European starling baby

[jennluna]

A friend of a friend called me up at almost 9 pm and told me she needed my help because her dad found a baby bird in the parking lot of his workplace today and was going to take it out in the woods and just let something eat it. Of course she wouldn’t let him do that and took it away from him, but then she didn’t know what to do with it. My friend of course said “Jenn has birds, she’ll know what to do with it.” Of course. Lol.

They didn’t even know what it was when she brought it to me but I figured out pretty quickly that it’s a Starling, about 11 days old. It’s not hurt, but it was cold and hungry. I actually did know what to do for it, and it has been fed a cat food/applesauce/hand feeding mix and is in a box with a heating pad.

The closest rehab center to us is over an hour away but I don’t think they’ll take it because SC considers Starlings an invasive pest. My kids have already named it Nanner (short for Banana because of its huge yellow beak) and are begging to keep it. Looks like I have another bird. My soft heart keeps getting me in trouble.

 

[Fergus Mom]

Awwww - what a story! Welcome little Nanner to the flock here. I can't wait to hear updates. Bet she is a darling.

 

[Dartman]

They are legal to keep as they aren't native and invasive and it should imprint and bond with you if you decide to raise and keep him. I hear they make great companions. We rescued a baby female house finch from a crow and she bonded and was a happy little flea in our flock. She sang the songs of her people and played with her toys and stole our food and drink and loved baths.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Thank you for taking the starling into your home. It's good that you knew what to do.
If you need some additional advice you can check over here: Starling Talk: The Care and Feeding of Injured and Orphaned Starlings

 

[jennluna]

It’s totally adorable. My oldest 2 are on baby feeding duty tonight. They’re over the moon because they think it’s the cutest thing ever.

 

[WillowNMurphy]

Welcome Nanner! Love the beak!

 

[Birdbabe]

Thank you for rescuing this baby. Your doing everything right..can you get some mealworms? And powdered calcium? A reptile store would have the calcium, drown the mealworms...dust them in the calcium, he/she should take to them quickly. Love the name, my friend had a starling, he was a comical little thing.

 

[jennluna]

He’s (she’s?) doing so good. Little Nanner grew a lot in one day! I read something on starling talk about mealworms maybe being only good as treats? But I’ll definitely add the calcium to the food mix. I’m so excited about this cute, smart, unexpected little addition to my flock.

 

[jennluna]

Also, I was blown away when I read what good little pets starlings make. I had no idea they could talk!

 

[Dartman]

Most baby songbirds have the coolest coloring inside their throat. Pretty sure as a easy target for the parents to aim for when feeding them. Beeper we would fill up till her crop was bulging out and she'd be so happy and fall asleep. I don't remember her needing feedings overnight but she was almost flegded but still tiny when we found her. We just kept stuffing baby parrot formula down her whenever she started screaming and as she got older she self weaned and started eating finch food and whatever she could steal from us.
She would still do the baby bird wing shaking and cheeping whenever she saw a favorite treat even as a full grown adult and she would sleep on my mouse hand while I surfed, made it hard to do things but was so cute

 

[iamwhoiam]

For calcium I crushed up Tums (as per the Starling Talk formula recipe) and added it to the formula when I was hand feeding Spee, my house sparrow. Never had to feed him throughout the night which was a good thing. I used wooden coffee stirrers to give him the food. He loved gobbling that "stuff" down.
Spee talks which amazes most people.

 

[camelotshadow]

:fairy3::sunflower:

 

[jennluna]

Maybe the cutest thing ever? Nanner is growing so fast!

 

[Garet]

AAAAAAAAAHJSFDfhdksjafhskldjfh SO CUTE! How could anyone even consider leaving this gorgeous bananaphone out in the woods to be eaten??? Is he blind?????????

 

[jennluna]

I don’t know how any human being with a heart could even consider that as an option. That is vile to me. My husband asked me why I would keep this bird and he got the stink eye. He looked at me for a few seconds and said “never mind. I already lost this one, didn’t I?”

 

[hrafn]

Welcome beautiful Nanner! Gosh, she's so cute!

 

[Garet]

I don’t know how any human being with a heart could even consider that as an option. That is vile to me. My husband asked me why I would keep this bird and he got the stink eye. He looked at me for a few seconds and said “never mind. I already lost this one, didn’t I?”

At least he knows it's a moot point to argue with you over your Banana! Watch him/her imprint primarily on your hubby.

 

[jennluna]

That would be funny but highly unlikely. Nanner has been fed almost exclusively by me and my two oldest daughters so far and hubby will be lucky if the kids ever let Nanner out of their sight. Between Nanner and the new Caique, Cookie, the kids are in birdie heaven this week.

 

[Birdbabe]

Beyond cute!!!!

 

[camelotshadow]