Found a wild disabled baby parrot under a bridge!

[Serin]

In Chicago we have feral quaker parrots which have been free-living for forty to fifty years, and there is a large colony of 100+ living under the Chicago skyway bridge about 150 feet above the ground. While visiting the colony today I found a fledging aged parrot on the grass sitting by himself and picked him up. His left wing is just missing about halfway down the lower arm and he has no flight feathers, there is no open wound and it looks like his wing was bitten off as a very young nestling and fully healed but now when he tried to fly he plummeted to Earth.

I took the parrot home and he is very tame, though loud. Doesn't seem old enough to know to fear peopleor to bite yet and is very snuggly. I got it to eat a little formula off a spoon by prying open his bill and dripping it onto his tongue and he nibbled a little on his own but he did not eat nearly as much as he needs to. He also has a very weak left leg that can barely grasp so he hops and falls a lot though I am sure that he will adapt his issues over time and I suspect the leg is a sprain from the fall and not permanent as in just a few hours it has gone from limp and useless to able to grip a little.

I've never had a parrot of this sort (budgies and tiels only) and am looking for all advice particularly on the best way to get him eating more.

 

[Zara]

Take him to the vet asap to get the leg and wing checked out. They will be able to show you how to feed the bird, take the formula with you.

Thankyou for taking him home and helping him

 

[SandraK]

In Chicago we have feral quaker parrots which have been free-living for forty to fifty years, and there is a large colony of 100+ living under the Chicago skyway bridge about 150 feet above the ground. While visiting the colony today I found a fledging aged parrot on the grass sitting by himself and picked him up. His left wing is just missing about halfway down the lower arm and he has no flight feathers, there is no open wound and it looks like his wing was bitten off as a very young nestling and fully healed but now when he tried to fly he plummeted to Earth.

I took the parrot home and he is very tame, though loud. Doesn't seem old enough to know to fear peopleor to bite yet and is very snuggly. I got it to eat a little formula off a spoon by prying open his bill and dripping it onto his tongue and he nibbled a little on his own but he did not eat nearly as much as he needs to. He also has a very weak left leg that can barely grasp so he hops and falls a lot though I am sure that he will adapt his issues over time and I suspect the leg is a sprain from the fall and not permanent as in just a few hours it has gone from limp and useless to able to grip a little.

I've never had a parrot of this sort (budgies and tiels only) and am looking for all advice particularly on the best way to get him eating more.

You can try calling Injured Birds | Chicago Bird Collision Monitors for help. Otherwise your options are Niles Animal Hospital in Niles, IL Niles Animal Hospital & Bird Medical Center or Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation I believe Niles has later hours today and ask for Dr. Sakas. I know from experience you'll have to take the baby to Flint Creek but I believe they have an intake location on Northerly Island. Chicago Monitors may have someone you can meet up with in Chicago and they'll take the baby from there. I used to live in the NW suburbs of Chicago. Good luck! I'd give my eyeteeth for a baby Quaker but I'm now in Florida.

 

[SandraK]

Take him to the vet asap to get the leg and wing checked out. They will be able to show you how to feed the bird, take the formula with you.

Thankyou for taking him home and helping him

There are extremely few vets, let alone experienced avian ones, who'll take injured wild life. The ones I mentioned are the only ones I know for sure. The Chicago Bird people will get the baby to Nature Center | Schaumburg Park District

 

[Serin]

There are extremely few vets, let alone experienced avian ones, who'll take injured wild life. The ones I mentioned are the only ones I know for sure. The Chicago Bird people will get the baby to Nature Center | Schaumburg Park District

Thanks, the parrot is not wildlife though. It is an introduced species often kept as an exotic pet, and is injured in a way that release is impossible, I am looking into pet bird vets.

 

[Barbara2]

So great that you are helping him. He will make you a wonderful pet We will be anxious to hear how it all goes.

 

[Zara]

I've never had a parrot of this sort (budgies and tiels only) and am looking for all advice particularly on the best way to get him eating more

Be sure to prepare the formula to the correct temp, if it is too cold, an older chick may reject it.
The chick could be scared and so refusing formula, if he has eaten a little, he should be ok. Hopefully you will see him more interested at the next feed.
It is also important to keep the chick nice and warm and clean.
Maybe post a picture so we can gauge how old this bird is, it may be that he wants some seed/millet.
Do you still have your budgie or Tiel? Be careful to keep them separated, ideally a quarantine would have been done.

 

[Lady Jane]

@CrazyBirdChick has a quaker. Good luck.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

My only advice is that Niles animal hospital will most definitely help the Quaker regardless of it's a pet or wildlife. They take in wildlife all the time for rehabilitation and will do it for free, though donations are gladly accepted. If you decide to keep this little one as a pet they will help too. They are the best! Thank you for taking in this bird! Please do post a picture if you can! We love pics and it may help us help you more

 

[SandraK]

Thanks, the parrot is not wildlife though. It is an introduced species often kept as an exotic pet, and is injured in a way that release is impossible, I am looking into pet bird vets.

I know because I had a Quaker when I lived in S. America. Though introduced it is considered invasive wildlife and most (almost no) vet will deal with wildlife of any kind. The vets & groups I've referred you to will treat the fledgling and probably keep it and use it as an ambassador wild bird. It is also illegal in some states to have, own or breed Quakers. I have pet Quakers, one of them being like the one you found who rehomed her to me as an adult.

The only "pet bird" vet who might see the baby other than Dr. Sakas @ Niles would be Dr. Scott McDonald IF he's in town - Scott E. McDonald - he's been out hiking so he might be difficult to get hold of. You could try emailing or texting him but from his calendar it looks like Dr. Scott won't be back in IL until Sept. 4th. He might be able to put you in touch with someone else who could help.
As I said, good luck.

If you can't find anyone to help I may have a contact in IN but I'd have to check with her first.

 

[Serin]

Bird is doing very well now. I don't have baby bird formula at the moment and was offering soaked Roudybush. But it was a big messy and too dry. I have now blended a more watery formula with Roudybush pellets, a little fruit, kale and some walnuts and heated it to body temperature (I've hand raised baby canaries several times successfully just nothing this big - he's actually easier) and though he didn't beg, once I got it into his beak and slowly dripped it out he ate a very good amount until his crop was well filled and now he is napping on my chest.

I have a vet in Indiana who does both exotics and dogs/cats and he sees all kinds of parrots so we will be going through them. I appreciate all the advice!

Quakers are legal to keep and to breed in Indiana where I live.

I think he's about 6 weeks. There are still unopened pinfeathers on his back and under his wings but he is mostly developed. I think he fledged and just couldn't fly as he is missing most of the left wing. The right wing is normal.

He's not around my other birds.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

Bird is doing very well now. I don't have baby bird formula at the moment and was offering soaked Roudybush. But it was a big messy and too dry. I have now blended a more watery formula with Roudybush pellets, a little fruit, kale and some walnuts and heated it to body temperature (I've hand raised baby canaries several times successfully just nothing this big - he's actually easier) and though he didn't beg, once I got it into his beak and slowly dripped it out he ate a very good amount until his crop was well filled and now he is napping on my chest.

I have a vet in Indiana who does both exotics and dogs/cats and he sees all kinds of parrots so we will be going through them. I appreciate all the advice!

Quakers are legal to keep and to breed in Indiana where I live.

I think he's about 6 weeks. There are still unopened pinfeathers on his back and under his wings but he is mostly developed. I think he fledged and just couldn't fly as he is missing most of the left wing. The right wing is normal.

He's not around my other birds.

What a cutie pie! He or she is so lucky you were there! I'm glad you got the baby to eat! Please continue to keep us posted!

 

[Tazlima]

Squee! He's darling!

 

[Serin]

What a cutie pie! He or she is so lucky you were there! I'm glad you got the baby to eat! Please continue to keep us posted!

Yes it's really a good coincidence. I've only visited this colony twice, it's a 2 hour walk from my house (I walk a lot recreationally) but I found it by accident last month. And last time I was there, there was a pile of feathers where one got caught by a raptor. When I was there today looking up at the parrots and their nests way, way up under this bridge I just had this feeling I should look around on the ground again. And not 10 feet away this little one was sitting in the tall grass just motionless. I thought he was an injured adult at first but when I scooped him up and he "bit" my finger and it was just a tiny nibble I realized he was just a baby.

I find so many birds! Last year it was a cockatiel and a budgie both found within weeks of each other, which were never claimed, who bonded and which I adopted out as a bonded pair early this year (there was no problem with them but I really felt the owner I found for them would enjoy them more, she really got attached to them visiting me and after a while we decided to let them go with her.)

A few months ago then I found an injured racing pigeon who is now part of the flock, and now this little parrot. I don't know if he will be here forever or if once he is weaned we will look for another forever home but he is safe and loved and fed now. My biggest concerns with keeping a quaker longterm are that they are very noisy birds, and that they are prone to bird aggression. However, since "Nemo" will never fly he will be easier to keep away from my budgies, finches and pigeons than otherwise as long as I can make sure they, too, dont land on his cage and get bitten toes!

It is a lot to think about and there is time to think about it but right now he is doing well.

 

[SandraK]

They are not always prone to aggression towards other birds though "cage rage" is pretty normal. My normal Quaker male is BFFs with normal gcc though they do not share a cage. JJ has his own cage with a Timothy grass tunnel so he can start building a new nest. I found the girls much more cage aggressive than the guys. As for the toe biting, consider putting either a strip of carpet protector on the top of his cage of having a piece of plexiglass cut down at a local hardware store to fit the top of the cage. I ended up doing that with all the cages so nobirdy inside the cage could bite the toes off someone on top (though the tiels aren't really toe biters).

 

[Barbara2]

This is just the nicest story and sounds like it is going to be one with a happy ending We like that,! Keep us posted. I am sure he or she is very thankful for coming to the rescue!!Good luck,

 

[Love My Zons]

What a cute little baby. Thank you for saving this little one. If you hadn't come along, something else would have predator wise.

Please update us!

 

[Serin]

Nemo (I named him after the Disney character, who had a stunted "lucky fin" on one side that this birds' left wing reminded me of) is doing a little self feeding with pellets and millet and even drank water on his own. And he is taking full formula feedings, still not begging but he lets me pop the syringe in his beak and he swallows very well, easier every time. He is SO snuggly and has warmed up to me so quickly. He fluffs up his head and loves when I scratch his neck. He screamed bloody murder when I first got him home in the cage but since then, only quiet grunts, and he falls asleep in my arm. I definitely expected him to take longer to come around to handling and feeding etc being wild and all but he is doing so good.

His temp cage is an 18 gallon plastic tote with air holes and a screen lid that I use as a carrier/emergency housing for various rescues. Set up with some super low perching opportunities since he is super clumsy and mostly using one foot.

 

[Zara]

Aww He´s lovely! You are doing great

You may find that a cage like a critter nation would be better for him with his wing/leg issues to avoid falls from great heights.

Nice to see he is eating Maybe he would enjoy some steamed veggies cooled to luke warm, or a mash - Laurie just posted a great video, Video - Setting up freezer ready Sweet Potatoes mashed for my lil' monster | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[Serin]

Aww He´s lovely! You are doing great

You may find that a cage like a critter nation would be better for him with his wing/leg issues to avoid falls from great heights.

Nice to see he is eating Maybe he would enjoy some steamed veggies cooled to luke warm, or a mash - Laurie just posted a great video, Video - Setting up freezer ready Sweet Potatoes mashed for my lil' monster | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

Long term caging is not established yet but I agree those are nice models. I will be able to move him to a 30 x 18 x 18 after this which will suffice in the short term. Long term, finding space for another large cage will be... tricky. I'll offer soft cooked foods tomorrow.