Baby Bluebird That Couldn't Fly

As I was walking back to the house at almost dark I saw this baby hopping around the base of a tree which was near the mealworm feeder. Thank goodness I watched him more and then realized he couldn't fly. He was from the 5 babies that fledged on August 27th. I saw most of the family hovering around waiting for mealworms everyday, but never saw them all together since the babies were usually up in the trees. Oh what a panic, it was late and had to rescue him because of not only a stray cat that had been showing up, but other predators could have gotten him. Placed him in a tub, fed him some mealworms and then called the greatest person in the world...........Mary Jane. She has a wildlife rehabilitation center which is almost an hour from my house. Rushed this baby there the next day after work. I hope he will be able to fly, so I can go and retrieve him and place him back here with his family.

The Skyes Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is located in Western Pennsylvania, which does not receive any State or Federal aid, only donations from people who of course love wildlife. Weekly dozens of injured wildlife are brought to this center. I try to give as much as I can. It just breaks your heart to see these injured animals. Mary Jane is so wonderful to work around the clock caring for them. The site is:
http://www.skyes-spirit.com/

The parents of this baby had a very bad time nesting this year. First they had their nest already built in the regular bluebird box and a male house sparrow fought with them all day long, he wanted the box, after of course they built the nest inside. If there were eggs or babies in the box, and the parents couldn't fight off the house sparrow, he would kill and toss out the eggs and babies.

Finally the pair went to a bird house which is not a bluebird house, which I have to fix now from predators. The babies were growing and being fed by the parents, and the most horrific thing happened.....a raccoon came and ate the babies. From there the parents went to my neighbors bluebird box which I purchased for them last year. Five eggs were laid and I when I monitored the box, the day the babies hatched I was able to calculate when they would fledge. And they did, exactly the day I guessed, August 27th.

This little bird needs lots of prayers. With the invasion of HOUSE SPARROWS aka English Sparrows and losing their natural habitat to build nests, the bluebirds need human help to keep reproducing so we can not only enjoy them, but they also are wonderful for insect control, not house sparrows.