Baby birds in the wild eat every 20 minutes.
Birds control the insect population, making them a beneficial part of our yards. Most birds are capable of catching their own bugs, but an orphaned, abandoned or injured baby bird just might need a little help. Does this Spark an idea?
A Bird's Diet
Most birds eat bugs. Some merely supplement a berry-eating diet with an occasional bug treat, and others consume vast amounts of bugs. Others, such as whip-poor-wills and purple martins, eat bugs exclusively. Adult birds can fend for themselves as long as the natural habitat surrounding them promotes bugs. Native plants and flowers encourage insect populations, which attract the birds.
Feeding Baby Birds
Gardens promote bugs, which attract birds.
"Almost all North American birds other than seabirds--96 percent--feed their young with insects," explains Doug Tallamy in The New York Times. Feeding a young bird insects, however, can prove at best difficult and at worst dangerous if the insect was exposed to chemicals. You can get "clean" bugs such as crickets and meal worms at a local pet store, or try dry dog or cat food, soaked in hot water and cooled. Other dietary staples include liver and kidney, prepared baby cereals, wheat germ and oatmeal, hard-boiled eggs mashed with milk to form a paste, raisins soaked in water, or even dog treats similarly softened. The Alabama Wild Bird Conservation Association offers the guideline of feeding insectivorous birds 1 part meat to 2 parts grains, and seed-eating birds 1 part meat to 4 parts grain.
Other Considerations
Many birds that people "rescue" are not in danger at all. Part of the natural process demands that baby birds leave the nest, and rescued birds may merely be learning to fly. Experts suggest you try to return a bird to its nest (no, the parent can't smell you on them) or place them in a safe spot high up in a shrub or tree. You can also consult a wildlife specialist who can care for the bird. Not only is caring for a baby bird a consuming process, but it's illegal to keep wild native birds in captivity--they're protected by the Migratory Bird Species Act, which allows criminal prosecution.
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