This is how she looked when I found her! Poor baby! Right now she is chirping away and jumping all over her cage right next to me as I type! haha She does the most amazing thing...She pushes her butt against the side of the cage and poops! The poop falls outside of the cage! Is this normal? She is just chattering away right now!!! The first few days, I fed her about every 20 minutes or so. Now, maybe a little longer between meals, but she sure seems hungry a lot! She lets me know when she wants to eat!! I love her!!

I don't think that is a bluebird. You best bet is to take it to a rehabber as they will be able to better take care of it to eventually release it if her foot isn't too bad. It looks older than four days in that second photo. It kinda looks like a Robin to me...most likely not a cavity nester if you found it on the ground, most likely a bird that nests in brush or trees like Robins do. Good luck!

Donna

I agree not a Bluebird. Robin? I can see that. You have done an amazing job with this little bird but Donna is right, you need to get it to a rehabber. Maybe you could find one that will mentor you and help you become a licensed rehabber yourself! You certainly seem to be good at it! Good Luck and prayers for your little bird!

Thank you! I would like to be able to release her in my backyard if possible. She just woke up and spent 20 minutes grooming herself in front of her light/warmth. Now she is hopping all over her cage again, tweeting, and flapping her wings. Do you think she is ready to fly? Should I put a dish with meal worms outside for her? I would take her to a rehabber, but I have not been more than 2 feet away from this baby since I found her. I just feel committed to see this through! I have giant trees and a farm right behind my house. I have 3 gourds hanging in my yard. 2-3 families of bluebirds have raised their eggs in those gourds and all flew away. However, they all hang around my yard as I put food out for them. Is it really wrong to want to release this bird in my yard? I only want what is best for her.

Wendy,
how did this story end. unfortunately I am in the same boat you were. Only my cat ate the parents and the other babies. This poor thing is the sole survivor.
I've been feeding him/her oatmeal. I tried the links on the FAQ page but most of it was about parks.
I thought about taking her to my vet but it's so noisy there. Plus I don't want to be charged a bill!
It looks a lot like the one you had. I'm guess it was a blue bird after all, right?
Any way please help if you can, I feel so bad that my cat did this.
thanks in advance.
Laura

Laura,
This little bird had to be put to sleep. I cried for days. It's amazing how attached you can get to a little bird! It was a Robin. Her legs were paralyzed. She would just sit for days, unless I moved her. So sad! I connected with a fantastic rehabber in my area. She mostly has squirrels. She gave me another Robin. He had head trauma and constant seizures. I have had him for about 6 weeks now. His seizures stopped the first week. I hand fed him for a few weeks...Purina Cat Chow soaked in water til soft...then mashed. Also, he loved soft pears and strawberries...HATES peaches! I gave him sweet potato baby food and carrots. He ate mealworms for a few weeks, but now I just dig up Grub worms in my yard. He eats about 4 a day. He eats constantly!! I put bird vitamins in his food. He now eats totally on his own. I let him bath once a day out back. I use a terra cotta flower pot bottom so he has traction. I just put the top of the cage over him. This gives me a chance to clean the bottom part of the cage. Every night I let him loose in my bedroom for about a half hour so he can learn how to fly. He is very healthy and flaps his wings like crazy, but he doesn't take off yet! He is doing really well! What a personality! I have 3 cats and 3 dogs!! I put a light on the bird for warmth, but not too close to the cage. Good Luck...Ask me anything!!!
Wendy
PS My Vet didn't charge me to put the other bird to sleep.

Wendy,
I'm sorry that happened to your little friend. It was nice of the rescuers to give you a new friend.
I will try the cat food and baby food ideas. I did find an email address to a rehab for birds but haven't heard back yet.
I don't want to have another "pet" myself. too much on my plate already, but I couldn't let it die either.
I've had it for 4 days now and it wants to live. Even hopped into my hand today.
I'm using a heat mat for germinating seeds and its working well. I keep the poor thing in a cat carrier so my cats don't eat it.
Do blue birds eat worms? I have a compost pile so that would work for me.
he/she is definitely a blue bird. Just mostly brown with a hint of blue when the wings are stretched. I have lots of blue birds in my yard but never really worried about what they need, they seem to all do well without my help. Till now. lol
thanks so much for your speedy response, and wishing me luck.
:) Laura

Sorry you lost this baby. NOW the Blue Baby.... it's very late in the year for a baby Blue....Go to a bait store and get wax worms...live ones. Find a rehabber....read www.sialis.org
The baby Blue needs a rehabber NOW if you live where they migrate.....they will be leaving soon! Please update!

Lisa...It is so hard to find a rehabber. The Vets usually just put the birds to sleep! I was very lucky, after searching for weeks and leaving endless unanswered emails, I finally found one. I am going to train under her to get certified myself.
Thanks,
Wendy

Laura...I know what you mean! I wasn't ready for a bird either!! But, what choice do we have? haha The little birds are a lot of work! Where do you live? First choice is ALWAYS to find a rehabber, but they are hard to find! Check with your Vet, but make sure that they don't just put the bird to sleep. Live meal worms are great, but only about 20% of the food should be the worms. They LOVE the cat chow mush. The bird will open his mouth. Put a little bit on the tip of the spoon and push it, with your finger, into his mouth. Don't give water! He will get water from the food. I am sitting 6 inches from my Robin right now! He is having a party all by himself! You might just be stuck with your little guy, but I hope you find a rehabber. Try to find an old cage from craigslist or a thrift shop. I got one for 8 bucks at a Thrift Shop. Good Luck!! You sound so compassionate! Your little bird is lucky to have you!!

Thanks Girls,
I sure hope the rehabbers return my emails.
I don't know what the parents where thinking have babies this late. (I'm in NY zone 5 and winters are harsh). And so close to my house and cats. Keeping the cats inside is not an option here. :( they are what they are...cats.
I usually don't intervene when it comes to nature, but this was also my fault.
Here's the whole story.
I had a cute bird house on top of a whiskey barrel planter. It was on an 8' pressure treated landscaping tie. This thing is very close to my house, well a pair of blue birds moved in. I thought they were just looking for a winter shelter or something. Any way my cat climbed the post and stuck her arm in the bird house. I chased her away and that was almost a week ago. so on friday late afternoon, I noticed the post was leaning so I pushed on it to straighten it and it broke! It was about 15yrs old.
Now I had not see the birds any where near the house since the cat attacked and assumed they just left. But when the post broke I looked in the broken bird house just to be sure, and there it was. One baby bird. I got a flash light and search the area where it landed, in a thick hosta bed and couldn't find any other babies. I had to bring it inside, it was getting dark. So it survived the night and in the morning I fixed the bird house, hung it up on an arbor about 5' from its original spot. After feeding the baby one last time we put it in the bird house and waited. Not a single siting so that night we brought it back in the house. I was hoping the parents would come back but I have to assume the cat got them.
I feel terrible about the whole thing but most of all for starving and already neglected baby bird. I'm shocked how long it can live without food.
I'm not an inside bird person at all!!!, but this little thing is worming its way on me. lol
Lisa, thanks for the sialis site. That was very informative. I had no idea they can't eat earth worm. Thank goodness I didn't feed it that. I have lots of the bugs, like grasshoppers to get it healthy though.
Wendy, it is kinda sweet taking care of this little bird, but I'm really not sure I can do it justice. In fact I know I can't. I doubt it will be strong enough to survive the winter. I'll just keep it healthy as I can til the rehabbers take it.
I'm in for a fun filled day of catching bugs :) yuck!
Reminds me of my youth.
:) Laura

Sad story, Laura, but it's not your fault! Nature can be cruel. You are doing the best that you can until you find a rehabber. Try a Vet...some know rehabbers.

Lisa....I fed my Robin meal worms when it was younger, but now I have been giving him about 4-5 big grub worms each day. Is this okay? He eats these among other things! He is a HOG! hahaha He's been having the grubs for about 5 days now. He should be flying any day now! He seems super healthy and active. He gets a ton of exercise. But now I am just wondering about the Grub worms. He pinches the head with his beak and bashes it against the floor...then he eats it! He also loves bits of turkey, pork, and tuna. He eats an assortment of fruits and veggies every day. Main diet is Purina Cat Chow mush with Vitamins. He has developed an incredible personality! I LOVE him!! However, I love him enough to strive for him to fly free...I am hoping soon!
Thanks,
Wendy

Robins like the earthworms, just the Blues that cant eat them. And yes Robins LOVE Cat Chow mush! You are going to have to let him go soon...hopefully there are still Robins around he can follow and learn to hunt on his own....If your Robins leave for the winter you better get him out there fast. He may leave with a flock OR he may stay (in wich case you are going to have to care for him till spring) Grubs are a natural part of his diet and it sounds like he knows what to do with them..good news! DO be sure he is a good flyer before letting him go! Gonna break your heart I know.....

Robins like the earthworms, just the Blues that cant eat them. And yes Robins LOVE Cat Chow mush! You are going to have to let him go soon...hopefully there are still Robins around he can follow and learn to hunt on his own....If your Robins leave for the winter you better get him out there fast. He may leave with a flock OR he may stay (in wich case you are going to have to care for him till spring) Grubs are a natural part of his diet and it sounds like he knows what to do with them..good news! DO be sure he is a good flyer before letting him go! Gonna break your heart I know.....

Thanks, Lisa. I took him out again today. He runs all over the back yard...flapping his wings...but he won't take off! I live in Harvest, Alabama. How much time do I have??