LEAVE YOUNG BIRDS BE!!


Please, do not hamper a young bird's life by picking it up, and taking it home with you. It is calling its parents to help them in locating it.
After fledgling from the nest, the parent birds will keep feeding it, and look out for it, until it will be able to look after itself.
And the reason you cannot see a parent is because of your own proxomity to the young bird. And while you are ebating if or not you should take the bird home, you keep the parent from giving it well needed nutrition in the form of a meal!


Photos

The photos on this blog are all taken by me. If there is any picture you might want to use for any other than personal use, please drop me a line to the email address shown in the sidebar on the right.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Jackdaw disease claims two more victims.

A few months ago I reported on this sick Jackdaw.

It only reappeared once more, a day or two after I had posted it. Hopefully that it had not been able to infect any of its flock mates.
Somehow it did. Or at least, the disease has cropped up again. Currently I have one bird which has lost almost all its head feathers.


Another one has it too, though less profound: a small patch, yet the same symptom as the other two. And this one too, will have a very bare head soon.




It is really sad, because instead of simply enjoying to see them feed and hobble around, in front of my window, I find myself scrutinizing every Jackdaw head I see, in an effort to spot another bare patch. but why, I ask myself?
I cannot do anything about it, although I'd love to warm the sick birds, as they are hunched up even more, in their effort to save energy. Now do Jackdaws already have that typical "hunched" style, as soon as they land, rest or think of their next move.

Also, I worry about these poor birds. The suffering they are going through, of which we have no idea. We've had hail, heavy northern winds, days of rain lashing down, and low temperatures, for the time of year. Imagine the impact this will have on a bird which has a weakened immune system (I think) and which has trouble staying warm.
And all this is apart from all the energy it needs to find food. The energy it looses once in the air; being swept from one side to the other. And then top it all with the fact that your 'flock-mates don't want you around any more, and fight you off from the main feeding areas.
I think I need to think about something else if I want to get some sleep now.

How long will JJ stay unaffected? Or the busy parents, next door.

However, talking (healthy) Jackdaws, there is still one who has escaped the disease until now, as is as expressive as ever. So, I added some pictures of this proud bird. After all, it is almost 1 old!
Not only that, there is very active breeding going on next door, so soon we will post pictures of the new fledglings into the garden. I can hardly wait.

Jackdaw, Corvus monedula;
"Thought I heard something..."

"Or perhaps not?"

"Let's concentrate on the food first."

"Now, did I imagine this, again? Did you hear it too?"

4 comments:

  1. Awww, how sad. I hate seeing old, sick, or injured animals and birds. It really bothers me, even seeing dead ones on the side of the road. I'm glad there are people like you that care so much about them.

    Lovely photos!

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  2. Thanks, Rena. The hardest thing is the realisation that you cannot do anything for them.

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  3. This is heartbreaking news. So sad!

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  4. Just lost my injured rescue jackdaw so feeling very low and wondering what did it to him/her...so came across this site thanks for the pictures and another jackdaw lover as you say...

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Yoke.