Instructions on the first aid to wild birds

What to do if you find a bird on the ground?

1. Wrap it carefully in a napkin, clean handkerchief or towel and pick it up.

2. Put it in a clean, warm, dark and, if possible, quiet place. An ideal choice would be any cardboard box with a towel or clean napkins spread on the bottom.

3. Give it some warm sweetened boiled water (1 teaspoonful of sugar/200 g) or 5 % glucose solution, using a syringe without a needle or a dropper to drop the liquid into the bird's beak.

What should I not do if I find a bird on the ground?

1) Never throw the bird up into the air. If you find any bird on the ground, it means that it already has damage incompatible with flight, or it is a chick that has fallen out of the nest.

2) Do not put a bird found in such a way into a cage. Being in a state of shock, a wounded or frightened bird can damage itself not only the plumage, but also get serious injuries, trying to climb through the rods.

3) Do not touch the bird’s feathers if not needed. All birds cover their feathers with a special protective layer that protects them from getting wet and breaking. Touching the bird with your hands, you erase it.

4) Never attempt to force the bird’s beak open or feed it. Attempts to feed any bird can be fatal. The only acceptable option is to put in a box with a bird a small saucer with a suitable food for this species. Feeding should never be forced, because a broken beak is an inability to eat and a death sentence for a bird.

Related references:

• Where to ask for help?