Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!seismo!sundc!pitstop!sun!decwrl!ucbvax!pasteur!ames!umd5!mimsy!aplcen!jhunix!ins_avrd
From: ins_avrd@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU (Victoria Rosly D'ull)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: orphan birdling
Keywords: help?
Message-ID: <6591@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU>
Date: 25 Jun 88 00:29:46 GMT
Reply-To: ins_avrd@jhunix.UUCP (Vicka d'Ull)
Distribution: na
Organization: Johns Hopkins Univ. Computing Ctr.
Lines: 30


I've recently become the foster parent of a baby bluejay.  He's been
in my care for almost 48 full hours now and still seems pretty chipper,
but I have absolutely NO experience with fledgling birds and could use
some advice....

I don't think he's very young -- he has all his wingfeathers in blue,
but the rest is still grey down.  He can hop about or perch on a finger,
and flaps his wings enthusiastically if I move him through the air.  
What sort of encouragement does he need to really learn to fly?

I've been keeping him in the warmest room in the house -- about 105 
degrees F (we've been having a bit of a heatwave).  Is this too hot?
Too cold?  He's been eating tiny pieces of steak and bread soaked in
soymilk, along with water from a syringe.  The best method I've found
for feeding him is to hold him near my face and make cheeping noises,
at which he cheeps back and opens his mouth, and I toss the food right
in.  Any tips on how much he should get and how often, and on what 
bluejays normally eat?

The last question is most important -- how can I prepare this young
thing for a return to the Great Outdoors?  We have a lot of cats in
our area and I don't want him to find out about predators the hard
way.  I live (and the bird was found) in downtown Baltimore -- would 
a more rural setting be better for him?

Anxiously and gratefully awaiting any reply --
--Vicka

ins_avrd@jhunix.BITNET