Look what I found...

[~Tucker&Me~]

2(ish) weeks ago I found a starling being played with by a cat. I chased away the cat and caught the starling. We took him to the vet and had a bandage put on his wing and now we are waiting out the last two weeks of his recovery.

So he has a 50/50 chance of ever flying again (the break is where his wing attaches to his shoulder), which was why the vet was very reluctant to bandage it. The first vet we visited wanted to euth him so we moved on to another. Don't get me wrong, if the bird appeared to be in pain or distressed I would have been all for it. However, the night before he had been eating and drinking well and seemed relatively happy. So if it turns out he can fly we will release him. If not, we are going to take him to a local farm that has a large aviary, where he will live out his days

Anywho, here is the little guy. His name is Ralph

He is a very likable bird. Just the last few days he has begun chirping, though I have yet to hear any nice songs :lol-sign:

Here is what I found today:

So this guy was found hiding in a bush outside of the Superstore. He was unable to fly and has an injury on one wing (with blood, which I discovered when I handled him). We have yet to see a vet as I found him later in the day but if all goes as planned we hope to see one tomorrow.

On the close-up of his wing you can see the wound. I am thinking perhaps a hawk took a chunk out of him, as the Superstore is right by a large field where birds of prey hunt.

Renee has named him Templeton

 

[Tankstar]

Good for you for saving them . On another forum Im on. a girl has a starling as a pet she found (she does have a license to keep wild birds. She rehabs them, but this one was unable to be rehabed) any way, the bird can say over 150 words I believe it is. amazing

 

[~Tucker&Me~]

Yep, starling's are incredibly good at mimicking. Very smart, talented birds to say the least.

Hah actually, starlings (and pigeons for that matter) usually aren't protected under provincial wildlife laws. They aren't native and are considered pests so basically people are free to kill them as they please

Many Wildlife Rehabilitation Centres wont accept them and euth them upon arrival at the facility. Pretty sad

 

[Renee750il]

Starlings and pigeons really have become a pain . . . but mostly because we've altered the environment so drastically and worked so hard to wipe out their natural predators. Now we penalize them for being more successful at adapting to our environment than other animals.

They're both wonderfully adaptive species.

 

[Gustav]

All I will say is..

I hope you washed your hands after touching that Pigeon! *Shivers*

I am terrified of birds, and Pigeons can be pest magnets.. Why do you think they got the nickname.. "Flying Rats" *Shivers again*

 

[Shamus]

It would have killed you guys to have seen what i witnessed last night then.......
I had just gotten to work, was about to get out of my car and i noticed the ground hogs on the lawn, i was thinking that it was so peaceful looking, young starlings, and their parents forging on the grass with the two ground hogs. Then out of nowhere a crow swoops down, all the birds take flight........the crow managed to grab one of the younger birds in flight and fly off with it..........this all happened about 10 feet from my car......i sat in stunned silence, till i saw the crow, (who had flown to the other building across from where i work) start to eat the bird......gross....
this may not have been a story you guys wanted to hear......and as sad as i was for the baby bird, i couldn't help but admire that crow.........they really are an impressive bird

 

[JessLough]

It would have killed you guys to have seen what i witnessed last night then.......
I had just gotten to work, was about to get out of my car and i noticed the ground hogs on the lawn, i was thinking that it was so peaceful looking, young starlings, and their parents forging on the grass with the two ground hogs. Then out of nowhere a crow swoops down, all the birds take flight........the crow managed to grab one of the younger birds in flight and fly off with it..........this all happened about 10 feet from my car......i sat in stunned silence, till i saw the crow, (who had flown to the other building across from where i work) start to eat the bird......gross....
this may not have been a story you guys wanted to hear......and as sad as i was for the baby bird, i couldn't help but admire that crow.........they really are an impressive bird

Why would it be something they don't wanna hear?? It's the natural circle of life, crows have to eat too

That sounds cute to see though... even if it did last only a few seconds

 

[~Tucker&Me~]

Renee, it is very true. Everyone seems to hate them all so much And its pretty sad because the 'pest' birds I have looked after (a starling, crows, pigeons) have all actually been very like-able birds. We blame them for a problem we created. And isn't it ironic that we hate them for being adaptive, meanwhile, we must be up there on the list of most adaptable creatures...

Geez

Gustav, my dog rolls in dead animals eats eats feces. I am not worried about the bird :rofl1:

Seriously though, I am always very conscious of good hygiene and sanitation, no worries.

Shamus, other animals getting eaten is certainly not something I enjoy seeing, but its part of the circle of life. The crow is simply trying to survive (though makes me cringe for the fledgelings sake!).

 

[Renee750il]

I'll have to admit to not being overly fond of the local starlings when they gather in the tree across the street from me to roost every evening right before migration season. They scraw incessantly until dark, then start up again at dawn

 

[~Tucker&Me~]

Oh Renee,

I got to hear one starling compensating for an entire flock in my laundry room this mornin, which btw, is RIGHT next to my room. Where I sleep. Or try too

 

[Renee750il]

Noisy little buggers, aren't they?

 

[~Tucker&Me~]

For sure. And greedy! I put food in the pigeon's cage today and you should have seen the look I got from Ralph. I swear, if looks could kill...

 

[Renee750il]

I keep thinking Ralph -- as in Cramden