I've got a juvenile crow in a large box on my lawn...Any ideas on how to rear long enough to release

[Boxerfan]

I've had a pair of local crows raising a ruccuss for the last 3 days/nights at least. I was tempted to take a pellet gun to one @ 4:55 AM yesterday...

But today I heard them squacking away & heard a faint reply down in the wild area below my house. There was a juvenile & it is just nefore flight & had gotten out of the nest.

I used a salmon net & snared the youngun with ease-too easy. I gave him what I could think of to help-4 tablespoons of hummingbird mix & 3 earthworms. He actually started taking the syringe of sugarwater willingly & managed to swallow the earthworms after I gave them to him in pieces.

Don't need another pet and I just want to get him healthy enough to fly soon.I've taken care of baby birds before-mostly parrots. I figured I'd get some monkey cakes & soften them till I can use a baster to feed him...


If anyone has any input-I'm all ears.
Edit to add: I'm definitely being carefull washing after I handled the bird.Hot/soapy & long rinse..

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. hope this helps

http://www.shades-of-night.com/aviary/birdpet.html

[NYC_SKP]

2. Silly humans.

But I'm as guilty as anyone of saving birds, and would even save a crow despite having seen them eating other species' chicks alive.

ewwww.

Which sight I most love the lord only knows:

...a unkindness of ravens or a murder of crows.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

5. yeah, I know ... but ...

can't help it ... they are one of my favorite birds.

blue sky, white snow, black birds, grey limbed trees

not a green leaf in sight.

[Boxerfan]

3. Thanks for the link-that does help...

I was worried about interfeering at all. But I was afraid he was too week to make it much longer. The bird seems much stronger already & is perched on the edge of the flowerpot in the box I used as a makeshift nest.

I'm leaving him alone for a while-hope the parents come back soon. They took off after I netted him. But they have been local here for months so I'm pretty certain I can pull of a release if he can be kept healthy...
Thanks & I'll do what I can.


Cheers!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

13. Just in case the parents don't show up to do the rest of the rearing... Which they should.

Find your local wildlife extension and see if they have a trained volunteer who can step in and take over.

I've had to do this in the past myself many times. Once a ringtail mommy was hit on the street and her babies were still in the stump on my property. I had no idea what to do with three baby ringtail cats.

Every state has one, check with your parks & wildlife division. They're a real savior at times like this.

Best of luck with your situation.

[RILib]

4. I believe

you're supposed to leave fledglings alone. Maybe keep an eye out for predators. The parents are watching over them, and it's part of learning to fly.

Now that you've taken him from the wild, call the local wildlife rehabbers for advice or help. They may put him back in the nest, if the parents haven't gotten discouraged and abandoned it.

[Locut0s]

6. Careful you don't end up with a pet crow...

I've seen a few guys with pet crows on their shoulders. Look like amazing pets actually but you don't want to be forced to care for one if you don't want it.

[TuxedoKat]

7. There was a thread recently on this same subject

You can put the bird in a box in a tree. The parents should find it and start feeding it again and it will be safer from predators.

If you think they've abandoned him and aren't feeding him, then you will need to mix up some food for him and feed him every hour.
Good luck. I've been putting out potato chips, suet and old bread for some crows because I heard a baby one crying in a nest in my yard.

[Boxerfan]

8. Mom & Dad are back-keeping an eye on him...

The youngun is doing much better than earlier. He's also about 30 yards from the spot I found him-under one of the trees they inhabit.

They are making a fuss over him & I'm glad...Means I can basically bow out-and just keep an eye on them.

But I may have pulled this one off-And I'm pretty sure he wasn't getting fed while on the ground.He was pretty docile wich is not good.

But he's gotten a lot more alert-is perched & tha parents are nearby. Hopefully I'm done but for watching.

[nolabear]

12. There's a good chance they'll take care of him, depending on how close to flying he is.

They do get very tame. It's a tough position to be in, but wildlife rehab might take him if he's in real danger.

[Boxerfan]

9. Update!..Eating on his own-canned dog food & some mealworms-Yummy!

And Mom & Dad are sounding much less frantic. They are keeping an eye on him & I've kept away till just a few minutes ago when I checked him-he was eating from his tray so I'm pretty dang sure hell be leaving soon.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

10. Yay!! thanks for the update, Boxerfan. n/t

[Lone_Star_Dem]

14. I replied prematurely up thread.

Glad to hear things are working out alright! Nature I'd an amazing thing to witness up close and in person.

Thanks for caring and being a kind person!

[Bertha Venation]

11. I'm reminded of James Whitmore, Jr. in "The Shawshank Redemption"

His character had a pet crow.

Good for you, Boxerfan.