SHOP PRODUCTS
Houzz Logo Print
dzyg

Can a one legged bird survive??

dzyg
14 years ago

I posted this on the Bluebird froum but it has been really slow over there so I thought I would see if anyone here could add some insight....

Not sure what happened but one of the fledglings (fledged on July 1st) isn't using one of her legs. It is tucked up tight against her body and all you can see is part of the foot. She seems to fly just fine and can land and take off ok too however not as gracefully as the other two fledglings. She seems to be using the foot as a brace when she is sitting on a branch by holding the top of it against the branch. She is still flying around with the other two and coming when they come to the mealworm feeder and eating. I even saw her fly from a tree to the ground and hover like she thought she saw a bug but then flew off. Not sure if there wasn't a bug or if she didn't want to land on the ground but it "seems" as if she is still hunting. It is hard for her to hold on to the glass dish in the feeder and eat when the other two are in there too but she does ok and gets plenty of worms. I am just wondering if there is any hope for her or if she will die with just the use of one leg and if by feeding her the mealworms I am just prolonging the inevitable. I first noticed this Tuesday morning so I am hoping whatever happened will heal and she will regain the use of her leg but not sure if that will happen or not. Mom and Dad Blue are on their second nesting and the new babies are 9 days old today. The other two fledglings are very curious about the nestbox that has the new babies in it, they sit on top of it all the time (it is a flat topped Gilwood box) and sometimes peek in it too. All three were sitting on it yesterday with the mylar strands of the spooker hitting them in the head, they didn't care at all. I am praying the leg on the one heals up and she will be ok but I am not sure if that will happen or not. It is sad watching her.

Donna

Comments (11)