Best way to look after baby housemartin

Question

Hi,

5 days ago I found a baby housemartin (we think it is a housemartin anyway) in the middle of the road. It was on its belly flopping a bit and a car was coming. I can't watch it get run over so I picked it up. There are walls on both sides of the road so nowhere safe to put it really. I've brought it home and after feeding it emergency rations of scrambled egg and weetabix mixed with water, then baby bird formula (EMP with tiny seeds (we thought it was a finch initially) I have got some mealworms. he has been happy with these for a couple of days now.

When I found him he a fair amont of wing feathers but the rest of him was more like fluff feathers. He harldy stood up. now he is standing most of the time and seems fairly alert. He has a shoebox with a towel on the base and that is lined with kitchen roll so i can keep his area quite clean. Recently he got onto the edge of the box and perched there before falling off. Normally he can't get onto the edge yet. He walks around now (often backwards!) and looks to be doing some wing exercises now (stretching and flapping) . I thought he wouldn't make it through the first night but now he has done nearly a week I'm thinking he might make it.

I'm starting to wonder how he learns to feed for himself etc. and what is the best way for me to give him a good chance when he is ready (housemartins catch insects for food as they fly I believe).

Initially I tried to find a wildlife rescue centre around here (Peak district UK) but only found one mention of a farm on the internet and they never pickup the phone so I have stopped calling.

Having looked through quite a few related questions I've seen some people saying when he can fly just let him go and others saying he needs to be reared with his own kind to have a better chance, and all sorts of other advice

How do I teach him to feed for himself once he is ready (hoping he makes it that far)

Answer 1

Call a parrot/bird club in your area.  They can give you a name of a wildlife expert in your area.

Type in bird or parrot club your city and state.

Answer 2

Best bet is to contact a vet that can take him an or a wildlife rehabber in your area. There should be more than one and a vet should beable to refer you. this is free for all wildlife. it sounds like he is doing very well. As soon as he get the rest of his feathers I would start hiding some of his food and let him find it. i would also feed him at this time also. I would also put some mealworms and some seed in a shallow dish in his cage and watch to see if he eats it. They learn quick. also may want to chop up some fruit very tiny like blueberries, melon. No avacodo. You can put him a a soft release cage outside make sure he has place to get out of elements and can get warm but it would be good for him to get used to his enviorment and their are bugs flying everywhere for him to catch. You want him to be afraid of cats, dogs, and not very comfy with humans. the best bet is a rehabber at this point. Sounds like he may have been a fledgling bird if he was hoping and flapping in road. Could have put him under a tree or a nearby area. The mother will recognize his cries and come to feed wherever he is. Baby birds once leave the nest live on ground for a few days until they get the hang of flying. People often think they are hurt because they are off balance, wobbly, and flap and fall. This is normal. Im glad you helped him but my advice would be a vet or rehabber for the best chance for his survival. Or if it has not been to long he may be ok to put back out near where he was found. Good luck