How to Care for Hand Fed Baby Birds

Most baby birds in the wild do not want or need human help and many well-meaning people who take in wild animals do more harm than good. If the bird is injured or its parents are dead, there are a few measures you can take to keep it safe and healthy while waiting to get the bird to a veterinarian or wild life expert.

Things You'll Need

  • Plastic box
  • Towel
  • Heating pad
  • Straw
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Instructions

    • 1

      Wrap the baby bird in a warm towel or article of clothing. A bird that is still young enough to be hand fed must be kept warm constantly. Baby birds in nature rely on the mother's body heat to keep their body temperature up. The nest environment can be loosely imitated. Place an electric heating pad in a plastic sweater box and cover it with one or two warm towels. Turn the heating pad on in the lowest setting possible to eliminate the risk of overheating the bird. Always put layers of cloth over the heating pad to keep the bird from coming into contact with the hot plastic.

    • 2

      Prepare the food according to the type of bird you are caring for. Different types of birds have different needs. If fed an incorrect diet at this crucial stage of development, birds may develop serious irreversible deformities.

    • 3

      Gently tap the side of the bird's beak to inspire the gaping instinct. When the baby is ready to be fed it will tilt its head back and open its beak wide. Gently move the homemade nest back and forth if gaping does not begin immediately. This will imitate the disturbance a mother creates as she lands in the nest with food.

    • 4

      Place food in the back of the bird's beak using the end of a straw or small stick. Continue feeding until the baby lets you know it has had enough. It will let you know it is done by closing its mouth and refusing to gape. Never give liquids in this manner as they can drip into the lungs. Baby birds receive the liquid they need from the moisture in their food.

    • 5

      Clean the outside of the beak after feeding and wipe off any food that has dripped on the skin or feathers. Feeding an animal this young can be a little messy. Be sure to not leave any mess behind as the baby needs a clean environment to thrive in.