Meet Messy the chick

[Optimist]

This is "Messy" the chick. (Approximately 9-10 days old).



She or he is a Starling, an invasive species in the US, and an unprotected species. I found this poor little thing about 3 days ago, and have been feeding with a specialized carnivorous diet developed by wildlife re-habbers. I have had her/him for 3 days so far, and things look good. Since starlings become very imprinted, I tend to think this one will be tame, and a "pet." Starlings are interesting because they not only imprint well, they also can be taught to talk.

I do know that various people will not agree with taking a wild bird from the wild (urban neighborhood, actually), but the chances of this little thing making it overnight was slim. It was extremely cold, and also dehydrated.

[jkofferdahl]

Despite the species (which I find a bit annoying), I admire what you're doing. All life is sacred. Thank you.

[Subrosa]

Keep it inside.

[Orchidgirl83]

How wonderful that you saved him/her!

[Optimist]

Speaking of annoying, I think I would rather have starlings, then cockatoos. Can you imagine the noise and mass a flock of cockatoos would make?

[Leafmite]

How cute!
We had a robin's nest built right near where I had to turn on and off the hose. When the baby birds hatched, they saw me every day, multiple times. For the next two years, whenever I picked cherries or berries, I had company just inches away. I was rather fond of those birds. Even though I greatly dislike robins in general because they decimate my cherry and berry crop most summers, I could never hurt one. I have put baby robins back in their nests a few times, baby robins that grew up to help decimate my cherry and berry crops. :|

---------- Post added at 02:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:24 PM ----------

Parrots tend to be very destructive, too, with their sharp, powerful bills. My parakeets like to destroy their perches and anything else made of wood. They like to go after my plants. Mine are pretty noisy, too, which really annoys my spouse and offspring. Imagine flocks of them..... (Of course, I would love it!)

---------- Post added at 02:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:29 PM ----------

By the way, good luck with your new baby! I hope you will update us now and then!

[Chris17]

I rescued a baby squirrel about 25 years ago; took it to a wildlife rehabber--went back a week later to check on it and the squirrel ran up my arm and perched on my shoulder!

[jkofferdahl]

Originally Posted by Chris17

I rescued a baby squirrel about 25 years ago; took it to a wildlife rehabber--went back a week later to check on it and the squirrel ran up my arm and perched on my shoulder!

When I was in high school I "adopted", or perhaps was adopted by, a flying squirrel. We never did figure out exactly how he originally got into our house, but one day he was there. I could walk into a room, not knowing where he was, and all of a sudden he'd alight on my shoulder. It was pretty cool. Eventually, after close to a year, he decided it was time to rejoin the wild but for the next several years he still often came for visits, and remained quite tame for me.

[Pattywack]

I think it is great that you are saving the little thing. It reminds me of a bird I once "knew" if you will. We lived in Texas before moving to Maryland several years ago. One spring morning while sipping coffee on our patio chatting with my children, this Grackle flew out of our live oak tree and landed on my arm! These birds were around our neighborhood and often seen in trees and they are pretty noisy.

My children were stunned this bird just sat there, hanging out like family. My daughter was eating an apple and offered a bite to the bird, it ate the apple and she gave it more. The crazy bird stayed for quite awhile before it flew off into the tree.

Next time we went out to the patio (daily) and every time that summer, that bird came to visit us. It even flew into our house twice with my daughter as she went in search of a snack for it. It would sit on the kids shoulder like a tame bird. Neighbors were always coming by to check out this goofy bird.

Maybe it had been hand raised, we never figured it out but it made for an interesting spring and summer for my children and friends. When fall came, it visited less and less and the next year we didn't see it again.

Grackle look like a big blackbird with a somewhat sideways tail or V shaped.

[Orchidgirl83]

As a kid my mom raised a baby robin that was kicked out of the nest by its parents. For years after I always wondered if any robin I saw was PR or one of his/her offspring.