As a passionate birder, you will always sympathize upon seeing a bird with a broken wing. This situation is very traumatizing to the bird because they need it for flying and survival. When you see a drooping wing, it can be a sign of fracture, which is not good. But the good news is that you can still help the bird to make the situation better.
So, how to fix a bird’s broken wing? You can help immobilize the wing by taping it in its original folded position. This article will provide the step-by-step process of properly doing it.
What to Prepare:
- Gloves
- Clean cloth or towel
- Clean shoebox
Step 1: Preparation
Before helping the birds, you must first prepare yourself for protection since birds usually carry some diseases. Prepare yourself a canvas or clothes glove to protect the birds. The gloves will also be used to protect yourself from the claws or the beak of the bird.
As an extra precaution, it is essential to know in advance not to put the birds in front of your face during the handling process. This step is to protect yourself from any chance of hurting yourself from the shard beaks and claws that can injure you.
Another preparation that you always remember is not to allow the birds to eat during the whole process. This situation is not the time for the bird to eat but rather the immediate help and the quick action you can take to make the situation better for your feathered friend.
Step 2: Proper Handling of the Injured Bird
Once you are already prepared, the next step is to handle the injured bird properly. Slowly, capture the bird, but you must be protected from the sharp beak and claws that may hurt your hand using gloves.
You will need to put the injured bird in your palm during the capture. You can place the palm over the bird’s head to be between the index finger and the middle finger. The other fingers will help in gripping the birds safely.
Once the bird is in your hand, slowly transfer it to a clean shoebox to secure the bird. It would help if you were very careful in handling the birds to prevent you from hurting them further. You can place a clean cloth at the bottom of the box before setting the birds inside for comfort.
Step 3: Protecting the Injured Bird
In this step, you can protect the bird and reduce the pain it feels by wrapping it with a clean cloth. This step will make the birds safer and feel much better while wrapped in a clean towel. It will also help make the bird calm as it settles inside the box.
Once the bid is comfortably wrapped, you can position it inside the shoebox. But the box should have the proper ventilation for the birds to be comfortable. But make sure that the box is well-secured to prevent the bird from escaping.
Once the bird is settled inside the box, always remember not to move the bird or the box unless needed. This step will help in preventing additional injury to the birds. It will also help keep the bird relaxed and resting inside the box.
To increase the comfort, you can also try to add temperature inside the box. You can do that by putting an extra bottle inside. Position the bottle on the opposite side of the bird. This step will allow the bird to be comfortable. Check the condition of the bird after putting the bottle. If your feathered friend is panting, remove the hot bottle immediately.
Step 4: Asking for Professional Help
Once the injured bird is already comfortable and secured inside the box, the next step for you is to ask for professional help. If the bird is suffering from a broken wing and other injuries, then the more it is for you to contact a veterinarian for treatment.
The first order of business is to contact a veterinarian near your place. YOu can also seek the help of an avian specialist if you like. You can talk to them on the phone to let them know the situation.
If you can ask them to come to your house, the better. Or, if they want you to come into their clinic instead, you can easily do it since the injured bird is already prepared for transport. However, if you find an injured bird in the wild, you can have the option to call bird rescue groups in your area and ask for further assistance.
Step 5: Transferring the Injured Bird
After talking to a veterinarian, the next step is to safely transport the bird to the clinic if you need to do it. Before transporting, make sure that the box is properly ventilated. Then, the box must be secure to prevent the bird from escaping. Holding the box yourself or putting it safely on the vehicle’s floor is enough to make the bird safe while on transport.
Conclusion
How to fix a bird’s broken wing? The best thing you can do is provide help so that the injured bird will be comfortable before going to a veterinarian or avian specialist. But, you must catch the bird safely first while putting it in a safe place before transporting it for medical help.