Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!aplcen!samsung!cs.utexas.edu!yale!cmcl2!lanl!weintrau@mpx0.lampf.lanl.gov
From: weintrau@mpx0.lampf.lanl.gov (Weintraub, B. L.)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Injured Hummer
Keywords: Rufous Hummingbird
Message-ID: <58946@lanl.gov>
Date: 2 Aug 90 15:33:19 GMT
Sender: news@lanl.gov
Reply-To: weintrau@mpx0.lampf.lanl.gov
Organization: Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility, Los Alamos, New Mexico
Lines: 19

It's been almost two weeks now since friends of mine found an injured male
Rufous Hummingbird on their patio.  Although there was no obvious injury
such as a broken wing, the bird has been unable to fly.  He can move his 
wings, but not generate enough lift for flight.  They have been keeping him 
in a shoe box, feeding him sugar water supplemented by an amino acid mix 
from the local wild bird specialist who is also a veterinarian.  They've also 
supplied the hummer with flowers.  They say that the hummer actually sticks
his bill into the flowers and comes out covered with pollen.  They're trying
_not_ to tame the bird, but it seems almost inevitable:  he's beginning to
recognize them, and respond to their presence.  He seems to be getting 
stronger, and hopefully will be well enough to migrate by fall.  In the 
meantime, they'll be building him a cage, so that he will be able to fly 
when he's ready.

Comments or suggestions?

- Barbara
Los Alamos National Lab
- all disclaimers apply -