When finding an injured wild bird, first assess its situation.
If the bird appears unresponsive, contact a rehabilitator immediately.
Place the bird into a soft, breathable container (paper towel, cloth tote bag with lid or cover and air holes) as they recover. This should serve as their safe haven until they can return home and live freely again.
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Grind up its regular pellets
Birds who collide with windows often experience shock, leaving them weak and possibly unconscious. Although these birds cannot take flight again, they still require feedings and have the chance for recovery.
Approach the bird slowly and quietly from behind, facing away from traffic so as to not scare it. Frightened birds often try to fly away but wind up flying back into structures and injuring themselves further. Gently grasp it with both hands with fingers over its wings before placing into a paper bag, cloth tote bag or box for transport.
Choose an appropriately sized box to accommodate the bird and line it with newspaper or paper towel, cutting a few small airholes in its lid if possible. Place a hot water bottle wrapped in towel next to it if possible; just be sure the bird can escape its heat when needed.
Puree strained or soft vegetables
If your bird is still young (although able to fly), and has yet to sprout fully feathered wings, add protein by mixing strained beef baby food or egg yolks with your sugar water solution or using liquid meal replacement products such as Ensure, Carnation Instant Breakfast or Boost for added protein.
Utilizing a kitchen blender, puree the vegetables until you achieve a soft paste-like consistency that’s easier for swallowing. A small amount of water may help make this mixture smoother; season the dish as needed.
Be mindful that wild birds can be very wary of humans and may experience shock when you approach. Approach slowly and quietly until you can safely grab an injured bird and place it into an unwaxed paper bag, cloth tote bag or cardboard box (ideally one with air holes) where it will stay warm in an off-light location (newspaper-lined cardboard boxes are great options for this purpose). (Cardboard boxes lined with newspaper are an especially good solution.)
Make a syringe-feeding mixture
Springtime marks a crucial time of year when baby birds first leave their nests and fly away for the first time, sometimes hitting windows on their way out and becoming stunned. If you encounter one on the ground do not ignore it – contact an animal shelter or vet in your area immediately for advice and assistance.
If your bird is a chick, use a syringe (which can be purchased from drug stores in the baby section) to feed it either wet canned dog or cat food or fruit-flavored dry cat/dog food soaked into liquid form; alternatively you may opt for special baby bird formula available through pet stores and online.
If your bird is an adult and still flying, provide regular food such as seeds or millet that is easy for sick birds to digest and provide nutrients. A solution of dextrose and water may also help encourage absorption. Whenever possible avoid giving tomatoes, potatoes, avocados or chocolate as these could prove poisonous to it.
Make a sugar water solution
Bird enthusiasts have discovered through trial and error that hummingbirds thrive when fed sugar water solutions. To create one, mix four parts water to one part sugar and boil (this prevents micro-organism growth in the solution).
With an eyedropper, apply a dilute sugar solution directly to the injured bird’s beak. When exposed to it, hummingbirds should respond by opening their mouths and swallowing it down quickly.
Be careful when handling sick wild birds as they may have gone into shock and be extremely sensitive to touch. Assess their condition by watching its behavior, checking its eyes (one closed indicates shock) and inspecting feathers – seeking advice from animal rescues or vets via the phone may also help – before placing them into a cardboard box and covering with towel, papertowel or kitchen roll with some holes for airflow.
