I need advice on a baby crow

[Gregorian]

Yesterday I was out riding my bike through the forest in my backyard when suddenly I came upon two screeching baby crows. They were far from small, but with mouths open they thought I was the mother coming to feed them. I rode off all happy. On the way back one of them was in pieces. Last night the mother was there. This morning the other one is still there. I didn't see the mother. I think what happened was the high winds here knocked them out of the nest.

I'm guessing the best thing is to just leave the bird alone. But I love crows. I imagine I could save this guy and have a friendly crow that knows me, or something.

Does anyone have any advice on what to do, if anything?

[XemaSab]

1. How big are they?

You could take it home, but they're high-maintenance pets.

[Gregorian]

2. The one that's left is about a foot.

They seemed huge for chicks. But I guess that's crows. I'm not looking for a pet. But I would like to see this guy alive.

I'm betting that nature is just a bitch, and I should move on.

[XemaSab]

3. I'm asking because if they fledged on their own

then they're "fine," but if they didn't, then maybe you should go get him.

[Gregorian]

4. I'm trying to assess that. If the mother is still there, I think I'll leave him.

But even if I did take him in, I'm not sure what I'd have to do in terms of food and all the rest. But one thing at a time.

I actually think that the mother killed the other bird in an attempt to move it. Why would a bobcat partially dismember one bird, leave it, and not touch the remaining bird?

I just looked on Youtube, and this crow is rather large compared to the chicks I see people trying to save.

[XemaSab]

5. Is there a bush or something that you could put it in?

[Gregorian]

6. The whole place is bush. That's part of the problem.

This is a dense redwood forest. I can see their nest is just upwind of where they ended up, in a redwood tree. It's about as good an area as it gets, although I've seen a number of bobcats recently.

I've always wondered what happened to chicks if they got out of the nest and didn't make that first flight.

[XemaSab]

7. Often baby birds bounce around on the ground for a few days

while the parents look after them.

I'm worried that the other baby crow ate it.

[Gregorian]

8. I just called to the mother, and she's still there.

I don't think the other baby did the damage. It's head was completely off. I just don't know.

This guy is not small. Half the size of a fully grown crow, is my estimate.

I'll keep checking. I know that animals are smart. Smarter than your average Republican, for sure. I am betting the mother knows I'm watching out for them. If the baby starts to deteriorate I'll jump in. But even if I do, I think it's tough to save a bird without special knowledge and experience.

[XemaSab]

9. If it's only half the size of a full-grown crow you should go get it

Are there any wildlife rehab places in your area?

[Gregorian]

10. Hey, good idea!

OK, I'm checking to see what we have here.

[Gregorian]

11. Aha! I just talked with rehab.

The only place in my area, and the old lady happened to be there.

She said to get a box and nail it up on to the tree, get the bird and put him in it, and let mother nature do the rest. Normally they end up on a branch. But once they're on the ground it's kind of all over.

Thanks! I'm off and running.

[Curmudgeoness]

12. I used to be a wildlife rehabber,

and what we always told people was that many birds fledge (come out of the nest) before they can fly. Call it teenage independence streaks....they just think they can conquer the world. This size of baby is fine and normal to be out of the nest. Please leave it where it is, since you have seen the mother attend to it. This is what they do. In fact, we told everyone to leave any animal where you find it unless it is in obvious distress (laying on it's side, covered in ants, bleeding). Although a rehabber can raise it, the mommy crow can do better. If it needs attention, get it to a rehabber.

Also, crows are very good parents and even have family ties where aunts will help with the kids.

And if you decide to ignore me, PM me on what to feed it. Birds DO NOT get fed bread soaked in milk----the most common problem a rehabber runs into. I can't figure out why people do this----since when has anyone seen teats on a bird!

[Gregorian]

13. I was out while you posted. Meanwhile, I had a SUCCESS!

I built a box, went out to the site, screwed it up on the tree where the bird came from. He was in distress on the ground, and was pretty scuffed up from something.

So I got him up there with no trouble. And within minutes he was all tucked down. I thought he had jumped out. But after climbing a tree I could see him in there.

I just hope I haven't screwed up. I only did what the rehab people said to do.



Holding on to a tree and taking the shot didn't work too well. But I can see part of the tail. He's in there.

[Curmudgeoness]

14. LOL, I can't believe that you climbed a tree to look

inside the box----and add to that try to take a picture! But you are right, the crow is in there. Great box too.

I will just tell you that at this age, they are raring to go and it is hard to keep them safe in a nest. Even the parents can't keep them there! If he is not in the box next time you are there, this does not mean it is a failure. I can remember taking a baby robin and putting it on a branch of a tree instead of the ground---minutes later he was back on the ground. Repeat, back on the ground. We do all that we can, and that is the best we can do. Thanks for all your effort and caring. I specialized in bird rehab (everyone else wanted the furry fuzzies) and my favorite birds are crows too (and blue jays)---so smart and hardy. (I also love Turkey Vultures, as long as they are not being rehabbed----ugh!)

[Gregorian]

15. The baby crow is still in the nest!

And there's evidence that the big birds have been there feeding him/her. Yesterday when I was on my way back from the bike ride, as I rode through the crow zone there were two adults that began making a big racket.

I am so happy.

[XemaSab]

16. Yay!

Now they probably think that you attacked their youngster and all the crows will hate you.

[Gregorian]

17. I'm having illusions of grandeur.

You've seen the cat and the crow video. They're pretty smart.

Oh yeah, on the bike ride home yesterday right after going through the crow zone, one of the crows followed me for about a quarter mile. That crow was totally watching me.

[libodem]

18. Very cool

Our family had a crow when I was a kid. We soaked dry dog food in water until soggy and fed it to Jose' Hardrock with a plastic ketsup bottle. He lived for years in our back yard bird cage.

He'd get out and follow my little brothers to grade school.
He would look in the classroom windows for the boys. The kids would laugh and the blinds would be closed.
The boys said you could hear each subsequent class laugh and blinds close down the length of the building.

Sometimes one or the other brother was let out to take our bird home.

[Gregorian]

19. Haha. I love it.

I had a property high up in the mountains with huge views. One day I saw a black cloud that consisted of what I estimated to be 500 crows. They were going from inland to a town on the coast. It wasn't until just the other night while I was lying in bed, some 15 years later, that I asked myself a question. How did those crows know to get together for that flight? And it donned on me that they had communicated their plans. They had to communicate with each family of crows. That means that among other details, there was some form of conversation from nest to nest that indicated when and where to meet. It isn't intuitive when looking at them flying. And even when one realizes that somehow they organized, it still isn't obvious that this is perhaps a form of higher intelligence. I mean we hold ourselves high, as humans. But I think that's a bit arrogant. And I've always felt that just because animals don't run around inventing thermodynamic processes with slide rules, doesn't mean they aren't every bit as bright as humans.

I really wonder what we don't know about those who we "share" this planet with.


Jose Hardrock. That is amazing!

[Gregorian]

20. The news is that the crows are gone. I think it was a success.

I climbed a tree to see, but couldn't. I'm hoping there is no ex-crow up there. From the evidence that the adults left behind, I imagine he was well fed, and flew away. It may be a mystery forever. Until I get up there, that's the story.

[XemaSab]

21. Yay!

[libodem]

22. YAY

You kept him off the ground away from predators so his parents could feed him, until she/he fly.