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From: sbishop@desire.wright.edu
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Injured Hummer
Message-ID: <966.26b916b6@desire.wright.edu>
Date: 3 Aug 90 11:16:22 GMT
References: <58946@lanl.gov>
Lines: 22

In article <58946@lanl.gov>, weintrau@mpx0.lampf.lanl.gov (Weintraub, B. L.) writes:
> 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?
> 
congradulations to your friends.  They surely must be doing something right for
the hummer to have done so well.  I really don't have any suggestions.  It
sounds like they are doing much better than anyone would expect.   They will
need to realize that the bird may never get well enough to fly and they may
have a permanent boarder.  The best of luck to them.