How and what do i feed a baby oriole?

Question

i found a baby oriole in a tree, with its brother dead on the floor. It's nest has seemed to have fallen form the top of the tree, to a lower part, and it's mom wont show up! I dont know what to feed it, or how to feed it. I gave it some water, and i made a nest in a shoebox (no lid) and put twigs and leaves in it, and tied it to a sturdy tree, from which it wont fall from. i want it to live, but i need to know how to feed it!! Help please!!

Answer 1

A. They feed on insects, flower nectar, and fruits. At backyard feeders, they eat sugar water, mealworms, and bits of fruit.

The Care  And Feeding Of Orphan Birds

There are 2 basic needs that must be met if your venture is to be successful.

Housing

            Down-covered young birds should be kept in a cardboard box indoors away from pets and small children and out of direct sun or drafts. Keep the temperature in the box between 80 and 90 F. A lamp with a 40 or 60 watt bulb should provide enough heat, but don't put the lamp directly over the bird. This won't be necessary if the bird is fully feathered.

            Cover the box to cut down on disturbance to the bird, eliminate drafts, and prevent the bird from getting out of the box. Put an artificial nest made of a margarine or similar container lined with paper towels in the box. This will support the bird. When the bird begins to get out of this "nest", provide a perch or two for it to rest on. Do not use a wire cage. Birds often will get excited and damage their feathers on wire so that they won't be able to fly properly later.

        Food

            Nestlings require frequent feedings-- as much as every 30 minutes from dawn to dark. One person should take care of the bird to avoid excessive human contact. ( Don't tame the bird! ). Food should be at room temperature and of soft consistency. The bird shouldn't need water if the food is fairly moist.

            Begin feeding young birds with an eyedropper. Fill the dropper so there are no air bubbles. If the bird won't open its mouth when food is presented, gently open the beak by slipping a fingernail between the upper and lower jaws and prying them apart. Put the dropper in the back of the bird's throat, behind the tongue, and slowly squeeze the dropper. Be careful not to get fluid in the breathing tube in the floor of the mouth just behind the tongue. Clean food from the beak and feathers with a moist tissue.

            Later the bird will take thicker food and will eventually open the beak when it sees food or it may even squawk when it wants food. Stick the food to the end of a pointed popsicle stick or a drinking straw cut on a slant and give it to the bird. Do not use metal tweezers as they may damage the bird's tender mouth. As the bird grows it will eat more, but less frequently.

            Birds have a high metabolic rate and a high energy requirement. Bread crumbs and milk are not sufficient. Most baby birds are unable to feed themselves; normally the parents feed them, so putting bird seeds or worms in the box does no good. You have to put the food into the baby. At first you may have to pry open the beak to do this, but soon the bird will realize that you are the source of food ( mama ) and will open its beak and squawk whenever it is hungry or when it hears you approach. Feed it when it asks for it. When it has enough it will collapse and sleep until it is hungry again.

            A warning: be VERY CAREFUL not to get any food underneath his tongue. That is where his airway is and if food gets lodged in there he will choke. When he opens his beak, just make sure that you take your time to put the food above his tongue, preferably near the roof of his mouth. Just relax and don't worry about making a mess, because baby birds are very messy.

            The majority of birds can be classified in two groups: meat eaters and seed eaters. Basic diets for these are listed below with suggestions for special foods for different species of birds. The sooner you identify the bird, the sooner you can provide the best diet. The basic foods mentioned in these diets can be classified into two groups:

            MEAT:  P/D dog food (canned and available from most veterinarians), dry puppy kibbles (have to be soaked in water), boiled chicken, strained beef baby food, hard boiled chicken egg yolk, live insects such as flies and mealworms.

            GRAIN: high protein dry baby cereal , wheat germ, corn or oat meal that has been powdered down in a blender.

            Meat and grain proportions are generally:

            Insect Eating Birds - l part meat to 2 parts grain.

            Seed Eating Birds - 1 part meat to 4 parts grain.

            When meat is asked for in the diet, you can pick any meat from the meat group. You can then add, in the right proportions , any grain from the grain group. For example, a seed-eater diet could be 1 part P/D dog food and 4 parts wheat germ. You should  vary this diet as much as possible as long as you stay within the proper framework. For example the next time you mix up a batch of formula for your seed eater bird, you might use 1 part boiled chicken and 4 parts high protein baby cereal. Variety is the spice of life, and also keeps young birds healthy.

            A good pinch of VET-NUTRI, a Squib vitamin/mineral supplement available at most veterinarians, should be added to each new batch of food you mix. Sprinkle over and mix in. Mix food daily; never mix more than you can use in a day's time. Otherwise it may sour. Supplement these basic diets with frequent little goodies whenever possible. Normal diets are listed below, so use your imagination. Those occasional tidbits of natural food help. Remember that young birds eat large amounts of food and at frequent intervals. Some consume an amount equal to their own weight each day. Just leaving food in the box or feeding two or three times a day is not enough!

            Water

            When the bird is eating solid food on its own, it will need water. You can drop a little water on its beak or into its mouth until it catches on or teach it to drink by gently dipping its beak into water, then releasing it immediately. Keep a small dish of water in the box. A large dish will create a hazard for the bird and likely cause a mess in the box.

            Self-feeding

            The bird will eventually learn to feed on its own. Fruit- and seed-eaters will learn to feed themselves if you place a soft piece of fruit (apple or banana) on a flat surface in front of the bird and gently press the bird's beak into the fruit. Bits of fruit will stick to the beak and the bird will eat them. Repeat this procedure at each feeding until the bird feeds by itself. You may put small bird seeds in for seed-eaters to practice on

            Insect-eaters can be given mealworms or other small crawling insects in a similar manner. Usually the bird quickly learns to pick up any crawling animal. If the bird is reluctant to feed on its own, wait a day or so and try again. Feeding is a matter of maturity, the instinctive behavior will not begin until the bird is old enough.

            Flying

            You don't have to teach the bird to fly. When it is old enough, it will fly instinctively. You may move the bird to a larger box to give it more room. Put several sticks or dowels through the box for perches. Young birds may begin to fly a week or two before they can feed themselves, so don't rush them. Don't let the bird fly freely in the house! It is likely to get trapped by furniture, windows, and cats.

            Releasing the bird

            Once the bird is feeding itself on its natural diet, you should release it in a familiar area where it can be protected from cats and dogs until it can fend for itself. An outside bird cage or aviary is ideal for this purpose. Provide natural food and after a week leave the door open during the day and close it at night for protection. It may take several weeks for the bird to adjust to the outdoors and stop returning to the cage for food. Give the bird time and continue to provide food. Don't handle or talk to the bird during this time; you should be breaking the ties between you and the bird.

            Keep in mind that a certain level of nest failure is normal in bird populations, so don't be discouraged or feel that you are a failure if you are not successful. Your best effort is all that can be expected.

Answer 2

Thats easy Oreo's is a given since they are Oriole's they would eat oreos.

Answer 3

the mother may have come back but since you moved the bird now the mother wont know where to go - it is NOT true that once a person has been near birds the mother will not return - that is a lie - you should NOT handle this bird!!!  wash your hands and anything you may have touched - even baby birds have garms on them that people cannot handle - contact you local SPCA or Humane society for help there may be a bird sanctuary nearby you can take them to - do not try to feed them youself you will not be able to get the special foods it will need

Answer 4

Putting it back into the nest tree as close to the original location is best.  Sounds like you have done this.  You should now watch the "nest" from afar to see if the adults are still tending to this chick. Usually if they can hear it's begging calls they will still be able to locate their baby and will continue caring for it.   If you are too close and the parnets can see you they will not come as you would be considered a predator.  Watch from a hidden location.  You must also watch continually as visits to feed and be quick and infrequent (especially if the parents are wary).  If you see no parents even attempting to find their baby after and hour or two, you should get the bird to a local wildlife rehab.  Look here for one near you:

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

Keep in mind it is illegal for you t care for this bird on your own, they are protected by law..please get it to an expert for it's best chance of survival if necessary.