i am the baby grackle.

calls.  Yesterday’s high winds, combined with nesting birds makes for a busy time!  In high winds, nests get torn apart and babies get thrown out of nests. We encourage people  to read our website and, whenever possible, to try to “renest” any baby birds when they are certain that the bird ‘parents’ are still in the area. When this is not possible, one of our volunteers can raise the rescued ‘baby’. The next issue is to try to identify what type of bird it is so that the baby can be brought to the volunteer who handles that species. Now comes the tricky part….often the identification process turns into a case of mistaken identity.  Look at that photos and you might see a slight difference between the two baby birds.  One is a baby quail, the other is a baby grackle.  One caller insisted that the two were identical, according to photos on our website. One technique to assist in rescued bird identification: the rescuer takes a photo of the bird with a camera telephone and then emails the photo to the volunteer.  If the photo is clear enough, the volunteer can usually identify what type of bird has been found.

i am the baby quail.

this is sketch of immature dove

The season is upon us and our volunteers are receiving calls throughout the day.  One of the tasks in screening those calls is to try to find out what kind of bird the caller has rescued.  This is often difficult with baby birds, but here are some hints.  You will find more information, of course, on our website.  Baby doves are common here in the valley.  The baby doves are covered with a soft ‘fur-like’ down on their bodies.  Baby song birds, on the other hand, are born naked, with their eyes closed.  Here are some sketches to help you with identifying the difference. You might notice that baby doves are somewhat ‘cuter’ when very young and baby song birds look like some tiny ‘alien’ creature with large rounded stomachs!  Remember, the best chance for such young birds to survive is to get the help of a trained rehabber as soon as possible.

this is sketch of baby song bird

Doves and pigeons are susceptible to a disease called Trichomoniasis (Trich) or “canker”.  It affects the sinuses, mouth, throat, esophagus, and crop causing a growth that looks like cottage cheese.  If caught early, a medication called Spartrex will stop and dry up these cankers and the bird can recover.  If left untreated, the canker will block the mouth and throat and the bird is unable to eat.

Trich is spread through the saliva and fecal matter.  Parent birds with trich will pass it on to the babies.  If an infected bird drinks from a water source or spits out a seed it cannot swallow, the organism is passed on to other birds.

          A bird with trich will stop eating and become emaciated.  In later stages, the bird will be unable to close it’s mouth and slimy drool may be visible. 

          With flocks of wild pigeons or doves, it is difficult to control trich in a backyard setting.  Keeping water sources such as birdbaths cleaned daily and washed with bleach can help.  If you are able to catch a downed bird, bring it to a rehabber for treatment.