# Rescued a injured blackbird.



## natalie159 (May 28, 2019)

Help, I do not know if I am doing right or wrong, found an injured blackbird in our garden, yes we have a cat, and think they mauled it.

It has a very badly damaged wing, and a slight limp on one leg. It is lively as anything and appears to be eating ok.

I am/was in a quandry whether to take it to the vets or something, but fear if I did, they would put it down. 

Anyway, I have put it in my old spare birdcage 3ft by 2ft, it has various tree branches for perches and gets about them ok, I have brought it some dried mealworm and Witte Molen Expert Soft Food with Insects Softbill Eating Birds, suet pellets, and tried it with bits of sultanas and cat food, which all gets eaten. I have ordered some waxworms for it, trying to look after it as best I can.

I have had it now, about 4 days, am I being cruel keeping it???

Should I just let it go and let nature take its course, or carry on looking after it.


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## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

I don't think you are being cruel you are trying to help it. But it sounds like it needs veterinary attention for its injuries. Have you tried to find some wildlife rehabilitators in your area if you don't trust the vet to put it to sleep.


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## natalie159 (May 28, 2019)

Thanks for replying.

Half its right wing feathers have been pulled out and half of its tail feathers, it cannot fly, it hops about. I just think if I contact anyone, wildlife centres etc, they may feel it is better to put it down. But it is getting about fine, jumping from perch to perch, and eating and drinking fine. Maybe wait a bit for all its feathers to grow back, and see from there if it is worth putting it back in the wild, I do not particulary have intentions of keeping it full time, if it can be let loose again, when or if it gets better.

You just think, "it is only a blackbird, the vets etc will not bother to help it".


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## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

We have a local wildlife rehab and they would not put it to sleep. They take in a lot of birds of all varieties including pigeons and always do their best for them. As for vets well I guess it depends on the vet. Mine would not put to sleep unless necessary. If you feel that it is not injured and just has feather loss then okay but it may take some time for the feathers to regrow. You need to be as hands off as possible so as to keep it wild. I once took in a baby crow and raised him and tried to be hands off but I fell in love with him. I kept him until he was an adult and eventually found the right place where he wòuld be rehabilitated. Broke my heart but it was what was best for him.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

natalie159 said:


> Thanks for replying.
> 
> Half its right wing feathers have been pulled out and half of its tail feathers, it cannot fly, it hops about. I just think if I contact anyone, wildlife centres etc, they may feel it is better to put it down. But it is getting about fine, jumping from perch to perch, and eating and drinking fine. Maybe wait a bit for all its feathers to grow back, and see from there if it is worth putting it back in the wild, I do not particulary have intentions of keeping it full time, if it can be let loose again, when or if it gets better.
> 
> You just think, "it is only a blackbird, the vets etc will not bother to help it".


Trust me, a wildlife centre won't put it down. They'll keep it until the feathers grow back and then release it. If it still can't fly, then they'll (or they should) keep it in one of their avaries.

If a wildlife rescue puts down a bird like this, then they aren't a wildlife rescue, because that's what it's all about and they shouldn't differentiat between species. At least the wildlife rescue I volunteered for and everyone I've heard of wouldn't do it.

There's no reason why you can't keep it and try and release it yourself, if the feathers grow in and it can fly OK. However, did you check to ensure that there were no wounds?? The bacteria on cats' teeth is lethal and that's what kills small animals and birds when a cat's had them. :2thumb:

By the way, the advice above is good regarding avoiding any unnecessary contact. If you want to release it (which is the right thing to do for the bird) it will have a much better chance if it doesn't see humans as good.


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## elishacoombes9 (Sep 5, 2017)

Some wildlife centres will put down if the wing is injured, it’s bloody horrible! Others though are fantastic and will try everything they can to help him! If you’re worried I would ring them and explain everything, and ask if he’ll be put down if they can’t sort it, they’ll be honest with you. If that’s the case, and if it was me I would keep him and see if I can help him myself, and let him live happy for how ever long he has left. If he can’t and won’t be able to fly then he will be put down at the end of the day. And a cage is fine to house him, but find a bigger one, as birds can fly for miles so being restricted to a cage is probably stressful for him, and stress kills small animal very quickly. (If you keep him obviously). X 


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

I worked at a wildlife sanctuary for over 10 years and we never put a bird down with an injured wing or a damaged eye. If the wing or eye was too bad and the bird wouldn't survive in the wild, it went into one of our aviaries and led out its life.

Of course the RSPCA have a very different attitude and when someone maliciously reported us, they arrived with a gung ho vet and 10 vehices (yes 10!) to a wildlife sanctuary that had had one report to them in almost 20 years (which had been an emergency admission and not yet in correct housing, so the matter was solved amicably in no time at all) previous to this!!! The gung ho vet took away all the disabled birds and euthanased them and did it without us signing any releases!!! The RSPCA decided there was no case to answer, but the damage was done!


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## elishacoombes9 (Sep 5, 2017)

feorag said:


> I worked at a wildlife sanctuary for over 10 years and we never put a bird down with an injured wing or a damaged eye. If the wing or eye was too bad and the bird wouldn't survive in the wild, it went into one of our aviaries and led out its life.
> 
> 
> 
> Of course the RSPCA have a very different attitude and when someone maliciously reported us, they arrived with a gung ho vet and 10 vehices (yes 10!) to a wildlife sanctuary that had had one report to them in almost 20 years (which had been an emergency admission and not yet in correct housing, so the matter was solved amicably in no time at all) previous to this!!! The gung ho vet took away all the disabled birds and euthanased them and did it without us signing any releases!!! The RSPCA decided there was no case to answer, but the damage was done!





The RSPCA are absolutely rubbish. They’re who I’m talking about when I say they’ll put them down. Because they do! They don’t even try to help most of what they get in! I now go to Secret World near me who do everything they can for any wild animal! Or I do it myself as I know what I’m doing or what I can to help to a certain extent. I had to phone RSPCA to collect a injured bird of prey from the farmers field next to me a few months back as they’re only one with a permit to go onto their land and they basically said no to helping it. They are horrible for wildlife in my opinion. 


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

You won't get an argument on that from me!

We once went into the back of the RSPCA inspector's van on a visit and it was full of dead babies. When we asked what the story was his answer was "It's easier to neck them"!!! It's not, he could have brought them to us!!!

They an absolute disgrace to their royal warrant!


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