# Help,what to do with two baby starlings



## Zippy (13 May 2008)

A starling has nested in the apex of our roof, her young are approx two weeks old. Yesterday two of the nestlings fell into our attic, it is impossible to return them to their nest, we have been feeding them succesfully on cat food(dry food soaked in water) and moist bread. They seem to be doing very well, and I imagine it could be another week before they are ready to fly. It is not feasible for us to keep them around as we have two cats and numerous strays in the garden. Currently we have them in the cats travel cage, but they need to be let out to hop around to strengthen their wings. Does anybody know what we should do. Would the ISPCA be of any help?


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## rory22 (13 May 2008)

Could you lift a roof tile and put them back in the next? I think it's really nice of you to care for them and feed them, but good luck teaching them to fly!


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## truthseeker (13 May 2008)

Yes - the ISPCA will come and get them and nurture them until they can be returned to the wild.


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## mickpyrmont (13 May 2008)

yes well done for looking after them


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## Ciaraella (13 May 2008)

yes best to call the ISPCA, usually if you handle a chick the parents will abandon it and if you go near the nest they could well abandon the rest of the chicks that are already there, best stay as far away from the nest as possible.


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## Zippy (13 May 2008)

Thanks for the advice, I contacted the ISPCA but unfortunately there is nothing they can or will do, surprise surprise. Looking after them for a few days is not a problem but long term what am I to do.


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## truthseeker (13 May 2008)

wow - Im very surprised that the ISPCA wont do anything. I dont know where you are in the country but you could contact the place on the link below - I googled wildlife resuce in ireland and these places came up - there is a Birdwatch Ireland link in there: 

[broken link removed]


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## ClubMan (13 May 2008)

Chicks die all the time. The death of two starlings will not decimate the general population. Hand rearing them will probably not be possible and would probably render them unable to fend for themselves.


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## ubiquitous (13 May 2008)

Starlings are a pest anyway.


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## extopia (13 May 2008)

ubiquitous said:


> Starlings are a pest anyway.



In what way? They're just birds!


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## ubiquitous (13 May 2008)

...who like nothing better than nesting in house eaves, returning year-in-year-out, and doing their business all over the place.


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## D8Lady (13 May 2008)

And pooping down my chimney...


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## Zippy (13 May 2008)

Ok shall I leave them in the garden and let them take their chances with the local cat population. Forgive me for being kind hearted and wanting to do the best possible thing for them.


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## Brendan Burgess (13 May 2008)

It's important to realise that only a small proportion of chicks survive. 

There really is nothing you can do about the ones that don't survive. They go back into the food chain.

It would be a terrible waste of resources for the ISPCA or Birdwatch to try to do anything about them. 

The natural human response is to try to help and kids might enjoy trying to hand rear them, but it probably won't succeed and so will end in tears. It's probably a horrible experience for the chicks as well.

Brendan


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## iggy (13 May 2008)

Zippy said:


> Ok shall I leave them in the garden and let them take their chances with the local cat population. Forgive me for being kind hearted and wanting to do the best possible thing for them.


Well done Zippy for trying to save them at least.They may well survive and if they do lets hope they crap on the clothesline of those posters who advise just letting them die!! hehe.....best of luck, keep us posted!
P.S. a local vet would let you know of the best way to deal with the situation.


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## ClubMan (13 May 2008)

Zippy said:


> Ok shall I leave them in the garden and let them take their chances with the local cat population.


If you were not around that is what would have happened anyway. Let nature take its course. It's not like _Starlings _are an endangered species or anything. As _Brendan _says attempting to hand rear them or whatever would probably just delay the inevitable.


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## John Rambo (13 May 2008)

On the other hand, caring for them might be a useful exercise if the OP has kids to teach them the value of life and that they should look out for weaker creatures. Personally, I'd look after them and try and nurse them to maturity.


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## DavyJones (13 May 2008)

When I was young a swallow chick fell from it's nest, I looked after it for weeks and loved it, until my sister's cat eat him, gutted! hate cats since!


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## John Rambo (13 May 2008)

DavyJones said:


> When I was young a swallow chick fell from it's nest, I looked after it for weeks and loved it, until my sister's cat eat him, gutted! hate cats since!


 
You should have eaten your sister's cat...that would have learned them good!


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## Guest120 (13 May 2008)

Zippy said:


> *Help,what to do with two baby starlings*


Some new potatoes, a few carrots and some peas?


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## ClubMan (13 May 2008)

John Rambo said:


> On the other hand, caring for them might be a useful exercise if the OP has kids to teach them the value of life and that they should look out for weaker creatures.


Only if you believe that looking after "weaker creatures" in such circumstances only for them to die anyway or to be rendered unable to fend for themselves in the wild and then perish as a result is a good lesson to teach kids. I think not but others may have a different opinion.


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## John Rambo (14 May 2008)

ClubMan said:


> Only if you believe that looking after &quot;weaker creatures&quot; in such circumstances only for them to die anyway or to be rendered unable to fend for themselves in the wild and then perish as a result is a good lesson to teach kids. I think not but others may have a different opinion.


 
It's difficult to know who is correct. I wouldn't question the actions of conservationists who take orphaned baby animals, look after them and then release them into the wild. Is this situation not the same but on a lesser scale? I do think caring for the starlings would teach children a more positive leason rather than leaving them to die 'because that's life'. It's also relevant that they were separated from their mother in the roof of a house which is an unnatural man made structure...perhaps if the house wasn't there they'd still be ok. I could be way off the mark here but I'd help the little fellas.


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## Zippy (14 May 2008)

Many conflicting views there, I didn't ask to be put in this situation, thanks to those of you who gave useful advice, but the upshot is I still have two delightful starlings on my hands. I think it would be unfair to abandon them at this point, they can't fly just yet possibly another few days. When they can I guess I will just let them off, let nature take its course at that point. They may well die but if I left them where they were they would most definitely have died anyway.


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## truthseeker (14 May 2008)

Zippy said:


> Many conflicting views there, I didn't ask to be put in this situation, thanks to those of you who gave useful advice, but the upshot is I still have two delightful starlings on my hands. I think it would be unfair to abandon them at this point, they can't fly just yet possibly another few days. When they can I guess I will just let them off, let nature take its course at that point. They may well die but if I left them where they were they would most definitely have died anyway.


 
Well done Zippy - youve done the best you can.


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## John Rambo (14 May 2008)

Zippy said:


> Many conflicting views there, I didn't ask to be put in this situation, thanks to those of you who gave useful advice, but the upshot is I still have two delightful starlings on my hands. I think it would be unfair to abandon them at this point, they can't fly just yet possibly another few days. When they can I guess I will just let them off, let nature take its course at that point. They may well die but if I left them where they were they would most definitely have died anyway.


 
Good work Zippy...I think you've done the right thing


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## SNOWBALL (14 May 2008)

Well done Zippy how they are ok!!!


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## Zippy (14 May 2008)

Tell me if this is a crazy idea, the parents are flying in and out all the time feeding the remaining chicks in the nest, what if I were to knock down the nest and have all the chicks together in the attic, do you think the parents would still feed all of them. Could I be left with five junior starlings?


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## DavyJones (14 May 2008)

You would be left with five starlings, once the nest is destroyed the parent birds will feel the area is unsecure and will move on.  I'd nearly chance sticking them back in the nest as opposed to knocking nest down.


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## eileen alana (14 May 2008)

I have a starlings nest on the house eaves, do you think we could do a cuckoo on your orphans and place them in the nest???????


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## Ciaraella (15 May 2008)

Well done Zippy for trying, although abandoning them might be the logical thing to do i know i couldn't do it, my heart isn't quite that hard!


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## rory22 (15 May 2008)

I know you are trying to do the right thing here and well done for that but you have to let nature take its course. Breaking down the remaining nest IS a crazy idea as you seem to think yourself. I would just forget about it, try putting them as close to the nest as possible and leave them be. I am not sure if starlings have long memories but I am sure the parents have forgotten them now and are happy to have 2 less mouths to feed!

Some people suggested some recipe ideas, why not get 2 and 20 more and bake a pie.....no wait thats blackbirds.

FREE THE ZIPPY 2


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## Zippy (15 May 2008)

One of our starlings passed away last night, the other one is however fighting fit. My daughter who is eleven is so attentive to her, she was out this morning first thing scouting for worms. I have no idea what to do, wait and see how it pans out I guess. I'm for the birds anyway,lol.


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## rory22 (15 May 2008)

Sorry for your loss......

FREE THE ZIPPY ONE


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## quinno (15 May 2008)

http://www.starlingtalk.com/

Hopefully not too late for No. 1.

I tried doing this numerous times in the past, we had a cat who used to take out the odd parent, leaving a nest full. It was always difficult to raise them successfully. I think we only had one success, that was a chick who was nearly fledged when we found it. Good look with the last one- hope it's a figher!!


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## Zippy (15 May 2008)

Well our other wee starling flew off to bird heaven this afternoon. A few tears were shed, have to wear dark glasses for the rest of the evening. Thanks for all your advice folks.


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## z103 (15 May 2008)

Sorry to hear that zippy.

(BTW, if it happens again, I'm fairly sure starlings eat insects. Maybe the diet was wrong)


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## eileen alana (15 May 2008)

They eat worms as well because I always see parents flying to the nest with them hanging from their beaks


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## Ash 22 (16 May 2008)

You tried your best zippy and well done for that. It's worth a try to save them but sad when it does'nt work out. Those little birds deserve their chance too. In fact I'm quite disappointed this year that no starling built on our eaves. They have been there past no of years, we've had disasters too with nests falling but for some reason this year they never re built. Last year my husband put a large board under their nests and it worked out great as all the droppings fell onto that. Lovely to see them coming and sad when they leave. I always think of a story that was in our Irish book years ago called Eoghainin na nEan, wonder do any of you out there remember that story about the little sick boy and the swallows. Nice story.


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## MandaC (16 May 2008)

Very sad to hear that.  You can do no more than that and the one thing I would hope is that you would do it again.  I know some people here think that that's survival of the fittest, etc, but I think that its human nature to nurture, not just to pity weaker creatures, but to fight for life against the odds.


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