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Help - baby bird on my balcony while on vacation - need advise

Q

Queenie60

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Ok - I am in Hawaii, baby bird on my balcony. I noticed this at 8 am. We thought it was dead so we went to breakfast, worked out, walked and came back to our room 2 hours later. Bird is now moving a little, pooping all over the place but still not moving too much. I called Wild Life Foundation in Hawaii, took photo of bird and sent a text to the person who answered the phone. She said that the bird is a finch and due to the fact that it’s not a Native bird, they are not able to help me. So.... she told me to contact the Humane Society. Well, husband and I were convinced that this bird is fledging. He’s now hopping around, trying to move it’s wings and showing signs that he’s healthy and wanting to fly. Came back from dinner and bird is now sleeping. I made a make-Shift nest with a wheat thins box, (cut top off) and a few torn tissues. Bird went into makeshift box and is sleeping. What shall I do in the morning (Friday) as we are leaving on Saturday? I need advise. If I leave the bird behind it will probably be disposed of by the hotel staff once I’m gone? Should I try to call the Humane Society to see if they will take the bird? I find this to be quite disturbing. There are many feral cats around the resort (all over the island) so I can’t leave it in a bush. The side of the property where we are staying, there are not trees against the property where I would find a nest. I am lost but can’t just ignore this situation. Any advise? Bird has feathers, I fed it some crushed up blueberry and it seemed to be very hungry. I am at a loss?
 

missy

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Oh no @Queenie60 what a terrible situation and thank you for taking the time to help this bird!

I just texted my sister and if I receive a response back in time I will share it with you.

If all else is lost I guess I would call the Humane Society and see if they could save this bird or offer you good advice. In the meantime I will let you know if I get any advice from my sister.

Good luck. Praying the bird will be OK.:pray:
 

YadaYadaYada

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I know we people who will rehabilitate wildlife in our state, I've run into them at vet. If the humane society can't help that might be another option.
 

missy

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@Queenie60 here’s my sister’s response.


I doubt humane society can or will help. She can call and see if they have number of any wildlife rehabilitates who can help.
If it's a healthy fledgling, it's best chance of survival is to be left alone. Fledglings fall out of nests. It's natural. Usually mother will continue to bring it food. If she has no idea where nest is, best thing to do is make makeshift nest in bush or under tree, as protected from elements as possible. As far as feral cats, she is limited in how much she can protect fledgling. That's nature. Good luck. “

Sorry I can’t be of more help. :(sad
Hope the sweet bird makes it.
 
Q

Queenie60

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Had a very restless night thinking about the bird and praying that it will be ok. It died. :(((. I’m sad. I was prepared to hire a driver to take me to the local humane society since the local Wildlife Foundation would not help me yesterday. I suppose the parents weren’t feeding it. It seemed to be quite healthy yesterday. Maybe it was gods way - not healthy and parents kicked it out of the nest? I don’t know. I prayed, I tried and nature took the poor little bird. Thank you @missy for your advise. Q
 

missy

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Had a very restless night thinking about the bird and praying that it will be ok. It died. :(((. I’m sad. I was prepared to hire a driver to take me to the local humane society since the local Wildlife Foundation would not help me yesterday. I suppose the parents weren’t feeding it. It seemed to be quite healthy yesterday. Maybe it was gods way - not healthy and parents kicked it out of the nest? I don’t know. I prayed, I tried and nature took the poor little bird. Thank you @missy for your advise. Q

Aww I’m so sorry. :(
You did all you could @Queenie60
Sending you gentle (((hugs))). I’m crying with you right now. Poor little bird. :(
 

Rhea

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I'm sorry that the bird died. You did your absolute best for the bird. Mother Nature knows that, but she has ideas of her own sometimes.
 

Sunstorm

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Awww so sad! I tried helping one stuck in front of my house last year and succeeded that time but sadly many do die and it so disturbs me too even if most people consider this “normal”.
 

Snowdrop13

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So sad, sorry to hear that. I spoke to my son, a keen birder, and he says it was likely taken out of a nest by another predator bird, or a cat, which then dropped it. The poor wee thing may have been injured anyway. Probably too small and immature to survive alone. Nature is cruel sometimes.
 
Q

Queenie60

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So sad, sorry to hear that. I spoke to my son, a keen birder, and he says it was likely taken out of a nest by another predator bird, or a cat, which then dropped it. The poor wee thing may have been injured anyway. Probably too small and immature to survive alone. Nature is cruel sometimes.

Thank you. I feel sad. Wish sometimes I wasn’t such an animal lover
 
Q

Queenie60

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Awww so sad! I tried helping one stuck in front of my house last year and succeeded that time but sadly many do die and it so disturbs me too even if most people consider this “normal”.

Thank you for your kind words
 

redwood66

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@Queenie60 you are an infinitely kind person and I am sorry this put a damper on your vacation.
 

YadaYadaYada

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So sorry about the little bird.
 

Daisys and Diamonds

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Had a very restless night thinking about the bird and praying that it will be ok. It died. :(((. I’m sad. I was prepared to hire a driver to take me to the local humane society since the local Wildlife Foundation would not help me yesterday. I suppose the parents weren’t feeding it. It seemed to be quite healthy yesterday. Maybe it was gods way - not healthy and parents kicked it out of the nest? I don’t know. I prayed, I tried and nature took the poor little bird. Thank you @missy for your advise. Q

Im sad to hear this
The other night i was out watering the garden and a thrush was upside down on a tree i assumed feeding
But when i put the hose away it was still there ....it had some cotton around it's ankle and was stuck
I tried to free it but it was too hard so i went inside to get sissors and secaters - the poor thing had died
It was still warm
Looked like it had a broken leg
I felt so sad
Nature isnt always very kind
I don't care if a bird is native or not but alot of bird rescue places only care for natives
Sometimes its best to reach out to private individuals who do bird rescues rather than organisations
 
Q

Queenie60

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I’m sorry about the bird you tried to sac
Im sad to hear this
The other night i was out watering the garden and a thrush was upside down on a tree i assumed feeding
But when i put the hose away it was still there ....it had some cotton around it's ankle and was stuck
I tried to free it but it was too hard so i went inside to get sissors and secaters - the poor thing had died
It was still warm
Looked like it had a broken leg
I felt so sad
Nature isnt always very kind
I don't care if a bird is native or not but alot of bird rescue places only care for natives
Sometimes its best to reach out to private individuals who do bird rescues rather than organisations
iI’m sorry about the bird you tried to save. I wasn’t successful in finding a private rescue. If I were home would have been easier. Thank you for your kind words
 
Q

Queenie60

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I know we people who will rehabilitate wildlife in our state, I've run into them at vet. If the humane society can't help that might be another option.

Thank you
 

Daisys and Diamonds

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I’m sorry about the bird you tried to sac

iI’m sorry about the bird you tried to save. I wasn’t successful in finding a private rescue. If I were home would have been easier. Thank you for your kind words

Where i used to work had very large windows - a big box retailer
Some days birds would just be knocked out? other days they would break their necks
Emotionally it was a roller coaster
My workmate would always say a little prayer as we placed them gently in the skip (dumpster) and we'd pinch a flower (we worked on the garden section) to go in after them
 
Q

Queenie60

Guest
Where i used to work had very large windows - a big box retailer
Some days birds would just be knocked out? other days they would break their necks
Emotionally it was a roller coaster
My workmate would always say a little prayer as we placed them gently in the skip (dumpster) and we'd pinch a flower (we worked on the garden section) to go in after them

I understand the emotions. I still am wrestling with my feelings and need to let it go as there wasn’t much more that I could do. Yes, I did say a prayer for the bird. This is my last night of vacation and I need to enjoy it with my lovely husband. The bird parents failed this little bird - they came to my balcony this morning and I could tell they were looking for the little bird. They continued to scan the area on the ground and from above. But why didn’t they feed it? We feel it starved to death as it was thriving yesterday at this time. Senseless death. Thank you for your kind words and for understanding. Q
 

kenny

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Nature.
IMO we shouldn't intervene.
 

LemonMoonLex

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I tend to fall into the same opinion as @kenny in that unless I spot a domesticated animal, like a dog or cat that is in need and wounded, sick, or lost its sometimes best not to touch these animals.

There is a system in place, and while it can seem cruel or senseless theres not much we can do and sadly most people are unlike you OP, and wont look anything up and can potentially make things worse by touching the animal (if its unknowingly wounded), feeding it the wrong things, or taking it inside which can keep it away from the searching mother/parent.

This may also stem from the fact that I saw many of the wild cotton tail baby bunnies that lived in the desert that was my back yard as a child eaten by their own mother many times because humans or other animals would encrouch and the mother felt as though they were in danger. It was a mercy killing of sorts and the mother would do so so she could find another way out and only worry about her life while escaping the predator. The mother would go on to find a new mate and have a new nest of baby bunnies.

Please dont beat yourself up or be upset about the situation. It sounds like the bird was suffering and it isnt any longer. At least it knew the kindness of you (natures biggest perceived predator) before its last moment.
 

kenny

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Perhaps it was flawed and, for the health of the entire species, it was best it didn't mature to pass on the flaw to many offspring, which would each pass on the flaw to many MORE offspring, etc.

If so, the best thing overall, is for it to die young.

We just don't know, and not knowing is okay.
 
Q

Queenie60

Guest
Perhaps it was flawed and, for the health of the entire species, it was best it didn't mature to pass on the flaw to many offspring, which would each pass on the flaw to many MORE offspring, etc.

If so, the best thing overall, is for it to die young.

We just don't know, and not knowing is okay.

Thank you @kenny . I know that you are right. It just tugs at my heart as I love animals - much more than most humans I know. Just a bit difficult for me to come to terms with. I always want to help animals and sometimes it hurts.
 
Q

Queenie60

Guest
I tend to fall into the same opinion as @kenny in that unless I spot a domesticated animal, like a dog or cat that is in need and wounded, sick, or lost its sometimes best not to touch these animals.

There is a system in place, and while it can seem cruel or senseless theres not much we can do and sadly most people are unlike you OP, and wont look anything up and can potentially make things worse by touching the animal (if its unknowingly wounded), feeding it the wrong things, or taking it inside which can keep it away from the searching mother/parent.

This may also stem from the fact that I saw many of the wild cotton tail baby bunnies that lived in the desert that was my back yard as a child eaten by their own mother many times because humans or other animals would encrouch and the mother felt as though they were in danger. It was a mercy killing of sorts and the mother would do so so she could find another way out and only worry about her life while escaping the predator. The mother would go on to find a new mate and have a new nest of baby bunnies.

Please dont beat yourself up or be upset about the situation. It sounds like the bird was suffering and it isnt any longer. At least it knew the kindness of you (natures biggest perceived predator) before its last moment.

Thank you for your kind words. And yes, I do agree that it’s nature at work.
 

rainydaze

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I'm sorry Queen. This is a sad thing to witness anywhere or at any time, and I'm sorry it happened during your vacation.
 

Rubymal

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I am usually in the boat to not intervene with nature, but when the harm is caused by humans, I feel differently. Last year, I was visiting my brother and during the daytime I took his dogs out for a walk. One of the dogs fixated on something in the grass- it was a tiny bird that had gotten caught in someones landscaping net that was totally overdue to be replaced. I ran back to the house ( only 3 houses down) put the dogs back, grabbed a pair of scissors and ran back all within a minute or less. When I got back, I couldnt find the bird. There were tufts of feather around and when I looked closer, its severed head was the only thing left. I was quite traumatized and felt so bad. I should've never left the bird but there was no way I could break the net with my bare hands.
 

Daisys and Diamonds

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I am usually in the boat to not intervene with nature, but when the harm is caused by humans, I feel differently. Last year, I was visiting my brother and during the daytime I took his dogs out for a walk. One of the dogs fixated on something in the grass- it was a tiny bird that had gotten caught in someones landscaping net that was totally overdue to be replaced. I ran back to the house ( only 3 houses down) put the dogs back, grabbed a pair of scissors and ran back all within a minute or less. When I got back, I couldnt find the bird. There were tufts of feather around and when I looked closer, its severed head was the only thing left. I was quite traumatized and felt so bad. I should've never left the bird but there was no way I could break the net with my bare hands.

Oh dear

One year we had a deformed thrush fledgling in our garden
Tinky had an old chair on our verrander and he would watch the little bird eat his food grim his bowl below the chair
I thought- oh how sweet, Tinky's little charity project - how kind
The little bird had a gammy leg and a funny looking beak but otherwise seemed healthy and happy
It went on for 3 or 4 months
Then one day we got home to feathers all up the path
I think Tinky was just fattening the poor little thing up
 

doberman

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Nature can be very unkind. I'm sorry you had to experience this. I've been able to rescue birds in the past, but sometimes it's just not possible.
 
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