Many of the birds that we receive are injured as the result of road accidents and have been picked up by passers by. If this happens to you, here are a few points to remember.

DON’T panic! You won’t be much use if you’re feeling jittery so – just take a deep breath and do your best.

DO remember, shock kills! From the bird’s point of view, no matter what the injury, the trauma of being handled can be worse than the injury itself.

DO handle the bird gently but firmly. If possible, pick it up in both hands, holding its wings in against its body with your fingers and both thumbs running up its back towards its head (if you have a towel or clean cloth availabe, use it).

DO put the bird in a box. It will feel far more relaxed if it’s kept quiet and in the dark. The box should be slightly longer and wider than the bird. If it’s too small, this could result in feather damage, if it’s too large, the bird could start jumping around an make the injury worse.

DON’T forget the air-holes!

DO keep the bird warm (not hot) and quiet – this will help it get over the shock.

DON’T try to feed it. Food dehydrates and the digestive process expends energy that the bird can’t afford to use. We normally give the bird a glucose/saline solution that is easily absorbed and treats dehydration as well as giving a quick energy boost.

DO contact the Raptor Trust or similar organisation in your area. The Trust is listed in the Yellow Pages under “Animal Welfare” and contact numbers are shown on the left. Any delay will seriously reduce the bird’s chances of survival.