A little over two months ago, my mother called me from the barn while I was making cookies to tell me that a baby bird had just fallen from its nest in the rafters of the arena - about a two story drop. It was a hot day and the little thing, with barely any feathers, was laying in the sun coming in through the overhead door, panting. He'd only been there for a few minutes, and being the soft-hearted people we are, neither my mother or I could stand to leave him there to die in the sun.

So I picked him up, found a box, and brought him inside. The next day we headed out to PetCo and bought some supplies for him, as well as did a hell of a lot of research online to find out what to feed a bird that little.


4-5 days old

A lot of websites told us to bring it to a rehabber. Many, many others said that birds living in barns are pests, so it would be best for us to just let nature take its course. One amazing website had everything we could possibly have needed to know, and a forum I signed up on to answers our questions. We found out that raising one baby bird and releasing it later is impossible, especially from that young of an age, because they imprint on their caretaker. And we weren't about to go rob a nest to get a second nestling so we could release them both at an older age.

Despite having three cats and two dogs, we found ourselves with a new bird.


9-10 days old

Let me tell you, they're not easy to take care of! For the first week and a half or so, he had to be fed every hour, and then every two hours for the next week. By that point he'd started to fly, and since we didn't have a cage, we moved him into a five gallon fishtank that had a screen lid to keep the cats out.


14-15 days old

It took him a couple days to get the hang of flying, but thankfully, he had plenty of room. We bring him downstairs in the morning, and as long as someone is at the computer (someone almost always is) he's allowed to fly free in the den and living room. It didn't take him all that long to have the run of his area, and he really does love his people.

He has toys hung up now to play with, a plate of fresh water to bathe in, seeds to eat as well as some fruits as treats, and of course the gross cat food/apple sauce/hard-boiled egg mixture that keeps him healthy by providing everything he needs. And now he feeds himself! If we play music or one of us is singing, he sings right along with us, and he's far more playful than I ever imagined a bird would be. He pulls my hair, pecks at my freckles, lays claim to territory (like the computer mouse) and 'attacks' my fingers whenever I try to touch it.

Oh, and he usually goes to sleep at night curled up on my shoulder, in the folds of my sweater if it's chilly, or on top of the computer if I'm moving around too much for his liking.


Napping while I work on my final paper for AP Lit

Although he can be annoying... Since he sleeps upstairs in my bedroom, I haven't managed to sleep past nine once yet this summer! And I never imagining birds would be such little thieves. When it comes to food, he's a complete terror, and anything he sees his people eating he wants to have as well! Just today he took a Dorito out of my mother's hand and flew away with it.


Imitating the computer mouse

The bird poop is a bit obnoxious, but I clean up after him every night after he goes to bed, and it's really not bad at all. For the most part, he's a clean little creature. Though since he's two months old now, it's unlikely he'll ever acclimate to a cage, so we'll be dealing with it for the next few years at least! I don't think I mind all that much, though.


Current picture - from today

He's really grown into quite the handsome little fellow! I just adore him to bits, and I thought I would share with everyone else on here, since I had the pictures to document him growing.

Aww, that is so cute! :)

Very cute! And congrats on helping to grow up strong. :)

SO ADORRAABBBLLLEEE!!!

I love birds so much and this just proves how adorable they are <3

On the note of baby birds, I saved a baby house finch today. I was able to with help successfully reunite Shy with his birdy family. :) He fell out of a tree while learning how to fly...stunned himself and I didn't want the stray cats to get him. My fianc called our local bird specialist rescue for help.

Awww! He's adorable! If you wouldn't mind, could I get the links to the most helpful sites you found? Soo many birds fall out of their barn nests, and me being the soft heart I am...Well, let's just say this year alone I've climbed into the rafters at least a dozen times. -_- It's great that I can do that, but oh my god I almost always fall myself! Getting reallly tired of falling sometimes two stories. (I have no flipping idea how I haven't broken anything yet.)

That's a cute baby! I don't have much experience with wild birds, though I have nursed a baby bat before.. I have two parrots one that is only a few months old. Keep a eye on what food he steals and I suggest looking up what food they can and can't eat if you haven't already.

Best of luck with keeping up with the little guy!

Hehe thanks, everyone! He is super cute and I adore him to bits. x3

The best (And, honestly, only) website I found with any real information was StarlingTalk.com. The info on the website is for Sparrows and Starlings, but if you join the forum, it goes far more in depth and there are many other different types of birds covered as well. And if you don't know what you have, the people on the sire are more than willing to help identify the nestlings.

Aww, your baby bird is so cute! You are a very nice person to do that. My Aunt does something similar. She helps out a local wild animal rescue by taking some of the babies they get and raising them, then releasing them into the wild later. She mainly does squirrels now. Sometimes they come back and visit her, and even show off their babies.

Oh, this is just awesome! I love it! :D

I raised a robin once just like you have this wonderful little guy, years ago. It was a lot of fun. :)

If you don't mind, will you post more pics?