Found Baby Robin Please Helpful info?

Question

I was outside and all of a sudden a baby robin came hopping down the side walk There was adult robins flying around but I couldn't find a nest anywhere

I went to the store and got special formula for baby birds It says for all baby birds

The man told me that based on the babies size it should eat about 10 cc's 3 times a day.

Its a formula that you mix with warm water and syringe feed.

So far the baby didn't want 10 cc's all at once. I gave about 3 at once then the baby fell asleep for about an hour. Then another 3 cc's then fell asleep, then more.

The bird is a little smaller than a tennis ball. I think a fledgling.

Will the bird eat and eat and eat and i should ration it off and only feed what he eats 3 times a day or what.

I have no problem raising this bird being that I HAVE taken in plenty of animals but this is my 1st baby bird so need some help.

I was told by my step mother that she saw another like this one but dead where i found this one I'm not putting it back n risking that

Answer 1

If the bird is a fledgling it didn't belong in the nest.  Birds leave the nest before they can fly.   It was supposed to be on the ground.  It wasn't lost, and it didn't fall out of the nest - it jumped.   At you needed to do was find a bush and put it there.   There was absolutely no need to bring it home.   It has parents - parents who will teach it how to survive in the wild, where it belongs.   Humans can't teach a bird how to find food, water, and evade predators (like cats).

If you want success for the bird you will bring it back to it's parents.  You don't need to break federal wildlife laws and risk the life of a baby.  There is simply no need for your actions.

You need to understand that many birds don't make it to adulthood.  Predation is a fact.  We cannot and should not attempt to rescue every wild baby we see, simply because it's risky outdoors.  It's always going to be risky outdoors.  The fit will survive.  Removing a baby from the wild removes 50% of it's chances.

Humans are the last (and worse) option.  Remaining in the wild, with the parents is key to survival of our wildlife.  Injured animals need help.  Uninjured fleglings may need to be moved to a safer spot (nearby), but should never be removed from their parents.

Quite frankly, you will kill the bird if you continue.  You are going to overfeed it.  Robins don't feed their young at night.  They sleep.  Fledgling robins are not fed a grain based diet like the hand-feeding formulas for hookbills.  They are fed worms and grubs - soft bodied, high protein, high moisture.  The food is not regurgitated - it's fed live.

If you care about the bird, you will return it to it's parents.  If you can't do that, you need to give the bird to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.  The bird belongs in the wild, and they can help get him there successfully.

Check this link for worldwide listings:

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact....

In the US, rehabilitation is regulated by the Federal government and State DNR (Dept of Natural Resources), or Dept of Fish and Game. Services are free to the public, as all native wild birds are protected by federal law.  

There are several sites with listing of rehabbers, although the easiest way to find one is to search Yahoo! or Google for "wildlife rehabilitation" + your state (try both full and abbreviated). Also search on DNR or DFG + rehabilitation + your state.

You may be able to find a contact for a nearby rehabber through your local humane society, animal shelter, or police department.

Links are also available on these sites:

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/

http://www.greenpeople.org/sanctuary.htm

http://www.iwrc-online.org/

http://wrcmn.org/public/default.asp

http://www.wildliferehabilitators.com/li...

Answer 2

You have been informed that what you are doing is against the law and you are doing more harm than good, and you don't seem to care.  You claim to love wildlife than why do you insist on killing baby birds.  If you are aiming for your wildlife permit than you should know this bird does not need your help..it sounds like a fledgling and you said you saw the adults flying around who were most likely it's parents!  You even state it IS a fledgling and if you are so experienced why are you here asking questions.  Please give this bird back to it's parents before you kill it.  Are you even aware that you can easily kill a baby bird by giving it any fluid if you are not experienced doing this..it can aspirate and die.  If you do not want to replace this bird where you found it like you should..at least get it to someone experienced at a local wildlife rehab.

Answer 3

You shouldn't have interfered. The mother was likely feeding it even if you couldn't see her.

Answer 4

10cc's does seem like an awful lot at one feeding!  Another thing you could try is canned dog or cat food.  

I would use mainly the meat based dog or cat food and supplement with the formula.  If it doesn't go through the syringe easy, mix it with some water (in a blender if necessary.)  I was sucessful with some baby starlings I raised that way--it was recommended to me by a wildlife rescue I contacted for help.

My reasoning is that the parents would probably be feeding mainly worms, so the meat would be better than the formula, but maybe I'm wrong.

Good luck!!

Added:  I don't know if robins would be the same, but after they began flying, little by little they started hanging out with other starlings and came back for feedings.  I guess when they finally got "comfortable" with the other starlings they just took off with them one day...

Oh...I see.  Hmm, well when mine would wake up, they would be hungry and start making noise, and I would feed them until they were full (in other words, when they quieted down...in your case that seems to be about 3ccs full)  They would then go to sleep usually and start squawking again when they were hungry.  I want to say it was like about every hour when they were awake.  And I also was told by the wildlife place that no, you don't need to feed them at night since their parents wouldn't.

Answer 5

It seems like you have a fair amount of tenacity, and you may be able to keep this little one alive.  With that said it would be a good thing for you to take it to someone more experienaced or try and see if it's parents comeback for it.  If your set on doing this though, here are some things to do...

1. keep him warm!  A cold bird quickly becomes a dead bird.  A 10 to 20 gallon aquarium and a heating lamp with  towel on the bottom will work if he is older (has feathers, even if they are still soft and downey like)  if he is younger you are going to want a makeshift next for him.  A small box, or even an empty margrine container will do.  For bedding the best and easiest solution is tissue!  (or TP) Just take a fair amount and crumple it up and place it in a bowel shape Make sure you have a large amount of padding on the bottom to help prevent splayed legs.

As for the feeding you are absolutley right, you do want to feed him more than that.  I don't know how far along he is in growth (usally judged by feather growth) I'll update this with more spacific stuff if you add that info.  In general you want to feed him ever 15 to 30 to 60 minutes.  A good indication is watching how often he wakes up.  Your little fledginling if warm will wake up when hungry if he's warm, not to play or see the world, so when they wake up it's time to feed them, as to the amount, as much as he will eat is how much you want to feed him.  I would also recommend for at least the first day that you add a little bit more water to the solution than recommended, as he may be dehydrated.  

As a side note, NEVER ever ever give straight liquid to a fledgling bird of any kind.  It can make them very very sick, all of thier hydration should come through their food.  

that said... Make sure the food you are feedin them is warm, but by no means hot, you would want it to be about the same temperture you woul would give to a baby.  Be very aware of the temperture, as it being too hot will burn their crop, and it being too cold will make them not want to eat.

As this little one grows you are going to want to wean him, typically this is when they are fully feathered though.  In any case, if the little one lives, here's a recipe for a more solid food they van eat that's a bit better for them than seed.

Take some dog or cat food and soften it with warm sugur water, add in a hard boiled egg (leave the shell on, but make sure it mushed up really well) and some cereal, (unsweetened cheerios are great for this)  make sure it's squishy but not liquidy, and warm.  and feed it to your little one, you can do this by just dropping peices into the back of the throat when the bird gapes.

That'll help the transition a bit when your bird gets older.

As for care, try and keep your little one in a place free from cold and dry drafts, also try and keep handling to a minimum.  And when you do handle them make sure you remember to blink!  No staring! Think about how a cat stares at's prey before it strikes, focused, and unmoving, you want to do the opposite, and blink often, even yawn, to set your little one at ease.  When he is trying to learn to fly, make sure it's in a safe place , no windows uncovered, and the toilet lid closed.  try and do it in a place that's long like a hall, vereses tall.  Once he stops running into walls take him outside to be with his birdie breathren.  

Good luck!