Raising A Baby Bird

Below are 3 essays, the first (Bird Light Document) one having been sent to me by a contributor. It is well written, and deals with many aspects of bird behavior that I think should be learned by anyone dealing with birds.

The second (Imprinting) and third (Transference) essays were written by me. They are verbose to say the least. But I wrote them for a purpose. In dealing with so many people, I have become aware of certain misconceptions about birds that seem to be common, and I wanted to address them. In fact, the third essay isn't really about birds, but about the emotional reactions we humans sometimes have to wildlife.

The following document was sent to me during the days when I was still piecing together the information for the chick I was raising. It was written by a person who herself was taking care of a sand piper at the time. It is very well written, and rounds out my site, which deals more with the physical needs of the birds. Anyone who is interested in bird behavior would do well to read it, since it can provide a basic understanding of the underlying psychology that birds possess.

I wanted to add some things based on my experience, which is only with young fledged birds, not naked nestlings (though I have learned a lot about all ages from raising doves and finches). One might think that an older, less helpless baby bird would be easier to care for than a nestling. In some ways, it is, since they don't need the constant care and temperature is less of a problem. But in another sense, fledglings are more of a problem because the older they are, the more of a stress captivity is on them. And stress all by itself can kill them.

That is why I mentioned the sedating effect of darkness, which is probably less important for nestlings (though nestlings are used to darkness in their nests). With a fledgling, reducing stress and, also, reading the signs the bird gives about whether it is more or less stressed are critical to the bird's survival.

Here are ways to reduce the stress on a fledgling or injured adult bird. The most important thing of all is to pay attention to the signals the bird is giving you.

1) To birds, light is a stimulant and darkness is a sedative. If it is struggling or acting stressed out, darkness can sedate it immediately. Even when you just pick up a bird, covering its head to shut out light will calm it down immediately. A bird that is acting stressed or upset should be kept in a dark environment. When you are keeping the bird, watch the bird for its responses. That will guide you as to how much light its environment can have.

On the other hand, a sick or torpid bird may need the stimulant of light -- especially sunlight -- and as a bird becomes used to its environment, sunlight can help to cheer it up and make it a happy bird. Precocial birds (birds that start running around and eating as soon as they are hatched, such as quail, pheasants, killdeer, sandpipers, etc.) need bright full-spectrum light to stimulate them to eat.

2) Too much movement around it can also cause a bird stress. If it is in a cage, and acting stressed, cover part of the cage, especially if there is movement around in those directions. The bird will generally be less stressed if all the movement it sees comes from only one direction (which is the situation it usually had in its nest).

3) Sound is a key to relaxing a bird. I have had great results with CDs of bird song. Birds sing only when they feel safe. They go silent when there is danger. (Ever pass a bush full of cheeping sparrows? Ever notice how that bush will go silent if the sparrows become aware of your proximity?) Birds take their cue about whether an environment is safe or not from other birds -- regardless of species. This is the reason why they flock -- the sense of safety in numbers and the sense that if other birds feel a place is safe, it must be. It doesn't matter if the other birds belong to a different species, since they are all watching out for more or less the same dangers. That is why CDs of cheerfully singing birds is a reassurance to an anxious captive bird that the environment is basically safe.

If you have tame pet birds, their "endorsement" is also a reassurance to the anxious wild bird (though you should not allow them direct contact because wild birds almost always carry parasites, and occasionally carry diseases).

4) Related to that, if you TALK to the bird as you feed it, especially in a high voice, that will reassure the bird that you are not a predator. Predators do not talk to birds. Predators are quiet and sneaky. -- Talking (in a high voice) or whistling to wild birds will also help them to feel at ease around you. It reassures them that you are not a predator, and they will often respond by trying to communicate with you. Birds do communicate across species and, as different as we look from them, they can learn to recognize humans as fellow beings who can be communicated with.

5) Learn to recognize the feedback the bird is giving you. Here are good signs:

a) Closing its eyes, especially the inner eyelid or closing from the lower lid upward, is a sign the bird relaxed and happy. However, they also do it when they are sick (perhaps because of endorphins) so if they keep their eyes mostly closed all the time, even when things happen that should snap them out of their relaxed state, or if they do not seem alert generally speaking, they might be sick.

b) Preening is a sign that the bird is happy and doing well. Birds do not preen unless they feel at ease and unless they are healthy. The same is true of taking a bath. Basically, a bird that concerns itself with grooming is a happy healthy bird.

c) Calmly cocking its head and studying you or other things in its environment is a generally good sign.

Signs of stress can be obvious. If the bird is thrashing around and desperately trying to get out, it is not a happy bird. If it sits passively, it may have given up and be preparing to die. If it sits puffed up, it is cold and may be sick.

If the bird vocalizes, it could mean many different things. It is not always easy to understand all of the nuances of bird vocalization, but, as a general rule, one could say that it means what it sounds like -- if the bird =sounds= relaxed or happy, it probably is; if it =sounds= upset or distressed, it probably is; if it =sounds= as though it is asking for something, it probably is.

Use the same natural instinct that you have for interpreting the sounds made by a human baby. Birds use sound for bonding. Calling back and forth is a bonding activity (this also helps create friendships and bonds with wild birds). If the bird makes a noise and you have the impulse to imitate the noise back to the bird, follow that impulse! A call that makes you feel like calling back is =intended= that way by the bird. Calling back and forth is a way of bonding among birds -- the same way that echoing baby talk to a baby is a way of bonding.

As you work with the bird, be alert to its cues, the feedback that it gives you. Sheer stress can kill a bird, and, on the other hand, a happy bird is a healthy bird.

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I would like to add to this that for young song birds (with few or no feathers), generally speaking you should keep their area dim. Bright light seems to be very bothersome to them, so much so that they will constantly roam to get away from it. As stated though, take your cues from the bird, and see what makes it happiest. In case you have trouble knowing what happy is for a young song bird, they often just lie there resting, without panting or shivering, with good regular breaths, and they respond immediately once they realize you are there to feed them. Any change in the above behaviors should be viewed with suspicion.

You've no doubt already heard about imprinting, the phenomenon in which young birds, when kept from a very early age, consider not only that their human caretakers are their parents, but also come to consider themselves human as well. This is a real phenomenon. However, there is currently some debate about how deeply it can affect birds, and whether it is truly irreversible or not.

Again, I'm not an expert on this issue, but it seems that imprinting is more of a concern for some groups of birds than others. Raptors, owls, ducks, geese, and other generally "larger" birds seem most affected by imprinting. From my own experience and those I have heard from many other caretakers, it does not seem to be as much of an issue for Passerines (songbirds). Despite the familiarity that grows from the caretaker/nestling relationship, songbirds seem to still realize that they are birds. Once released, they immediately or eventually seek out their own kind, and many behaviors, social and otherwise, seem instinctive, though they may have to learn the finer points.

It is this last point that is of most importance to us as caretakers. It is vital that hand raised birds NOT be released too soon. The amount of time varies depending on the species. (see 'Species Info.' for details). They must be given the time to learn the skills they will need in the wild. And as discussed on the 'Release' page, you can help foster many of these behaviors yourself.

Another concern with handraised birds is their acquired dependency on humans. While I see nothing wrong with maintaining a relationship with a bird once it is free, the dependency must be broken. The bird must be able to learn to forage and find shelter elsewhere. In a worst case scenario, if you had to leave your home for a couple of days, a dependant bird could in theory starve to death. Just as likely, he may consider other humans as possible sources for these, and this could possibly be harmful in itself if the new person is unable or unwilling to accede to an "attacking" birds wishes. Be sure to provide any food, shelter, or even sometimes comfort the bird absolutely needs at the start of his release, but do not coddle him. He must learn that you won't always be around for him.

An exception might be made for the corvids (crows, jays). Because of their ability, and indeed need, to learn, it is possible that they may be prone to imprinting. My feeling is that they do not generally become imprinted, but have a greater dependency than other birds on their family, be they the natural parents or the adoptive human caretaker. Check the 'Species Info.' page for strategies to deal with these birds.

It is nonetheless a wise precaution to limit the number of people who deal with young wild birds. No more than 2 people should be allowed to care for the bird and interact with it. While dealing with more people probably won't cause imprinting, it will cause a false sense of security that can become dangerous once the bird is free.

Transference is the ability we humans have of believing that others are emotionally feeling the way we think they should be feeling, or how we believe we would feel in their circumstances. This is a natural trait for all of us, and even professionals occasionally fall into that thinking. As a social species ourselves, this is a vital behavior for our survival. It allows us to empathize with others, and provides motivation for mutual co-operation. However, in our dealings with other species such as birds, this can have both a positive and negative effect. Of course when we see a nestling lying on the sidewalk, baking in the hot summer sun, we naturally feel that he is suffering, and we are right. But there are many other behaviors that are often wrongly interpreted, either through lack of education on the subject, or more frequently, through the over powering stimulus of our own "hearts".

While these misguided feelings are understandable, and even perceived as good character traits, the consequences of acting on them can often be bad.

This is of course, a complex psychological subject, and I don't want to delve into it anymore detail than necessary. Suffice it to say that you must step back from your feelings when raising a wild bird. They can be made to serve you, but you must not allow them to control your actions outright. Listen to them, and coldly evaluate whether they have any real basis in fact. Then, if you truly believe that this feeling should be acted upon, do so. But remember not to go over board.

To more thoroughly explain what I mean, I have listed several examples below of transference told to me by visitors to my site.

Many people expressed concern last year about their birds feeling lonely at some point or another. In most cases, my judgement was that the concerns were not justified. From my own experience, it seems to me that naked nestlings know no loneliness. What they do know is hunger and discomfort. If a nestling is crying out while you are not there, he is either hungry, or in pain. He is not calling out for your attention or company. You'll notice that as you approach him, he'll get louder and louder until you put some food into his mouth. And when he has had his fill of food, he goes right off to sleep again. That is the limit of their "emotional" needs at this time.

At the fledgling stage, this changes, and they do want your attention. This need for attention still has a large "give me food" component, but by this point, you will also have become a reassuring presence in the life of this bird. Feel free to give the bird some attention, but limit the amount of time you spend with him, say no more than 10-15 minutes at a time. Then leave, or at least ignore him. He will certainly feel lonely at this stage when you are not present, but it is a step that he must overcome.

For those of you that have found a fledgling outdoors, and who wisely decide to leave it outside but keep an eye on it to see if it is truly abandoned or not, the last thing you need to worry about is whether they feel lonely or not. They may or may not feel lonely, depending on the species. Young robins are typically left alone (separately) by the parents for quite some time during the day when they have first fledged, and are left completely alone during the night. These birds simply remain still, waiting for the return of their parents, whenever that may be. New-fledged blue jays on the other hand, are occasionally left alone with their siblings while the parents forage, and these need each other's company. Within a few days, their flying endurance is strong enough that they will follow the parents everywhere. A lone fledgling blue jay is indeed lonely. But even here, that is not the main concern. The real concern is have the parents truly abandoned it? Or is it injured or sick? Only if you are sure of that one of these possibilities is the case should you intervene.

The philosophy in the preceding paragraph applies equally well to just-released birds. For handraised birds, I have no qualms about occasionally yielding to the urge to comfort your bird, especially during the first few days after release. But your job at this point is to promote independence, and that's going to mean a little tough love.

This has always been a emotional subject. From my observations, I believe birds can love to a degree. But I think many people take the idea too far, and expect that birds have the same emotional needs that we do. Accept whatever fondness a bird seems to display for you, but don't imagine it to be a major driving force in his life. It is what it is, and it won't last as long as many people seem to think.

Here we hit a great bone of contention between the purists (he'll only be happy if you let him go) and those whose hearts command them. (he'll be so sad being on his own) Both examples can be considered as transference.

Like everybody else, I have my own opinions on the matter, and I'm going to go out on a limb by stating them. I do not believe that a wild bird is necessarily happier than a kept bird. The wild life is a hard one, with many daily problems and dangers. On the other hand, I also believe that many pet birds are also unhappy. I find that in many cases, they are not given the freedom (as it were) and diversion that is necessary to them. It comes down to what the bird is used to, and what needs he has.

Understand that despite my opinion on the matter, I do not condone keeping wild birds as pets. There are many other issues to consider than just their happiness. Legal issues, health and welfare not only of the bird, but of ourselves, and even the species in general, must be considered. We have to look at the bigger picture to see that it is all around a better thing to release the bird than to keep it. But we mustn't get too carried away by that either, which could lead to errors in judgement as to when to actually release the bird.

So now, you'll hopefully have an idea about what transference is, and how you should deal with it. By trying to always put the birds needs above all, you'll be helping to make him a stronger member of the outdoor community.

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This website is not intended to replace the expert care that is only available by professional rehabilitators. The use of this website is only intended for those where the option of bringing an orphaned bird to a rehabilitator is not possible. By raising a wild bird yourself, you greatly diminish it's chances for survival. Please check this link for a rehabilitation center in your community: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm. If none are listed near you, call a local animal shelter, veterinarian, or wildlife office/agent for information on local rescue centers. Thank you.

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