# Found an injured Woodpecker!!



## catsandscales

Ok, so I've e-mailed the Humane Society, my local wildlife park, and my local avian specialist but it's only been an hour or so and I haven't gotten a response. Maybe some of you have experience with rehabilitating wild animals. =P

I found this poor guy in the middle of the street, not moving, and breathing very fast. He didn't look like he was dying, and when I got home I made him a cozy cage with a hammock out of an old hamster cage. I put him on the floor so that he wouldn't fall and when I checked him out for blood I realized he was holding one leg really close to his body. I believe it's broken, because he won't stand and he seems to be in pain. =( I just now tried to move him so he could drink but he started screaming at me so I decided to leave him alone. XD Not gonna touch him until I get some expert advice. =P I have the water dish tipped close to his head so he can maybe scoot himself close enough to drink... =( Poor guy!

Anyway, any advice? Have any of you rehabilitated wild injured birds before?


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## catsandscales

I took it to my local avian vet free of charge b/c it's wildlife... the Vet Tech told me it was probably head trauma. =P How ironic!


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## rattiesalem24

I have no experience with birds of any kind, sorry :-\, but do you know if he/she will be all right?


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## catsandscales

The vet said she has a broken wing and some head trauma, and it turns out she's a Red-Naped Sapsucker, which aren't usually in our area. I hope she'll be ok, the vet is keeping me updated. =)


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## lml8787

have you heard anymore updates about the poor lil guy today??


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## Alethea

I hope to hear more about the little fellow :3


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## eluin

If you get stuck, I don't know any rehabbers over here, but there are a couple over on Goosemoose that might be able to help you. If you want me to give you names, drop me a PM.


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## PandaBee

this won't help you much now, but it could be helpful as a future reference should yourself or anyone else find an injured animal.

Keep them in a warm, dark, quiet space, until you have somewhere to take them.

And never try to rehab an animal yourself. A lot of people try and end up doing more harm than good because they do not have the proper training to prepare an animal for a release back into the wild.

Thank you for making sure this bird got where it needed to go in a tiimely manner.


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## Alethea

I agree with you PandaBee, just as a general statement I hear too many stories of people harming an animal when they try to assist it. I would not want to be responsible for trying to help and injured creature and then end up causing them damage. It's like if you don't know something and you cannot research something, you should not try to handle it yourself. 

But I think that catsandscales did the best thing she could have by making him comfortable and providing a comfortable space with fresh water until she could find someone to assist her :]


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## Kinsey

She did fine with the bird. 

Althelea and Panda- If you do know what's going on, then I see nothing wrong with it. I've rehabbed plenty of animals and it's turned out quite well. The only ones that have ever died are birds with head trauma, broken necks, or a bleeding/swelling brain. All things that can't be fixed, and they're hurt thanks to windows.

I was able to help a starling with a shattered wing and head injuries- he had been running freely after he got hurt for at least a week, so the bone could not be straightened, and he was unreleasable. His wing healed, he was fine and healthy, and he ended up living with me until he died. if I hadnt taken him in, they would have killed him. No one cares about Starlings. I've also had squirrels, kittens, and behavioral and trust issue animals such as dgos, cats and rats. One of my chickens was on the verge of death only a week ago. I took care fo her. Her eye is healed and her head as well, and she's walking again. I brought her out of shock, and she would have died if I wasn't there.

Basically, if you know what you're doing, then do it. There's not enough people who can help for all the animals in the world.


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## PandaBee

Again, I say, rehab is best left to those with the training and experience.

If you insist on rehabbing an animal yourself, then medical care should be provided by a vet who is qualified and willing to work on the animal. And there is a lot of research that must go into it. Once an animal is healthy enough for release, you can't just let them go, especially if they were a baby when you found them. There are steps that must be taken to ensure successful release. And please, at least reach out to a licensed rehabber for support. They can answer questions you may have and just generally be of great service.

It's honestly just easier on the animal, and on yourself, to take the animal to a licensed rehabber or rehab center. Not only does it provide the animal a great service by ensuring them the VERY BEST care they can receive, it also saves you the potential heartache of losing that animal. There is no real good reason NOT to take an injured animal to rehabbers. They don't charge money, though they may ask for a donation, and they truly want what is best for the animal.


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## Kinsey

You're one of those "rehab lovers". I dislike peoplelike that..here's part of why. I've also had rehabbers attack me when I brought in animals, before I'd done much of anything alone and was around 8, and wasn't willing to work with them if it took a huge amount of time. I simply didn't know quite enough to care for them, so I took them in. I got reprimanded for waiting an hour, or for touching them, or for whatever else. 

Also-

If I had taken Shadow in to a rehabber he would have been killed. He was not only an invasive bird but also had injuries that would make it impossible for him to return to the wild. He got to live thanks to me. I've taken animals in that, for whatever reason, were too much for my abilities- very young or badly dehydrated squirrels, and a baby bird who I got before knowing anything about birds. I have, however, completely rehabbed a young squirrel, and he is and has been wild with no trouble. No one can get near him, and I suspect he has a mate by now, probably more than one. I see him sometimes- he's fat and healthy. I also cared for a fledging bird who was in a road. She couldn't be left there, even though her parents would return to feed her, because she was barely missing cars. I had her until she figured out flying, with regular flying lessons, and a couple of days with my adult starling and the wild flock, who visited my starling's cage, before releasing her. She went with the flock.

I've seen more rehabbers who give no chance to an animal with gory or life-threatening wounds than those who do, especially a common species, like a starling. It's not worth the money and time to them. It is to me. They get vet care if I can't fix them up myself (minor wounds or splints), for things like illness or stitches, and they flourish. Frankly, I'm doing a better job than some of the actual rehabbers around here.

I also had the humane society try to put down a kitten I had rescued because he was deaf and had neurological issues. He found a great home when I snatched him back, and now lives with a woman who owns a blind pekinese, and was so happy to have him that she was crying. 

I had gotten up 3 times a night, heated bottles, and fed a litter of three kittens, while in middle school, doing homework, and cleaning cages every day after school, and somehow still having the time and energy to play with them. I eventually took two more when the three weaned, who were the same age, and had five kittens to play with at once and to keep a cage clean for. A couple has issues that had to be treated by a vet. How many people would have the dedication to do that for a bunch of runty kittens? Not very many.


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## CoffeeMonster

Thank you Kinsey! your story made my day. I'm glad there are people out there as dedicated to helping animals as you are =D


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## lovinmyratties969

Kinsey you sound like my daughter. What we can't help we research or find a local rescuer. We also had an incident with a baby starling and the lady at the rescue said it is illegal in KY to rehab Starlings and if we left it with her she would have to put it down or risk losing her license. We were shocked to say the least. Unfortunately, our story this time did not turn out as good as yours with the Starling. However, she did rehab a dove found with a broken wing in our driveway. She put the little cage we had her/him in out on the porch everyday for fresh air and so the bird wouldn't lose that natural sense. We believe it was the mate that would come sit on the railing everyday. After a while she was in good shape. She just opened the cage and out she flew. It was a wonderful feeling.

I agree with both points here. If no one else will do anything, as with the starling, we had to try. If we know what we are doing with a specific animal we will keep it and rehab. However, if I find I'm at a loss and there is a reputable rehabber I will always give them up for the best of the animal.

God Bless those who help those who can't help themselves


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## Kinsey

What happened with your little starling? Poor thing. I hate that people give them so little credit. Shadow was the best friend I ever had. He talked, sang, and stole the hearts of everyone. It's disgusting that people kill them. Stormy was a neat girl, too, she was the fledgeling I found. I loved helping her learn to fly. She would take off and crash land onto cupboards and the floor, and it was just crazy to see how quickly she learned. Shadow's old flock took her with them, it was really neat.

If you ever end up with another starling, soak dog food and syringe it to them. If they're dehydrated give pedialite first until they are not, and when you sart dog food, use pedialyte for the soak for a bit. It helps keep them hydrated and get the system to work again. Don't wait more than a couple of feedings before giving dog food, the energy is important, unless they're still very ill. The dog food is a close enough diet in protien that it's acceptable for them. I gave my bird fruits and mealworms, crickets, etc, in small quantities, but the dog food made up most of his diet. For babies, dog food is fine if it's mushed up and runny. They love it.

I'm glad your little dove made it, I think there's not a better thing in the world than seeing an animal happy because of you when it would have otherwise died. It sounds like her mate may have stayed beside her, they do that.

I am not always against rehabbers but I sometimes get a very "High and mighty" feeling from them, and it bug me to no end, especially if they're rude. I had a baby squirrel whom I found who was on the edge of death and kept through one night and half a day. I gave him pedialyte, and stimulated his bowels as a mother would, but he was so blocked up and ill I could do nothing to help him improve. I took him to a rehabber and she said she didn't know if he would live through the night, but reprimanded me heavily and scolded me, and thought I was nuts for naming him. He survived in the end, but she didn't do anything different except for ingectable hydration, and it kind of made me mad that she got so angry, even though I was doing my absolute best, and took him in when I saw he was out of my reach. 

Be warned, if you take in a baby starling, it will bond to you and not be releasable unless an adult starling is found that will foster parent it. They will sometimes care for a baby, since the flock will care for orphans if they see it nessecary, but don't count on it. You will likely have a pet for the next 10 or twenty years if you raise it. They take a lot of time and give back a ton, but can be very demanding and LOUD. They'll jabber and make sounds, things like phones, meows, crowing roosters, and will even learn words. It's pretty awesome but anyone who lives in a an apartment by you will go crazy, if they can hear it, unless they like the sound. I personally did. They're more awesome than parrots, for sure.

Glad to see another person who tries to do good things for creatures, but knows the boundaries.


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## PandaBee

Kinsey said:


> You're one of those "rehab lovers". I dislike peoplelike that.


You're one of those "rehab haters". I dislike people like that.

and here's why.

You are promoting that people should just take care of the issue themselves, when, quite simply, it is often beyond their capability. I'm not saying that no one other than a trained and licensed rehabber can care for these animals, but the simple fact of the matter is that most people do not have the time or the knowledge to make a successful go of it. More animals die at the hands of inexperienced individuals who decide to do the work themselves, than at the hands of experienced professionals.

And I'm sorry that you have a problem with starlings not being rehabbed and released into the wild, but as you admitted yourself, they are an INVASIVE species. They do more harm than good to the local ecosystem, displacing native bird species. If you choose to rehab these birds, fine, do so, but please, DO NOT REINTRODUCE THEM TO THE LOCAL ECOSYSTEM! I live on a farm in the country and see everyday the damage that invasive species have done to the local system.

You are making it sound as though rehabbers are scum who don't care about the animals so much as they care about a couple of bucks, and it is simply not the case. Nobody makes money in rehab. Simple fact. it is something that gets paid for out of pocket and from donations, and it's EXPENSIVE. You become a rehabber because you love animals and don't want to see them suffering. However, you simply can't rehab them all. Some animals are beyond help and sometimes, it is more cruel to try and save an animal with a severe disability, than it is to humanely euthanize them. Especially when the animal will likely die anyway, as it prolongs the animal's suffering, and it also costs the rehab center a lot of money that could have been used to save many other animls.

Not every rehabber is amazing. There are some out there that aren't really great people. But that's the minority. Most rehabbers are just good people doing what they love, caring for animals.

There are so many reasons I could list on why it is a much better idea to take an animal to a rehabber than it is to do it yourself, but this post is already long enough.


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## oatsnyogurt

+1


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## Kinsey

Starlings may be invasive, but I myself find them beautiful birds, and they are amazingly intelligent and good tempered. 

I am not advocating for people to do it themselves, I've seen enough disaster from that, trust me. I've seen what happens, and it's sad. People feeding baby squirrels scalded milk, and not having them on heat, people feeding earthworms to finches, and every other manner of incorrect behavior towards the animal. I am, however, saying that some people do know enough to handle an animal themselves, evidenced by my sucess at caring for wounded or ill creatures. 

I've had enough rehabbers attack me for me to hate them. I'm sure I said this, but I had a squirrel ONE night, he was dying when I found him. The next day I took him in, and the woman yelled at me. His mother died on the road and even the rehabber barely saved him. (I only know he made it to morning, not sure he lived past that) I had done everything I could- reydrated with warm fluid, stimulated bowels, kept him warm and in the dark in a "nest", etc. His bowels were so full that his anus protruded, and was filled with a "plug" of feces. It was stretched so badly that even when the plug was removed, another would form in the opening. I took him in, because he was beyond my ability. But animals I can care for, and all starlings who happen upon my door who need help, will recieve it. 

I too live on a farm-like plot, it's closer to town than you probably are, but I keep a horse, and a flock of chickens. We have starlings who take over one of our large trees in summer, they sit in it and sing loudly. I wait for those birds to show up every year, Shadow was from that flock and Stormy is in that flock now, as an adult.

I'm going to end this conversation now, it's just going to escalate. I find it interesting that you put so much trust in others of a species who kill and cause so much pain to animals, but it's not my place to judge or try and change that.


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## Kiko

Try not to be biased. An animal may be amazing , but that does not mean they are NOT harmful.
I should know about starlings anyway since I raised 2 of them from chicks and had them for years.

In my area we have so many starlings they outnumber most other bird species, and because of it the Blue Jay and Cardinals in the area are almost completely gone :/

I agree that they are fantastic birds, loved my 2 starlings, but they are not good for the ecosystem.


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## Kiko

On a different note, one day they just stopped coming home. Does anyone know why they would just stop coming home?
I miss them.
Whats the lifespan of starlings?


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## Kinsey

Captives can live to 15-20, as far as I know.

To stop coming home is peculiar. Perhaps a food source was destroyed?


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## Kiko

Does not make much sense, as I always kept food for them. My driveway was always stocked with mealworms and moist dog food for them 

It was really odd because both of them stopped at the same time, if one of them passed away I would have figured the other still come home.


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## PandaBee

I'm just going to make a final remark in this conversation, and it has nothing to do with rehab.

I find it interesting that you would bring up that humans cause pain and destruction to animals. Humans are capable of this, yes, and it is something I've fought against throughout my life. But humans are also capable of great love and kindness, as evidenced by the fact that we even have people who choose to rehab injured and sick wild animals (oops, brought up rehabbers, haha) with no hope to make any sort of living off of it, and often without the praise they deserve.

and on another note, humans aren't the only species that can act in violent ways against each other and other species for no apparent reason. Chimps are known to go to war against each other and kill each other in brutally horrific ways. Not to mention, there are a number of disturbing chimp attacks on humans that took place for no apparent reason.

and several years ago, an orca named Kandu 5 at seaworld ended up causing her own death as she tried to attack another orca she didn't like.


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## Kinsey

Kiko, were they "yours" persay? Like, a pair you kept for a time or something? I'm confused.

If they were, it's likely they found a flock and joined it.


Panda, I know about the chimps, and animals DO cause a lot of pain, but not at the scale of humans. Our entire planet's being ruined by us.


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## Kiko

I raised them from featherless chicks, so I guess they were mine?
It was just pretty random.


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## Kinsey

They do return usually, but it is likely they found a flock and joined it. They are very social birds.


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