Sparrow chick: what to feed the bird?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

In the spring, when most of the birds breed, chicks that have fallen under the trees are not uncommon. Little yellow-billed birds look so pitiful that many people begin to be tormented by pangs of conscience and take such chicks home: to warm, feed, save.

So, a little sparrow chick fell into your hands. What to feed such a baby? These birds are probably the most common feathered inhabitants of our continent. There is no place where they cannot be found. They are already distinguished by their small size, and even their chicks look completely tiny - it’s scary to breathe on such a person, let alone feed him! But you will have to feed, since he got into your house.

What can you feed a sparrow chick? First, remember that the chicks of small insectivorous birds - sparrows, tits, larks - eat ¾ of their weight in food per day. Naturally, it is best if the bird’s diet is based on insects familiar to it: flies,worms, grasshoppers, larvae, bugs. But, of course, getting them is not easy. What else does a sparrow chick eat? What to feed him, and what not to? For some reason, in fairy tales, books, films, sparrows are fed with bread. However, this is absolutely not possible. Bakery products can be given to a chick no more than once every two days, and even then only in the form of a crumb soaked in milk. In addition, you can give a little finely chopped raw or boiled meat, steamed oatmeal or seeds of cereals of milk ripeness, ground in a mortar. Suitable for feeding grated vegetables (carrots, cucumbers, beets), squeezed from excess juice. Also, you can feed the chick with cottage cheese or a boiled egg, as long as the food is uns alted. It is better to add a little crushed chalk or coal to the food (a sparrow chick will be happy with such a seasoning) than to feed it with s alty food. S alt should not be given to birds at all!

Because the chick is still small, you need to feed him often (at least once every two hours). The task is difficult, so it is believed that it is difficult to feed the chicks of small birds. Do not forget also that in addition to food, the bird must have clean water. Try to get the chick to eat on its own, but if that doesn't work, try feeding by opening its beak with tweezers.

But in general, before leaving the sparrow chick, think: maybe it's better to leave it where it is? Most often, the so-called fledglings fall out of the nests. These are chicks that are not yet able to fly, butmade their first attempt at it. Their parents then try to finish feeding their child already on earth. And if there is not a large population of stray cats and dogs in the district, the probability of surviving such a chick in the wild is much higher than at home. Remember that very often chicks die at home due to improper maintenance or feeding. And if you really want to take part in saving the bird, you might be better off placing a feeder with food where the sparrow's chick is, rather than feeding it at home in a cage. Remember: captive-bred birds die quickly when released into the environment.