just never do know what to do.
I know by me it only cost about 50 dollars to see a bird vet . they should be able to help you.
Good luck
.to stop a bleeding bird use flour on the wound then take to vet to be checked over.I have a cockatiel and a B%26G macaw and thats how we stop bleeding when we have nothing else.
once you've gotten the bleeding to stop your guy should be ok. just lightly pack the spot with the flour. some birds are clumsey or get a little nervous in a new place and thrash at night and hurt themselves. a bigger cage is really not that expensive. usually you can find one for under $60 bucks. If your not covering the cage at night with a light sheet the bird could've gotten spooked by a shadow at night and caused him to fall and cut himself.

Also make sure you are feeding enough seed, fresh water and fruits and vegi's.
Use Corn Starch or Flour!!! If he is letting you do what you have to do he must be ok. IF you want to call a vet and ask for advise or explain that you cant afford it, if they are nice, the will charge you less. I REALLY hope he is ok.


PS: Im sorry, i cant think of WHY his chest is bleeding.


- Cockatiel Expert.
OK peeps, word of advice here, covering the cage at night with a SHEET is not doing you any good. If you can hold it up to the light and see the light through it, it don't do your bird any good. Use something that you can't see through. The point of covering your bird is to give it the 12 hours needed to sleep.

Cockatiels have, what is called night frights. Something like nightmares, in the middle of the night. They wake up, and don't know where they are and thrash about the cage, and break blood feathers in their wings and base of their tales. These are the main blood supply feathers, like veins are to us. Using flour or corn starch are good sources in clotting the blood, but pressure must be applied along with them.

If this fails, you must pull the blood feather out. Keeping pressure at the site where the feather goes into the skin, a pair of needle nose pliers on the feather, and pull the feather out steady. Once the feather is out, apply pressure at the point where the feather came out on the skin, and things should be fine. Mind you, this can not be done to often, or scar tissue builds up and no more feathers can come in that spot anymore.

Word to the wise, Never fully cover your bird cage. Leave the front open about 3 inches. It gives the bird a chance to see if any noises pop up in the middle of the night, and less night frights happen. Always keep a night light on for your bird. Total darkness causes more broken blood feathers and more night frights in cockatiels!

Good Luck!
When my cockatiel has bleeding wing when she falls off her perch because of the stupid vet cut the flight feather too short 9 years ago I put watered down detol on it and I then put presure on it to stop bleeding

I think you should hold him and move the feathers round to see where the bleeding is and see if there is anything in there. Wipe it with watered down detol, then hold the chest down with your hand or a cloth.
It sounds like ur bird busted open his breast bone. You need to take him to the vet. If the cage is too small that is likely the reason he busted it open. Having an animal is a responsibilty you shouldn't take lightly. If you don't have the money to take care of it properly then you should re-think weather or not you should have taken the animal in the first place. Take the baby to the Vet!!
I had a cockatiel for 25 yrs. They are very sensitive to their surroundings, new place, new people, new diet other pets, etc. I don't know why his chest would be bleeding unless 1. He is bored or has anxiety. They will pick out the feathers if stressed. Or 2. My bird had what they call blood feathers. The quill of the feather starts bleeding and you have to find which feather it is and pull it directly out. The bleeding will stop. This is what killed my bird. I had been at work and when i got home there was blood all over the cage. I took him out and he lay in my hand and died. Most likely had lost too much blood. Blood feathers have to be pulled out or they will keep bleeding.

HELP ME!! I have a blue crown conure who had his wings clipped who was out on my deck and disappeared.?

He flew away last year but when I called his name he would answer- we got him back after 24 hours of following him around the woods--today- no return call to me- I searched for over 3 hours and cannot find him---any suggestions or help please?
Answers:
Put up ads, posters, and place calls to humane societies and rescues to keep an eye out for him, tell people what he responds to, if he's friendly or approachable, and most importantly to getting him back: OFFER A REWARD. However, do NOT specify the amount of the reward. A reward is incentive to return the bird, but by setting a solid number on how much you'll give, some may choose to keep him anyway.

In the meantime, leave his cage outside with lots of food, call his name, make the sound of his normal food. If and when you find him, in the future, please do not rely on recall alone. Some birds have very reliable recall, others may not, and they all have their own free will to choose not to answer to it. The unpredictability of animals isn't worth the risk, and clipped or unclipped, any bird can pick up a breeze and fly miles away. Invest in a travel cage for going outside or a harness/foot harness/flight suit to ensure he doesn't escape again!

My thoughts are with you!
i'm on a plane now on my way to look for him
You say he has clipped wings...did you check the floor?
It was eather stolen or ran away
Depending on where you live a snake, or a bird of prey such as a hawk or owl could have gotten him. Sorry you lost him Please let me know if he returns.
all you can do is place his cage outside with ALOT food on the floor ..HJope that he will see this and come to eat ..We lkost a quaker and he came back 6 hours latter for FOOD .. place an ad in the paper someone will find him if he don't become dinner ..He is med size parrot so he has that on his side keep going out and calling and place alot fav foods for him GOOD LUCK!!!!!!
put some of his favorite food outside so he can eat. If his wings were clipped correctly he couldnt have flown off but another animal could get him. Are you sure you checked your house good and made sure is not in the house somewhere.
Yes, don't let him out in ways that he can get away!

Help me with my zebrs finches?

I brouhgt a nest box for mt zebra finches and the female is just lieing on the top and only the male goes in there the female just stays at the top.
Wht is wrong ???
Answers:
My Zebras build their nest in the bamboo bowl like nest..and they have used a large food dish..they will nest anywhere they can when their in the mood and that seems to be all the time.
In 2 years they have laid 110 eggs.
Did you provide them with some nesting material? You can use straw, bits of yarn, cotton balls. Just make sure that the string or straw is cut into 4" peices.
Add the different materials %26 you will see them go to work on nest building.
Also, young Zebras are slow to start nest building. As the mature, they get better at it.
Perhaps there is not enough room for the female in the nest. Try placing the nesting material outside of the nest. Then the Zebra Finches will fix their nest however they like.
maybe she hostile give her time to her new surroundings

goo luck!! :p

Help me with breeding lovebirds!?!?

I just purchased a pair of Lovebirds from the local pet store. They are very bonded. I went to see them several times before I bought them, and they were always together and preening each other! I bought a nest box with them. When should I add the box? Should I wait since I am unsure of their age. Any help with this would be appreciated. I plan to hand feed the babies starting at 2-3 weeks of age. I mainly need to know when to add the box. Is there a risk of egg binding if the female is too young?
Answers:
"Yes, there is a high risk of egg binding in the female, since she's way too young to have babies, notice: lovebirds need to be at least 1 yr old to lay "fertile" eggs.

Also if you plan to hand-feed ur birds, u should probably wait until they're a bit older to add the nest box right in.

I'd say once they complete full plumage on their body would be the right time to add it in"
Just put in the box..it can't hurt!
The birds will figure things out on their own time...
don't worry
=p

Good luck!
Go ahead and put the box in so they get use to it.love birds can start laying in about a year.
Hi ,
I have a male and female and they were matched and got them from a petstore.I don't know how old they were. I enjoyed them untill one day there were 4 eggs in an extra dish on the side of the cage that I used for treats.Well Out of the four I had one that hatched and they took care of it very well. It was born in January and now is as big as the mother and dad. I told the lady at the petstore about the baby as she has many birds herself. I told her about the parents starting to chase it away from them when they are together and she told me to take it out of that cage and put it in its own. I did and it is happy.Next thing I have to do is call my vet which takes care of aviary and small animals also to find out what sex it is. So bad has to be a boy. Very playful and fun to watchPut the box in anytime. They may just lay them anywhere. Good luck with your babies.As long as the lovebirds were matched as male and female.

Help me save my ducklings, please?

I have a mixed assortment of ducklings. We have kept them inside waiting for warm weather. They are fed and watered regularly and are allow to swim often. They have done well for several weeks but in the last 3 days 4 have died. 3 found dead in the morning or afternoon when we go to refresh the water and one after swimming on the pond on a warm day. The ones that have died did show signs of being a little wobbly shortly prior to expiring. Any ideas what is causing this? What can I do to save the other duckings? How warm does it have to be before I can put them out on the pond full time?
Answers:
Are you usung medicated feed?? If you are thats your problem.
im no expert on birds of ducks (although i do know several m8s who care for them) but i think that you should let them out more often. take them to the vet and tell them what is happening, they could help, maybee even look after them for a bit to get them a bit better. just keep your chin up! no worries Hun XXXXXX
ive actually had a duck before and you know those vitamin pills for kids that they chew, crush those up and put half of the crushed up tablet in their water everyday, and make sure you bring them out once in a while, even if it means putting the box outside for about 15 min. each day so they get some sunlight. make sure not to touch it too much!! TRUST ME IT WORKS
I wish I could help. Call a vet or a farm vet.
The most common problems we have with our ducks at the sanctuary come from two things: Calcium deficiencies and bacteria. If they're young, they probably don't suffer from the first. But if they aren't...

If your ducks are female, do they lay eggs at all? Constant egg laying means they need a constant source of calcium to make up for the loss in the eggs. Calcium powder sprinkled on their food or tablets crushed and then sprinkled often work.

The problem with bacteria can't easily be solved outright but can be avoided in the long run. Bleach and then rinse their pool daily. In nature, the entire ecosystems of the ponds, lakes and streams do this naturally; in captivity, they need some help.

Also, be sure they get plenty of natural sunlight. All the drugs in the world don't always help as much as direct sunlight. They use the light to process vitamins in their systems.

Help Me Out!?

I am 10 years old and my Uncle just got me a parakeet. I know how to take care of it and all but I am just afraid. I have being dying to pet him but I just cant figure out why he is always getting ready to fly away when I open up the door into his cage. I want to know why but Its not because he wants to escape. Is it? HELP ME OUT!!!
Answers:
Your parakeet is probably afraid. Just think what it might be like for him, to be moved to a new house, a new cage, and with such big creatures as us around. I think he will learn to trust you if you are patient with him.

I know that it's hard to be patient. I was 10 years old a very long time ago, and I had a parakeet back then too. His name was Billy. He was green, and fun to play with, and he got to know everyone in my family pretty well. He let us reach in and get him out, and pet him, without trying to escape. But, it took awhile for him to get that comfortable with us.

I'd suggest you talk quietly to your parakeet. Spend time just hanging out around the cage, watching it, and talking to it. Animals don't always understand the words we are saying, but they definitely understand our feelings, and can sense what we feel toward them. Try feeding your parakeet from your hand. Anytime you reach into the cage, do it slowly and quietly. Sometimes just open the cage door, and talk to your bird. Maybe just open it a little, so he can't get out, and just keep talking to him. Then open it further and further, until you can open it all the way and he won't act too scared. Try putting your hand in very slowly, and not reaching for him. It will be hard, because you'll want so much to be able to touch him, but he needs to know that you can be trusted. The more you do this without reaching for him, the more comfortable he will get, and will know you are not trying to harm him. I bet that soon you'll be best buddies!

Birds are just naturally a little flighty. By this I mean, they fluster easily, get scared and want to fly away. It's their instincts to do that, or in the wild they would get eaten very quickly!

It's nice to see a young person who wants to take good care of a pet.

Best of luck!
Everybody wants to be free !!
Lili's answer is really good, but I would add, don't try to pet him yet!! that will just scare him more. do as lili says and build some trust, it will take some time, but since you are 10 it shouldn't take too long.

once he trusts you, your first goal should be to get the little bugger to sit on your finger. start by using a pencil (or something like it) and get him to step up onto it. you may have to gently press it against his chest just above his feet. he will get the idea. once he's used to that (and it may take a few days) try with your finger. if he's used to stepping onto the pencil this part should be easy.

you should never try to hold him until he completely trusts you, otherwise he may never trust you.

have fun with him, let him out of the cage to fly around when you are there and he will come to you. keets love attention and are great pets.
he's not used to u and thinks u might hurt it...u have to spend lots of time wit it or else it will keep running away
Aniamals can sense fear even birds..so calm down.
Next get his wings clipped..it does help.
How long have you had him? If he is a new pet..he will need time to feel comfortable with the house and the people in it.
You will have to earn his trust..give him treats..like a few cherrios..small piece of millet..so he sees you as a good thing.
Be patient.
don't rush the pretty bird! train him a little bit more..try some food in your hands and also clipping! but make sure that when you clip it do not clip too much feathers pet it everyday until it gets accustomed give it food from your hands and make it feel safe with you until it finally feels secure with you! hope this helped!

Help ID this wild bird?

My wife and I saw a bird in our backyard that we couldn't identify. It was about the same size and shape as a robin, but with a black beak, dark grey back, lighter grey breast, and a patch of black or dark brown on top of its head.

We live in northern Indiana. Anyone know what this bird is?

Thanks!
Answers:
It sounds like a Gray Catbird. Did it look like this?
http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/detai...
I know my birds in Indiana but I am not sure of this one you have described I will give you a web site that maybe helpful to you.

http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/searc...
Hi there. This bird sounds like a Black Cap. They usually spend their winters in Asia or Africa, before leaving to spend the summer in the UK. I suppose it could be one en route!
was it a catbird?
http://www.tamstuart.com/slide%20show%20...