Injured wild bird

Ba_barbaraAnne

A bullfinch was blown with a 'thud' against my window this morning and was knocked out. We brought him in and have kept him warm and he has revived - but he has injured his left leg and while is able to fly, cannot perch or hop around and therefore can't be released yet.

Any advice on how to help him?

Alun

We had a sparrowhawk do the same thing against our patio door once. Made an awful racket, and I had to be quick to stop our cat from getting at him! We took him (her?) to our local vets who kept him in until he got over the shock. It took the best part of a day before he recovered if I remember. I'd suggest just keeping him somewhere warm and dark to allow him to get over the shock.

Sigma Force

As said keep the little bird covered and quiet, take to vet for the leg, most vets will treat wild animals for free

Nasty_Girl

Any chance there's a bird sanctuary in the vicinity of where you live? If not the vets probably your best bet. I used to rescue injured seagulls that washed up on the beach and just keep em warm and feed em till we could get them out to the reserve

Nala

Yeah, the shock could be more dangerous to him than the injury, so keep him somewhere warm and dark and then take him to a vet.

PeadarofAodh

Definitely bring to a bird sanctuary and if there isn't one near your best bet would be the vets. Only bad thing about the vets is that it isn't a great environment for wild birds to be around so many cats and dogs

FranknFurter

TBH,
Most vets, will just put a wild bird to sleep with a broken leg.
Most Wild birds, unfortunately, will not survive in the wild if disabled at *all*.

If you do not want this to happen, call a wildlife society and ask them to take him.
To be honest tho' if he has broken his leg, well, best thing may be to let the vet do what he thinks best.

Ba_barbaraAnne

Thanks all.

Kept the little fella wrapped in a box in the hot press for a while and he perked up. The leg is not broken - this morning he is perching fine. I can't get over how tame he is - likes sitting on my hand and climbing up to my shoulder! Will release him later today when the weather improves a bit. Can't get him to eat much more than a bit of mushed hawthorn berry from my finger. won't touch bird seed or nuts. Gave him water by pipette but don't want him to get too friendly as we have four cats. I'll put him in a neighbour's garden to give him a better chance.

It has been a real experience for me and the children to have a wild bird so close.

Alun

That's great news! I had a feeling the leg might not have been broken. Our sparrowhawk couldn't stand up either when he was first rescued, but I'm guessing it was either just shock, or maybe a bit of local bruising from the impact that cleared up by itself.

Nala

It was actually rescuing a wild bird that started my interest in birds. I now have 4!