urgent help needed sick hbird

please help
i found a very sick male ruby. am holding him.trying to feed him. waiting for call from rehabber.

appreciate any guidance

Oh Scutler,
Hang in! Keep calling the rehab people!! Just hold him and keep him calm.

~Adrienne

I'm sorry I have no help to offer, I hope the little guy makes it!

Thanks, Adrienne and fly_girl. Unfortunately, he died in my hand. I'm feeling a little bit bummed right now. Or maybe just tired.

I held him as gently as I could. I called all of the area vet hospitals and as many bird rehabbers as I could find. I know that hbirds need to eat every 15 minutes or so to keep their strength up. I wasn't sure exactly how to feed him. I mixed some fresh nectar, scooped some up in a soup spoon and held him over it. I saw his little tongue going in and out lapping it up. For a little while I thought he might be getting better.

When I finally got in touch with someone who specializes in birds, she said from my description he was probably dying, and the best I could do was help him die comfortably as apposed to possibly being eaten. She said it sounded like I was doing everything right. She didn't think he would make it, but if he made it through the night she would take him tomorrow. He died while she was talking.

He was an adult male with the bright red neck. He had no outward sign of injury. When I saw him he looked rough. His feathers were all wonky and ruffled up. He was sitting on a branch with his beak pointed almost straight up in the air. His little body heaving as if gasping for air. I thought he looked like a goner, but I caught him to see if i could help him.

The rehabber seamed to think he probably died of old age.

We don't seem to have a lot of support here for hummers, not a lot of people who know how to help them. I tried desperately, but it wasn't enough.

Scutler, poor little guy, you did the best you could.

Thanks, fly_girl. I know it just wasn't meant to be, but right now I'm having that feeling you get when you've done all that you could do, and it still wasn't enough.

I know, a while back I saw a blue jay in my yard and when I would get near him he would just hop away, not fly. I knew he was in trouble so I scooped him up with my big fish net and put him in a box. Then, I ran around to my neighbors until I found an unused bird cage. Put him in it and called some rehabbers. It was around 7pm, so all I got were answering machines. Someone called me the next day, but it was too late, he was gone. He was so beautiful. She thought he might of died from West Nile Disease. It is heartwrenching when you can't help them.

Dear Scutler, I'm so sorry for your loss. You are very kind. how wonderful that you were present when he died so he was not alone.

Regards,

Maggie

I agree! You are very kind. I don't know if I could do what you did for the hummingbird.

Thanks for sharing,

Chuck

I'm sorry, Scutler...I understand how you feel. I would be wrecked. Everyone tells me it's "the circle of life" but it's so hard to watch a living beautiful creature die. I hate when I see bflies at the end of their life - their wings all ragged and faded, barely able to fly from one blade of grass to the other. I scoop them up and put them in the prettiest spot of the garden until they're gone. It's awesome that you did everything you could but I'm sorry about how it ended. =(

Here is the photo I took [from behind] of the poor little fella before I realized that he was sick. At 1st I was just so happy for the chance to get a close photo. Then when he didn't fly away, I realized something wasn't right. After that I noticed that his peak was pointed up in the air - as you can see in the photo. (Also note how ruffled his feather are.)

When I walked around to see him from the side view, he still did not try to fly away. Then I saw that his beak was open and he seemed to be gasping for air. Once I realized he was in distress I wouldn't dream of taking his picture again. If you look closely in the photo you can see his tongue sticking out of his beak. He was like that for most of the next hour or so until he died.

After I took him inside and fed him by putting a tablespoon of nectar close enough to his beak to allow him to reach it with his tongue, he seemed to perk up a bit. He stopped gasping for air, and even closed his beak and withdrew his tongue. But, alas, he still did not make it.

Thank you each very, very much for your comforting words.

Scutler-
I can think of no better way to pass from this world that safe in the loving hands of a friend. :)

~Adrienne

How very touching that is Scutler~ Adrienne said it.."...in the hands of a friend." You did everything right, just holding him was all anyone could do.
A few days ago my son Ben (8), an avid bird watcher and studier.. found a baby sparrow. He came running in to get me. I went and picked it up to bring home. His eyes were a little matted and he couldn't see, so I went to the sink and wiped it all away with a wet paper towel.. Still only one eye would open. He held that side of his face up trying so hard, blinking away. I wraped him up and tried to get a mealworm in him, but he wouldn't open his beak. Knowing he was dehydrated, I got a dropper and put water and a little cherry juice in it and he swallowed some down. I propped him up and set him in a safe place... When we came in Ben was sobbing so deeply, big tears...he said, "I'm so heartbroken."

We came inside and I was singing to him "His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.." When Daddy saw everything that was going on he began to sob too.. We were all ferclempt over it, but Daddy and I told Ben how God watches over His little birdies, and when they are sick He calles them home from this world..It was really sweet, and all the talk about Jesus and all came very significant, the next day when Ben ran out to check on him, all that was left was his white wrappings...he was gone..

I was thankful that he didn't go out to the wee birdy covered in ants or something, rather he was taken up and away..

Maybe that is why your little hummer was looking up too... to go on home.

Scutler~I wasn't planning on telling this story to anyone except your story made it seem appropriate to share.



This message was edited May 25, 2007 9:17 AM

Tried to add this quote, instead made a new post>

for future reference...I find lots of helpful info re hummers from this site: HummerHobnob@rubythroat.org the site owners name is Bill and he is extremely knowledgeable about hummingbirds. Have a good summer :)

~blessings
D.Wind