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www.premierwindowsoswestry.co.uk Large Indoor Display Centre
Premier Windows & Conservatories Unit 5, Moreton Business Park, Gledrid, Nr Oswestry, Shropshire LL14 5DG
Feathered Friends Oswestry veterinarian Lucy Tubbs explains how to best care for the young birds we may find over the spring
A
s I write this, winter is definitely still with us, with freezing mornings and forecasts of widespread snow and ice. Hopefully though, spring is just around the corner and the bulbs and buds are bursting into life. Spring is a busy time of year for us at the vets – new lambs and calves are being born and often need our help to arrive into the world as well as afterwards. We also see a lot of baby birds at the surgery during the spring and summer months. Unfortunately many of these are brought into us by people who have found them hopping around their garden and think they are in trouble. It is actually perfectly normal for young birds to spend a day or two on the ground before they are able to fly whilst their feathers finish developing. Their parents are usually just away collecting food or are hidden from view, keeping a watchful eye over their babies. The very best thing you can do if you find a young bird is to leave it where it is. If the bird is on a busy path or a road, or is out in an exposed location, then it is sensible to pick it up gently and move it a short distance to somewhere where it has some cover and will be safe. Birds have a poor sense of smell, so briefly handling a young bird won’t cause its parents to reject it. As long as you make sure you leave it within hearing distance of where it was found the adults will come and tend to it once you have left. Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t there; they are often in cover, close by, waiting until it’s safe to come out. If the baby bird is unfeathered or covered in fluffy down and has obviously fallen out of a nest by accident then you can also put it gently back in there. Only if a baby bird is obviously injured or has been attacked and harmed by a cat should you ever remove it from the wild. We are always happy to look at injured wildlife if you can bring it in to see us, but unfortunately, most wild species, especially birds, have a very small chance of long term survival once they are in captivity, and often the kindest thing for us to do is to put them to sleep. If in doubt, then always leave the bird where it is, or in a safe place close by, and ring your local vet or the RSPCA or RSPB for advice.
About Lucy...
Lucy graduated from Edinburgh University in 2007 and has worked as a vet with Park Issa Vets ever since. She works at both the Oswestry and Johnstown branches. Visit www.parkissa.com for more information about Park Issa Vets, or contact 01691 670067 (Oswestry), or 01978 845472 (Johnstown).
Opening Times: Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm, Saturday 10am - 2pm Chenery Enterprises Ltd - Company No. 7811251
40-41 vets & pets 2-1.indd 40
14/02/2013 17:25