Best practice with baby wild birds is to leave fledglings alone, or in your case, I would've moved it out of harm's way, but otherwise not interfered, since a parent bird is usually hiding nearby, keeping an eye on it.

It's possible that you might still be able to return it to where you found it and the parent will find it. The idea that wild birds won't touch a baby after a human has handled it is a myth.

from Audubon.org:

I searched all around and there were no parents, no place to put the baby because there was a roaring creek on one side and a rock cliff on the other. Two babies were crushed and a car ran over this one, but the tires didn't get it. So that's not going to happen since I've had him 24 hours. Rehabbers are so crazy this time of the year, and I can't seem to locate anyone accepting birds.

The parent(s) are usually hiding, so you would very unlikely to spy them.

Lily, did you look online? Ask birding group?

I posted on FB and Next Door, and people just suggested wildlife rehabbers who aren't accepting birds. I googled my brains out, which is why I'm doing the egg and cat food.

He's completely covered in feathers, including his long tail with yellow dots on the end. He's so small he fits in a yogurt cup nest I made for him.

Maybe your local bird rehabbers can tell you what to feed it? A big problem with replacement food it not enough B vitamins. While they dont have band width to take care of a bird they might have a moment to tell you what to do.

patriciae

one thing you should NOT do is to offer water. fledglings do not know how to drink water and even dribbling small drops into their mouths will kill them as they will aspirate.

this is a state by state list of rehab facilities. hopefully, you can find one within a reasonable distance. you're right in that most of them are covered up in baby birds this time of year but many of them will still take one especially if it is at a point where it won't require crazy intense work like the tiny featherless ones do.

https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/find-wildlife-rescue-and-rehabilitators-state

Good job, Lily.

can you chew on a blueberry then with your mouth, transfer a 1/4 of it to Cedric?

Hahahaha

Thanks Nina. My county doesn't even have one, and the nearby two counties specialize more in animals. I don't think this sweet little thing will make it. He's not opening his mouth wide. I know this is happening everywhere in the wild, but it breaks my heart that I couldn't help him. I see so much destruction when I hike the creek. Yesterday, in addition to his nest mates, there were three crushed turtles and three little frogs.

^^^ As are you, Ninapearl.

Lily...I hope he makes it!

He didn't.

i'm so sorry, lily. it probably isn't much comfort to you but at least he avoided the fate of his siblings. i'm glad he knew love at the end. bless you for trying!

😔

He did have love at the end. I held him and stroked him and placed him in his yogurt cup "nest" and then left him in a dark, quiet room upstairs away from any noise. The sad thing is, he would've made it since the first night he was sitting on the dowel perch, but I didn't have the resources. I feel so sad, and I buried him in the pet cemetery in my yard.

You are a Good Person, Lily. All we can do is *try*.

So sad. You tried and that counts.

patriciae