Help me! - I found an injured hummingbird

Please... if anybody can help tell me what to do.

Last night I was out walking in the park at twilight. I passed a guy looking at something moving in the grass. It was a tiny ruby-throated hummingbird! It was injured and flailing around on the grass, flipping itself over back and forth. The guy just shrugged his shoulders and walked on. I stood there helplessly looking, no way to pick it up and put it someplace safe. I started sobbing, then I turned and rushed back home, got my car, and drove back with a box, towel, and gloves. But it was dark by then. I searched and searched for nearly an hour but I couldn't see anything moving. I went home and prayed that the poor little thing had either gotten away safely or had a merciful death. I was afraid, though, that some dog probably got it.

Now here it is 15 hours later... I found the bird lying in the grass. I picked it up with some tissues, in order to bring it home and bury it. But it's still alive!!

It's barely moving its feet. I've put it in a box - made a sort of nest with a thick towel on top of a hot-water bottle.

NOW WHAT SHOULD I DO....?????

Faith

You may want to call your local Fish and Wildlife office and ask them.

I hate stuff like that. It may not live, since it is so stressed now, but you are doing all you can except for calling for professional advice. You might try your local vet, too.

Once when I was walking home from elementary school back in the 3rd grade or so, my Mom and I saw a hurt bird flopping around. I think it's wing must have been broken. We picked it up in our hands and carried it home, and put it in an Easter basket we hung outside on a tree, with some water and some seeds or breadcrumbs. It took a few days, but that bird must have gotten well, because it was gone after a while. (Either that, or it died and my folks hid it from me, who knows. That just occured to me...I always assumed it got well )

Anyhow, you are doing your best, and sometimes nature just takes its course.

http://www.rubythroat.org/QuestionsInjured01.html

Whoops, accidentally sent the link without a message. I hope that link helps...Lotsa hugs to you and the little birdie. Keep us updated!

well first it needs substance...their nectar is 1 cup sugar to 4 parts water . i think thats right...

You may want to call your local Fish and Wildlife office and ask them.

That's true. I took wildlife management in High School. Call the local state Fish and Wildlife officials and let them know. These guys do lots of things, aid injured wildlife, monitor hunting activity through game wardens (Big thumbs up for my distant relative Theodore Roosevelt for that.), relocating lost native wild animals (State of Tennessee F&W is going through that with elk right now), ect.

well first it needs substance...their nectar is 1 cup sugar to 4 parts water . i think thats right...

Yup definitely in the meantime feed it.

If no one knows the nectar formula you can always google it. Somebody will have that posted. :)

Use straw if you can, that's what alot of birds are acustomed to. If not, small twigs from near by trees will likely be ok for a "nest" type of environment.

I googled for bird rescue in San Francisco, plus called the Academy of Sciences ornithology dept. There is NO bird rescue in San Francisco! I was told that the nearest place is in San Rafael, in Marin County! All of the bird rescue websites said DO NOT attempt to feed an injured hummingbird, but instead get it professional care immediately. So I got in my car and drove 45 minutes to San Rafael. Before I left the house, I peeked under the lid of the box, and it perked up its head. I didn't look again, didn't want to cause it any further stress, so I just handed the box over to them when I got there. Then they came back out and told me it was already dead. I asked to see it. She brought him out in her hand, told me it was an adult male, let me stroke him. So tiny and beautiful, with those iridescent feathers.

I've been crying for an hour. I don't know what happened to him, how he was injured (maybe a dog nipped at him? maybe he flew into a window?) Looking now at the tissues I used to pick him up with... there are tiny little flecks of blood, so small I didn't notice them before.

All I know is that he suffered for at least 16 hours, lying there overnight in the grass and then in the hot sun. The cause of death might be from his injuries, or from dehydration, or from the stress of being moved. I just don't know what I could have done that would have been "right" :(

you did all you could...

i'm sorry that he died blue skies

Aww, sweetie, you went to way more trouble than most people would have and I am sure the little guy knew you cared. :( Say a prayer for his little soul and know that he is flying again somewhere...

I'm so proud of you for doing the right thing by doing all that you could to get him the help that he needed.

Say a prayer for his little soul and know that he is flying again somewhere...

Yes, let's hope so....

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/524/hummingbirdtz2.jpg

Oh man this story just brought down my night...I'm a huge animal lover and I hate to hear things like this! :(

You did all you could. Now you know what to do the next time.

You could say it died so that others may live.

Well done. Now that you know, you can save more, not less.

**sniffling** You did everything you could. Sometimes they simply go into shock and die no matter what you do or how quickly you get ithem to some help. I think he's right now buzzing around up in Heaven drinking all the nectar he wants with no fear of anything. :yes:

Oh my! This is the first post I went to this morning, hoping it was good news. I am so sorry...

Aww, that's too sad. :( At least you tried, many (most) wouldn't have.