Is there anything I can do to help an injured Magpie?

I realise it's unlikely, but thought it couldn't hurt to ask. For the last 3-4 weeks there has been an injured Magpie in my garden with a broken wing. He's unable to fly at all and is surviving by hopping around.

He is doing incredibly well for himself considering his disability - he is managing to use plants and short trees to hop around and up into fir trees at the back to hide in. I am putting food out, some of which he is getting. I have become oddly attached to the little fella... he really has done so well for himself and wants to live! A cat in my garden caught a magpie yesterday and I was absolutely devastated assuming it was him, but somewhat miraculously it turned out not to be him! Cats are definitely the risk to him, because he can't fly and his hopping wouldn't be enough to out run a cat.

My question is - is there anything I can do to help his chances? I completely realise nature is nature, I just wish I could do something to help. I'm extremely reluctant to try and catch him because I've had a bad experience of doing that in the past with a cat-injured Magpie that then died from fright before I could get him to the Vet.

Thanks for any suggestions!

  • Hi Gillian, you could use this link to find help near you to ask for some expert advice & what the current situation is given that Avian flu is so rife, has very likely changed what hands on help there may be!

    directory.helpwildlife.co.uk/

    Good luck

     

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  • hi
    I'm sorry you have an injured magpie in your garden.
    they are such beautiful birds ..
    and it is upsetting when they so much want to live and are trying so hard.
    similar happened here recently with a beautiful young gull still with brown feathers...he has lost the use of one leg and has to hop everywhere and land on one leg etc...I so feel for him.
    He is managing so far but I wondered if he could be helped...?
    I rang RSPCA who say that because of the recent bird flu that vets or local bird hospitals/sactuary would not help...I don't feel this particular gull has bird flu as there many healthy birds around at moment..
    All the RSPCA could suggest is that we catch him under a cloth or light blanket and call rspca and they would come to collect him.
    My neighbour actually did manage to throw a cloth over him but he managed to fly away and now we have given up with this because of fear of damaging him or stressing him further.
    I had the cat basket ready for him and a pair of gloves ready but I think its too stressful all round...So the gull comes back every day to the wild bird feeder for scraps and if we see him we give him some bread or peanut sandwiches etc....and just hoping for the best for him.
    In the case of an injured magpie.......
    I think I would ring round your local vets and bird sanctuaries and rspca just to see if there is any help out there...as bird flu seems to have passed over some areas now...
    We are in Penzance....
    It would be awful if a local cat got him ...is there a shed you could usher him into ?
    for him to live in temporarily until help can be found.?
    I think I would definitely ring round for help...keep an eye on him...so hope he's not in pain...?
    I think wings can be mended..
    Is there an owl sanctuary nearby perhaps ?
    There must be someone out there who can help...a wild animals vet perhaps ...they have them in some areas of Sussex as we took an injured hedgehog to them a few months ago and they have people who can collect as well..best of luck to you and hoping very much that the magpie gets some help..
    best wishes
    jan
  • Hi
    directory.helpwildlife.co.uk
    Might be a good link to try ..
    Is there any news on the magpie ..?
    Hope you manage to get some help with him .