Poor little baby crow

[Deleted]

I kept hearing a thump on my deck. When I looked, I found what I'm guessing is a baby crow. It's about as big as an adult, but its tail feathers are very short and it's beak is tinged with very light color on the "lips". It can't fly very well, and it's hopping funny like it's too weak to do it right or maybe can't see well although its eyes look OK. It let me get within about six feet, but no closer. I tried giving it some food, but it doesn't respond to it, so I put it where the adult crows (who are raising holy hell) can see it in hopes they'll feed it to the little guy. I also put out some water.

Suggestions?

[Bob]

Yes.
Don't scare it! babies are the same size as adults, and parents will attack you to protect the baby

Keep the preditors (dogs, cats, hawks, Sandra) away from it and it'll be alright.

[Deleted]

So far, so good (three out of four, anyway).


She responds well to babies even if they are mine and black.

She wants to know when (if?) the adults will come get the little guy.

I can't imagine how he showed up here, but I have no idea where their nests are.

[gridbug]

Believe it or not, crows can survive without our help. Like every other baby bird leave it alone and if necessary shoo cats away. Left to their own means it will be fine (or it may die...but that's life...and there are more crows where that came from).

[RuneDeer]

I once saw adult birds swoop down and kill an injured youngster. Is that the norm?

[gridbug]

It happens. Many species will kill their young that are sick, deformed, or otherwise unfit. It gives the healthy young a better chance. There are even birds that have two young but only raise the strongest, the other always dies.

Humans are unique in going to great lengths to try to keep every cull alive.

[stray]

runedeer said:

I once saw adult birds swoop down and kill an injured youngster. Is that the norm?

Only if they think it's going to be 'gay.'

[gridbug]

Better watch it - Penguins are IN right now and are a really easy example of gay birds...

[daworm]

Maybe that's why God won't let them fly.

[gridbug]

Poseidon lets them fly all they want

[joedog]

I saw a dead crow in the side of the entrance ramp to 153 from Lee Hwy.

I guess he was run over.......

Sorta proves grids idea of culling the weak.
His look out on the side of the road did not warn him by yelling "CAR...... CAR......."

[ScarlettP]

gridbug said:

(or it may die...but that's life...and there are more crows where that came from).

Yeah.... but THOSE crows are Yoda's pets. We have to have a little more compassion for these.

Keep us posted Yoda.

[Deleted]

He'd have probably done better if he hadn't hopped at the same time I did squishing his poor widdle head.



not. He's disappeared. On the other hand, neighbor gave me a half-dead, still-twitching rabbit to play with for a while. It's not twitching now though. Strange.