ALTRICIAL BIRDS: Sparrows, mocking birds, black birds, blue jays, hawks, owls, doves and pigeons. As this partial list illustrates, altricial baby birds are commonly encountered in the Spring of the year when most birds are nesting. They are born completely helpless, unable to walk or eat and without any feathers. The chances of successfully raising an orphaned baby bird are unfortunately quite slim. They require intensive care and round-the-clock feeding. Even with the best care that a "human" can give poor growth, deformity and death are common.

Proper environmental temperature and constant feeding of the proper food is extremely important if raising the orphaned baby bird is to be successful. A substitute nest should be constructed using a shoebox or coffee can, along with shredded newspaper or rags. Two heat sources will be needed for optimum temperature control. Place a heating pad underneath the nest and suspend a 60-watt light bulb above or adjacent to it. Place a thermometer next to the nestling. Use the light during the day and the heating pad at night to maintain the desired temperature. A constant temperature of 85-90 degrees is necessary. Be sure to turn off the light at night and place the entire brooder apparatus in a quiet draft-free location.

 A SAMPLE DIET FOR ALTRICIAL BIRDS:

1 can of non-oily canned dog food
4 hardboiled eggs
1 small, cooked sweet potato
1 can cooked spinach plus the juice
1 Pet Tabs Plus (multivitamin)
2 Pet Cal (calcium supplement)
2-4 cups Gatorade or water (make adjustments to obtain desired consistency)

Mix all ingredients in a blender. Divide the batch into 4 oz. portions and freeze all portions except the one in use. Thaw out portions in the refrigerator the day before they are needed and warm each feeding. A 6 cc syringe is ideal for feeding but an eyedropper or small stick can also be used.

With the exception of doves and pigeons, the nestling's mouth will gape open wide when they are hungry. Some other general rules are:

1. Very young birds require feeding every 20-30 minutes during daylight hours and every 1-4 hours at night. As the bird gets older the time between feedings may be increased and eventually discontinued at night.
2. If the crop contains food from the previous feeding, delay the next feeding until it is empty in order to  prevent "sour crop". The crop is the storage stomach in the neck and it bulges after feeding.
3. Soon after feeding the bird will defecate. The feces (soiled papers) should be removed from the nest.