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In the breeding season, it is not unusual to find birds on the ground that are still unable to feed or fly by themselves. If you need to take care of one, the most important thing is to know what baby bird eats. We will explain everything in this article by PeritoAnimal.
Anyway, if you can't take care of it or don't know how to do it, the ideal is to collect the puppy and take him to a specialized center in poultry recovery or at least to a veterinary clinic.
Newborn bird food
If you find baby birds on the street, it is essential that you have information on what is the best food for newborn birds. Birds are not mammals, so their young do not need to feed on milk when they hatch. But that doesn't mean they can eat alone.
You can find baby birds that, to ensure their survival, depend on one or both of their parents for food. That varies by species, as there are birds with diets based on insects, grains, seeds, fruits, etc.
Parents, to feed these little ones, need to put the food deep in their mouths. In general, the puppies peep in the nest asking for food and they instinctively learn to recognize their parents, so that as soon as they arrive they open their mouths completely. Thus, the parents can deposit food almost down the throat, which is essential for the puppies to be able to eat.
Therefore, when you come across a newborn baby that you will rescue without feathers and covered or not with feathers, the first thing to do is to identify which species it belongs to, to know what baby bird eats, once sparrow chicks don't eat the same thing as blackbirds, for example. You can be guided by the shape of the beak, which is usually thin, elongated and straight in insectivorous birds and shorter and tapered in granivorous birds. Anyway, in specialized stores, it is possible to find a suitable breeding porridge. An example of homemade porridge can be made with cat food soaked in water, boiled egg and breadcrumbs, all mixed together until it has a pasty consistency.
But it's not just the bird food that matters. To successfully raise it, it is also necessary to make the bird open its mouth when it sees you, as it needs to learn that its presence is associated with food. If that doesn't happen, the bird will die.
Baby bird food
Early in the bird's life, they will need you to feed them directly into their mouths. If you have any questions or want to confirm the species, you can seek help at rehabilitation centers of birds, with biologists, specialists in ornithology, in veterinary clinics or specialized establishments. Before long, these puppies will grow up and be able to eat on their own.
In this new phase, find out which is the best baby bird food it will also depend, once again, on its species. In the market, you will find different types of food and you can include seeds, insects, crumbs, fruits, etc. in the diet, depending on the species.
As we have already seen, it is not always simple to feed these baby birds. They are not toys, and before you even rescue a stray bird, you should wait and see if the parents are around to come back and get it. It is also a good idea to try to locate the nest, and if there are other live chicks in it, you can return the dropped chick to the nest. On the other hand, once you have rescued the puppy, if you cannot get him to eat, you must contact a specialized center so that experienced people can feed it properly.
If you have found a baby pigeon know what are the essential care and how to feed it in this article by PeritoAnimal.
amount of bird food
Once you've learned about the most suitable bird food, your goal will be to get it to open its mouth. You can stimulate him by making a light inward pressure on the corners of your beak. This will open it up a little, just enough to introduce the breeding mush with small tweezers or a syringe, no needle, of course. You should get as deep in the mouth as possible. Obviously, this process must be carried out very gently.
Little by little, the puppy will start to open its mouth completely when it sees you. In the beginning you will have to offer him food frequently, but once he gets used to it and is satisfied, you can start spacing meals out. The bird will eat during the day, but not at night. The puppy itself will tell you how much it eats because, after a few minutes of swallowing, it will stop opening its mouth, remain quiet and close its eyes. That means it's full.
When the birds learn to eat by themselves, you will have to leave the food at your disposal, that is, the feeder needs to be full so they can peck all day and they will regulate the amount of food themselves. Likewise, in the birdbath there must always be clean and fresh water.
If you have found an injured baby bird, in addition to knowing what baby bird eats, it is important that you know how to take care of it. For that, read this PeritoAnimal article.
street bird food
Now that you know what baby bird eats, sometimes you don't want to pick up chicks from the street but put food for the birds who are around because you like it, think they need it or simply because you want to attract them to your garden, vegetable garden or balcony. As we've already said, bird food will depend on the bird species in question.
The most common is to buy or make a bird feeder and hang it near the house. In the feeder you can place everything from bread crumbs, preferably whole and always moistened, to seed mixtures or poultry treats that can be found in stores. As for homemade foods, boiled rice and eggs, ripe fruit, sunflower seeds or corn, but not popcorn, as it is very salty, these are alternatives we can offer.
Of course, putting food for stray birds can make them get used to easy food and stop looking for it on their own. It's not really recommended that they rely so heavily on humans.. Don't forget they are not pets.
