How to Raise & Release Baby Starlings

Rescuing and feeding baby starlings is relatively easy, but they require feeding around the clock for the first few days of their lives. Rescuing baby birds that have left the nest may not be necessary, because it is natural for baby starlings to leave their nests before they have the ability to fly. Before removing a baby starling from its environment, watch and listen for the presence of parent birds nearby.

Things You'll Need

  • teaspoon
  • small plastic syringe
  • cage or pet carrier
  • clean cloths or paper towels
  • hand feeding formula for baby birds (buy from pet supply stores)
  • mealworms
  • hard boiled egg yolk
  • toasted whole grain bread,crumbled
  • water
  • bowl
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Instructions

  1. Baby Starlings: To the Rescue (or Not)

    • 1
      Starlings are omnivorous, but feed their babies insects, worms and grubs.

      Pick up baby starlings gently and shelter them from cold or inclement weather. Replace a fallen nest with babies inside it if parent birds are present. Inspect the baby birds; if they are naked or only partially feathered, they are too young to survive on their own. Hold the baby birds close to your body when carrying them to a box, cage or pet carrier. Cover a nest when moving it to prevent baby starlings from jumping or falling out.

    • 2
      Nesting starlings are attentive to their babies. Both parents care for their young.

      Place the baby birds or their nest in a cage or pet carrier lined with newspaper. Provide a nest-like environment by cushioning baby starlings in soft cloth or paper towels. Prepare hand feeding mix according to directions, or prepare food for the babies by mincing hard boiled egg yolk and mixing it with lightly toasted whole wheat bread crumbs and just enough water to make it stick together. Heat food mixture to lukewarm. Do not heat the food in the microwave. Draw up handfeeding mixture into a plastic syringe.Depress the syringe to remove air and move the food mixture to the opening of the syrynge. Hold a baby bird in your non-dominant hand and gently touch the pads on either side of the base of its beak. The baby should open its beak. Insert the syringe on the left side of the baby bird's beak, near the base. Aim the syringe diagonally toward the back of the baby bird's throat. Gently press the syringe plunger. Avoid flooding the baby bird's mouth. Continue feeding until the baby starling refuses more food. Feel the baby starglings upper chest area. You should be able to feel the food stored in its crop. Continue feeding until the crop is round and full. Wipe the baby bird's face and body and repeat the process as needed if feeding more than one bird. Listen for the baby birds crying for food. Feed baby starlings every three hours, or more often if they cry for food.

    • 3
      Baby birds often leave their nests before they can fly.

      Supplement hand feeding formula or egg mixture with meal worms. Offer the baby birds meal worms held between your fingers. Do not feed the baby birds meal worms alone. Continue using the hand feeding formula. Move the baby starlings to a larger cage if needed. Offer the baby starlings small amounts of moistened dog kibble and coarse hand feeding mixture in a dish when they are mostly feathered and begin moving around their cage. Reduce hand feedings to two to three times a day. Observe baby starlings closely to ensure that they can feed themselves.

    • 4

      Verify that baby starlings can fully feed themselves and can fly before releasing them. Conduct test flights in a safe room or sun porch. Place a baby starling across the room and entice it to fly toward you using a meal worm or other food. Release baby starlings on a sunny morning in an area free from cats. Continue feeding the baby birds outdoors if they return and call for food. Feed released baby starlings sparingly to encourage their natural foraging instincts.