Blackbird with drooping neck.
Discussion
This little chap has been hopping round our garden and then finding a corner in which to hide. He cannot lift his head at all.
RSPB's website suggests putting injured birds in a cardboard box. However, he seems to have enough energy to try to evade capture and, whilst I could catch him, it may distress him.
I am really not sure what has happened to him, but sooner or later he will become a cat's toy.
Does anyone have any suggestions? I am currently leaving things alone, but having him around isn't an overly pleasant spectacle.
RSPB's website suggests putting injured birds in a cardboard box. However, he seems to have enough energy to try to evade capture and, whilst I could catch him, it may distress him.
I am really not sure what has happened to him, but sooner or later he will become a cat's toy.
Does anyone have any suggestions? I am currently leaving things alone, but having him around isn't an overly pleasant spectacle.
Are there bird refuge type places locally?
A vet will usually just put it down.
I found a pigeon doing badly in my garden last year, found a local bloke who helps them online and took it to him, he’s like a bird lover and nurses them back to life or gives them a humane end.
It might just need some medication and tlc but you might not be in the best position to deal with it yourself.
The pigeon we found was in a really bad way but it survived with help. If I’d just left it, it would likely have died or been killed by a predator.
A vet will usually just put it down.
I found a pigeon doing badly in my garden last year, found a local bloke who helps them online and took it to him, he’s like a bird lover and nurses them back to life or gives them a humane end.
It might just need some medication and tlc but you might not be in the best position to deal with it yourself.
The pigeon we found was in a really bad way but it survived with help. If I’d just left it, it would likely have died or been killed by a predator.
El stovey said:
Are there bird refuge type places locally.
A vet will usually just put it down.
I found a pigeon doing badly in my garden last year, found a local bloke who helps them online and took it to him, he’s like a bird lover and nurses them back to life or gives them a humane end.
It might just need some medication and tlc but you might not be in the best position to deal with it yourself.
We have an RSPCA branch very close, but the last time we took an injured bird to them they collectively rolled their eyes.A vet will usually just put it down.
I found a pigeon doing badly in my garden last year, found a local bloke who helps them online and took it to him, he’s like a bird lover and nurses them back to life or gives them a humane end.
It might just need some medication and tlc but you might not be in the best position to deal with it yourself.
Louis Balfour said:
El stovey said:
Are there bird refuge type places locally.
A vet will usually just put it down.
I found a pigeon doing badly in my garden last year, found a local bloke who helps them online and took it to him, he’s like a bird lover and nurses them back to life or gives them a humane end.
It might just need some medication and tlc but you might not be in the best position to deal with it yourself.
We have an RSPCA branch very close, but the last time we took an injured bird to them they collectively rolled their eyes.A vet will usually just put it down.
I found a pigeon doing badly in my garden last year, found a local bloke who helps them online and took it to him, he’s like a bird lover and nurses them back to life or gives them a humane end.
It might just need some medication and tlc but you might not be in the best position to deal with it yourself.
I don’t think vets and the rspb etc are the best answer here.
Louis Balfour said:
A bit of Googling suggests that it may be paralysis, with varying causes. I am tempted to see if I can relocate him to an undercover spot where he can get some proper shelter until he either expires or recovers.
That’s what we did and then felt bad when the next day it was looking even worse for itself. 
We found a small bird on our garden path once, lying down motionless but alive, no obvious injuries. Phoned the local vet and they said the best thing to do was to put him somewhere dark (shock as mentioned above). Put him in the hedge and he was gone by the next morning. Could have recovered or been taken by a cat.
Putting it down wasn't an option as the boys found him first - "Daddy, what are you doing with that brick?"
Putting it down wasn't an option as the boys found him first - "Daddy, what are you doing with that brick?"
Louis Balfour said:
moorx said:
Where are you in the UK?
East of Nottinghamhttps://www.petsamaritans.co.uk/
We came across it on a dog walk (it was actually one of the dogs who alerted us!) Poor thing had hidden in a hedgerow trying to stay out of sight.
We didn't know what had caused the injury, she did straight away, removed the Tic and drowned it, and put it in a cage with some other injured birds. I did follow up the visit with a call, and it apparently made a full recovery, and was now with new pals circling over them every day.
They're a really nice little charity, who have become our 'go to' for donating pet accessories and the like.
Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:
Louis Balfour said:
moorx said:
Where are you in the UK?
East of Nottinghamhttps://www.petsamaritans.co.uk/
We came across it on a dog walk (it was actually one of the dogs who alerted us!) Poor thing had hidden in a hedgerow trying to stay out of sight.
We didn't know what had caused the injury, she did straight away, removed the Tic and drowned it, and put it in a cage with some other injured birds. I did follow up the visit with a call, and it apparently made a full recovery, and was now with new pals circling over them every day.
They're a really nice little charity, who have become our 'go to' for donating pet accessories and the like.
How can you sleep at night knowing that the poor bird is shuffling around with a sore neck in a bush and likely to get mauled to death by cats or foxes etc.
If you don’t then you’ll always be Louis Balfour bird murderer from this day on.
ReverendCounter said:
And one sunny day you'll go down to the marina and someone will have renamed your boat The Blackbird to remind you.
It’ll definitely be the talk of the boat club. “Oh look at Captain Louis come lately with his fancy boat. . . . some say he killed a blackbird.”
Who’d want that whiff following them around?
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