Have adult jackdaw in garden, unable to fly but wings/legs ok. Don't think I can catch it nor want to cause stress trying, It drinks & eats a little but rests a lot, Can I help it in any way please?

Adult jackdaw unable to fly

  • Hi Cee...I think the best you can do for it is just provide food and water and monitor from a distance and as you say catching it will only add to its stress...

    Hopefully others may have more helpful advice than me ;-)

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)

  • I agree with Linda, unless you are able to chat with a wildlife rehabber.

    directory.helpwildlife.co.uk

    The problem with these big, intelligent birds is that if you can catch them easily they are usually too ill to be saved. Wet cat food (not fish based) would be a good thing to offer, as that will give moisture

    Cin J

  • Thanks both, much appreciated. Like the idea of catfood, so will give that a try, although don't want to encourage any cats (none about here at the moment, fingers crossed!) - will get some to put out when I can monitor carefully. Agree that if it is weak enough to catch it won't be a good sign, so would love to help it get strong enough to fly again, or at least if can't survive, to let it go in peace. (New here too so extra special thanks!)
  • Not a problem...please keep as updated as more often than not we never get to hear the outcome ;-)
    Welcome to the forum

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)

  • Thank you, I will! Jackdaw is still here today (this is about a week now), hides in safe sunny spots most of the time but makes occasional forays to drink and eat - I put a little catfood down today and it seems to have had some but is a very 'delicate' eater, can't handle large morsels (I've now cut up very small!), also manages little bits of suet and oats which I soak first. Not a big appetite and I wonder what's going on with it, but when it's walking about it looks quite perky and sometimes searches for grubs in the undergrowth too (shame it's been so dry here as the ground is hard). Will update with any developments...
  • Thanks for the update Cee...Good to hear he's still doing OK. ...Yeah its very dry up here aswell...I am going out in the mornings soaking a patch of grass for the blackbirds! .....fingers crossed your Jackdaw takes flight soon :-)

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)

  • Hello again - just to update, sadly the jackdaw died this morning, but peacefully in the garden and not savaged by a cat or other predator, at least. Ironically it had seemed a lot perkier yesterday and was behaving more normally and eating more, but I think it was still so weak and undernourished generally that a cold night finally took its toll. Just glad we were able to give it a safe environment with food and water while it was here. I inspected it before I buried it - wings, legs and feathers all seemed in good shape but the skin around its eyes, and where its bill joins the face, looked a bit white and scabby, so I'm presuming it had some kind of underlying affliction/inflammation.
    Thank you for your advice as I feel assured that we did all we reasonably could. RIP lovely jackdaw.
  • Thank you for caring and allowing a stress free passing. Quite possibly it was old age

    Cin J

  • Aww that's sad but thanks for caring and doing your very best. Thanks for keeping us updated.

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)