How to Save a Baby Bird

Several years ago I moved to an apartment complex in the city. I was curious about my new neighborhood, and I spent a lot of time walking around exploring. My second day exploring, I noticed a small blue jay just hopping around on the ground. I stopped and looked at him, and I resumed my voyage. The following day, I saw the same baby bird, again hopping around. I was heading to the community pond to feed the ducks I noticed. I tossed some food to the little bird, and went on.

That evening my boyfriend and I decided to walk around after dinner. We have a custom of enjoying a walk together every evening. We hold hands and discuss life, while walking off our meal. Yet again, this tiny blue jay is hopping around by the palm trees. I pointed him out and said " I don't think he can fly." My boyfriend is like a really hot version of Jack Hanna at times, he approaches the bird, without hesitation, he gently picked up the bird. The little bird was not afraid, my boyfriend closely examined the bird. " He's a baby, how long has he been here?" I explained how I had noticed him. My boyfriend said " He will die here," Without hesitation he took the bird into our apartment.

We researched birds as much as we could. As this bird was not flying yet, we made him a comfortable nest, in a large box with out a lid and we put him on our screened porch. My boyfriend went outside and found an earthworm to feed the bird. The blue jay was hungry! After feeding him we went to bed. We repeated the ritual in the morning and went to work. As I returned home I heard him singing, I took my pet gerbil's cage outside on the porch and thought the sunshine would do him some good. I fed the bird another worm, and he perched on my finger. I felt like Snow White, or something...

We continued this ritual for 2 more days, then the bird managed to fly a few feet. I felt overjoyed. I knew this was a good start for our blue bird. After almost a week, the bird was healthier, and he was flying all over my porch. I knew in my heart it was time, I put him in a shoebox, and we set him free in a lovely park. It made me happy to watch him fly out of the box, but he didn't want to go.

I knew I could not cage this beautiful creature, and I could not have him flying around inside of my apartment . I had to let go. If you find a baby bird, if you must help, as my boyfriend, first, find a suitable place to contain the bird. Preferably in a cage, or a screened in porch. Find earth worms and cut them up into small bits. Feed the bird the worms, and when it is strong enough to fly, let it go. It is important to not keep the bird for too long, or else it may not survive in the wild as you are preventing it from learning to hunt its own food.

Really it is not a good idea to try to save a baby bird, as the carry diseases and germs, and wild birds are not meant to keep as pets.