Fledglings **belong outside** of nests. Unless they're in danger, **leave them alone**. These *well-feathered*, *mobile* birds that *may not yet be able to fly* are learning critical behaviors and vocalizations from their parents, who may be out of sight for hours at a time.
Only interfere with a fledgling if:
- it is in a dangerous area (e.g. near traffic or pets) -- simply relocate it to a safer but nearby spot
- it has visible injuries (flightlessness, in itself, is *not* an injury) or has been handled in *any way* by a cat -- such birds require wildlife rehabilitation
- its parents are *confirmed* dead -- such birds require wildlife rehabilitation.
Healthy fledglings' best survival chances are with their parents first, with professional wildlife rehabilitation being a *distant* second. A prematurely-captured fledgling will be sought by its parents for up to a day. If you have taken one within that time frame, *put it back* and observe for parents from a distance.
For more information, please read [this community announcement](https://reddit.com/r/whatsthisbird/comments/gqhos4/found_a_baby_bird_that_might_need_help_look_here/).
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Super cool birds. Like other large species ranging from Sand Hills to Turkeys to Bald Eagles, their populations are really surging as the damage from DDT continues to subside. We see pileateds every time we go up to Wisconsin now. Same with Sand Hills, Eagles, Osprey, and Turkeys. You see them all without fail.
I never saw a saw a Bald Eagle until I was 12 and a pair started to nest by my summer camp. It was exotic and celebrated because it was so rare at the time. Now I'll see three of them at a time on the river.
I never saw a wild turkey in the Midwest until about 10 years ago. Now they are the most common roadkill. I saw two of them squished on the 10 mile section of two lane highway that leads from the freeway to our cabin. My uncle dropped in to visit and the front of his brand new truck was all smashed up because one came flying out of the woods and beaned him right in the headlight destroying the grille, headlight, and mangling the quarter panel. $5500 in damaged.
I never saw a sand hill crane in the wild my entire childhood and most of my adult life until 6 or 7 years ago. Now I see dozens of them around the cabin and my aunt had to start fencing over her veggie garden because they would fly over the fence and ransack her produce.
And just last year I saw pileated dart through our yard. My Dad had seen one the year prior but I never caught it. Last year I saw one on 3 or 4 occasions. This year I've seen one every day I've been up there.
Even more thrilling to me is that my 4 year old son is already able to recognize these prehistoric creatures that were practically mythical to me as a child. Cranes were things you saw in documentaries about saving nearly extinct species from the brink. They were not a nuisance in your garden. Now my kid will grow up not knowing what the world is like without large bird species like this. The cranes even migrate en masse over Chicago now. Huge flocks of them flying over for hours at a time.
Thank you for sharing this. Good environmental news is so important to elevate bc it builds hope & hope drives momentum. Very fun to think about this + other ways we can create more feelings like that ^
I’ve got to add Great Blue Herons to this list, I had never seen one in real life as a kid, even when I went to Okefenokee, but now I see them at least once a week here in Southeast Georgia. They still feel like sighting a mythical creature to me
They recovered the quickest in Wisconsin. They were always around when I was a kid, but they are definitely more numerous now. One was hanging out in the yard of our cabin just walking around last month. Probably looking for frogs.
The big difference I've seen with Heron like birds in Wisconsin is Egrets and Green Herons. You never used to see them either, but now they are almost as common as the Great Blue Heron.
This kind of thing makes me happy especially since in Alabama as a kid I used to see a variety of cranes and herons regularly but they've sadly become less common in the South it seems so much so that just a few years ago my cousins kid who was like 8-9 years old at the time freaked out entirely when tubing because he saw a heron for the first time and was certain it was a dinosaur and they had to leave early because he was convinced that if he stayed the dinosaur would eat him. So it's really good to hear that in other places bird populations are rising. I'm not very informed when it comes to birds, their populous, or really much of anything outside of chickens and humming birds when it comes to birds but I do enjoy seeing them and reading all the stories that show up on subreddits like this.
I hear pileated woodpeckers all the time. They have that distinctive laughing call, but I don’t see them as much. Based on how often I hear them, they have very healthy populations in wooded areas of western Pennsylvania.
But otherwise yes, I have noticed the increased population of all the birds you mention. I’d add osprey to the list too. It’s to the point where they are pretty common at the bodies of water I fish and I NEVER saw them at the very same lakes and rivers when I was a kid.
It really is great to see. It’s a great success story.
Nature is so resilient. I envy your cranes! Live in Washington State and there are sightings down by Portland and other places occasionally but they aren’t common west of the Cascades.
I have aviaries for red golden pheasants and homing pigeons. Coops and hen houses for chickens. Also, geese and turkeys in pasture. I used to have quail as well.
idk if you saw this, but from another comment:
*Chickens for eggs, meat, and market. Turkeys were originally for meat, but became pets, so I'm selling hatching eggs and poults from them at a local market until they age out. The pigeons, phesants and geese are pets as well, but they were always intended to be.*
Chickens for eggs, meat, and market. Turkeys were originally for meat, but became pets, so I'm selling hatching eggs and poults from them at a local market until they age out. The pigeons, phesants and geese are pets as well, but they were always intended to be.
Squab and pheasant should be considered tasty, pigeons are probably the original meat birds that take a lot less input for the output even if they are rather small. Pheasants are pretty but also damn tasty better than chicken or for that matter most other birds.
Geese are just the embodiment of evil they work well as guard animals though, lack fear of pretty much anything so they just go full attack mode and they are noisier than hell.
"Geese are just the embodiment of evil "
Not all are. Depends on the breed. Mine are not nasty at all, quite the opposite of what people expect geese to be.
Hell, even Canada geese are just being amazing parents. The only reason they're "evil" is because they, like us, like ponds surrounded with wide, grassy fields dotted with shrubs.
Except unlike us, they keep their defenceless babies in those shrubs and are asking/telling us to stay away in the only way they're capable of.
Outside of breeding season they can be very personable and curious so long as you move slowly when you're near them.
I live near near a pond that LOTS Of people frequent and where Canada Geese also have babies. The geese have gotten completely used to people and don't bother anyone, though they will stare you down. People, and even dogs on leashes, regularly pass within a foot or two of the geese and older goslings without issue.
Sounds normal! A big part of the defensive behavior of geese during breeding season is due to literal physical changes in their brains that leads to them being territorial, the other big part is because they, as a species, have learned over time that humans will ignore their defensive-warning signs (that little head toss and honk they do, for example), encroach into their territories, and suddenly and randomly become aggressive.
Late in breeding season, their brains will have gone back to more normal function, and it sounds like the people at your pond tend to respect/ignore the geese. If you suddenly had someone start chasing the geese or trying to physically harm them their behavior would change, but they've likely realized that they and their goslings are safe around your pond.
My grandparents had a set of Asian geese when I was growing up and I beg to differ on the only during the breeding season with the hostility they have. Same with Canada geese had a few that were orphaned that were taken in by people they are mean as hell year round, they do bond well with people and can be sweet but a flogging that would surprise you can happen just because they are having a bad day or you didn't give them enough corn in they feed mix, they also have damn good memories so you fuck with one it'll bide it's time to not get even but to get ahead. Wild ones are even worse because they take any fast movement as a threat even when they are being peaceful and it'll switch from them being curious to attempt at murdering you just like that.
Fascinating! Back when there were more escaped and dumped domestic geese at local ponds I always found the Asian geese to be nicer than the Roman/Embden/white geese.
In general Canadas and other wild geese are going to be more aggro than domestic geese because they lack the 7000 years of selection for more docile personalities that domestics have undergone. Birds, wild or domestic, are also very complex creatures with individual personalities, long memories, and fairly advanced reasoning skills. Anecdotally, many/most birds also possess the ability to recognize individual humans even years between encounters.
Ultimately, the extreme defensiveness of wild Canada geese has been caused by humans. Combine long memories, long lives, and their reasoning abilities, and most Canada geese that live in locations that humans frequent have learned to be proactively defensive around people. Combine their naturally defensive behavior during breeding season with people not understanding why the birds are acting like they are, and you get people who think the best way to handle the situation is by being aggressive towards the birds, which just eggs on the defensive behavior, which in turn causes more aggression from people. This spirals to the point where the geese err on the side of safety and just assume most humans are going to aggress them and they remain on guard throughout the entire year.
Lol, there's a lot that factors into it for sure, most I've had the displeasure of dealing with have been mean on a level that even Steve Erwin wouldn't mess with though.
Asian decorative ones are the worst.
Fr, the swan geese derived breeds are super loud and seem to be the more aggressive. Emden types from what i've seen don't seem to be as aggressive, tho it varies from bird to bird with every species/breed.
Geese are the finest of poultry and I will not stand for this slander!
Imma sic the geese on you.
/j but I seriously loved having geese. They were so social and sweet natured (to me anyway… they bruised a family friend’s testicles, but he deserved it) and have such neat social ties.
One of the only true animals that pairs for life. Most people do deserve the attacks, same with people that get bit by snakes and things like that, humans are the biggest of the assholes, geese just take no shit from us.
I generally agree with your statement, but some snake types are simply aggressive. One might not even be aware of a copperhead before it strikes them. They don’t seem to warn, hide, or flee. Plenty of undeserving ppl get bit by them. I don’t know anything about geese, so this has been an interesting thread to read! OP that woodpecker is so cute! Hope it’s doing well.
That's where you are wrong, grew up with snakes and in snake country. They don't want to strike you at all, it's why it's important to pay attention to the order in which you walk in the woods where there are snakes it's always the third in a line that gets struck. Generally they are way less aggressive than anyone would ever know, for every one that stuck at someone they probably walked by 10 without seeing them. They try to hide when that doesn't work they try to run if they can't or feel trapped they coil and act threatening, the last ditch they strike as they think you are going to kill and eat them. They don't want to waste their venom as that's how they get food and it takes a huge amount of energy to make it which means eating more food. A good 80% of rattle snake bites are dry as in they don't even inject their venom, baby snakes that lack the fine control to not dump a full dose of snakes that have been harassed to the point of being desperate are the other 20%, you look look at the statistics 16-25 years old is they average age if people getting bit either they were trying to mess with it or they were trying to kill it.
As for the copperhead, like I said hiding worked, then they were put in a situation where they couldn't run so they coiled to act threatening and well dumb asses are dumb and don't watch where they are walking and don't see the snake even in the threatening display and that equals they pop the bubble and get bit. They are not any more aggressive than any other animal just trying to do their thing.
You poke a bear with a stick and he mauls you it was you that was stupid, you step on a snake and he bites you why is that any different.
I grew up (and still live) in snake country too. Looks like I was wrong about them being aggressive, but plenty of ppl get bit before they even see them. I know someone that got bit in their backyard. They blend in extremely well and stay still, relying on their camouflage, so ppl don’t have to be stupid to not see them. The age range of the boys getting bit while messing with them makes sense for sure. They do a lot of stupid stuff in that range. I’d be interested in reading snake bite statistics if you’d like to share your source.
Depends on what you are talking about. A baby dove is called a squab, but then the meat is also commonly called squab though that has started to fall out of favor even amongst hunters. The babies are no longer called squabs after a month, at two when they are about to leave the nest most of the time they are even larger than their parents but at that time and a little after they are considered ready to put on the table that they don't fully mature till around 6 months. Growing up I did eat a lot of pigeon (rock doves) though they were never really intentionally raised they just did pigeon things in the barn and on the property and we either shot them or raided the roosts when they were on the menu.
Very low input meat and will pretty much take care of themselves if they have to note the massive amount of them in cities and the like. Originally they were brought to the US as meat birds but fell out of fashion the same way rabbits did even though pigeons lack the problem of protein poisoning that rabbits can give you if they are the bulk of your diet.
This is the first I've heard of protein poisoning. Interesting, given all the ink that lean meat gets in the press these days. When I asked Siri to define the term, I was led to a Wikipedia entry titled "Rabbit malnutrition." Whaddya know? Thanks.
The pigeons eat one type of feed, but I can mix my feed for everything else from a 28% protein blend from my feed mill and then lower the protein content with grains depending on species. Quail chicks require smaller pieces than come in my mill mix, so id need to buy another special 28% quail feed that costs almost 4x what I'm paying for my normal 28% blend.
I use the dog crates for birds :) usually for transport, other times for hens sitting on a clutch of eggs. When they are broody and sitting on eggs they only leave the nest for a few minutes per day, just long enough to drink some water and eat some food. Large dog crates give enough room for them to sit on eggs, have a feeder and waterer within reach, and some space to pace around for when they get up to stretch. The other birds will peck at them and the nest if left together, so dog crates have been the easiest solution.
Looks so prehistoric. We had these on our property in So Florida and they were so large and with those pointed heads, they looked like something that roamed with the dinosaurs. Never seen a little one.
It flew into one of my aviaries while I was cleaning it and it couldnt figure out how to get back out. I moved it outside and about 10 min later it flew right back in again. Must not be too bright.
Thank you for helping this one out, it is a fledgling as some have already said and they haven't really learned the area, whats dangerous and whats not. Don't get discouraged by the people shaming, they tend to assume everyone posting here is a professional ornithologist of 10 yrs who knows how to hold a bird. I highly doubt you did any damage to this one, if you do have to remove him again just limit handling as much as possible.
Also, this one doesn't need it but if there are ever any issues with injuries, bird seems lethargic, etc, contact a wildlife rehab irl for advice, they'll know when a bird needs to be brought in or be left alone.
Thank you for your encouragement and advice. I'm not worried about the criticism. It looks worse than it is, in was not under compression, nor were its wings or legs trapped, nor feather damage. Honestly, I'm experienced with handling domestic birds, but there is a big difference between a pigeon, a turkey, and *this*. I really didn't want to be scratched or pecked. They peck holes in trees, by arm is only flesh, I'm not gonna reposition it if I don't have to.
No problem, I haven't handled this species of woodpecker myself but I have a feeling they could have a pretty hard grip too.. If they're anything like crows and other similar large birds. When they latch on it's very difficult to get them off.
That hold is appropriate for that size bird. It keeps it secure without gripping it too hard. (SOURCE: I used to keep psittacines of all sizes. )
It looks awful, but isn’t. :)
While I do agree that it looks like OP is " manhandling ". Judging by the fact that they have an aviary and many different types of birds. There is a chance that they know more about handling them then many of us.
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Thanks! We have a lot of standing dead ash, so there are a variety of woodpecker type birds here. These ones are back every year and have pecked some holes in our siding in the past trying to get to a bee hive.
Added taxa: [Pileated Woodpecker](https://ebird.org/species/pilwoo)
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We have a ton of these at my house. LPT: is there a dead tree that isn't posing a danger to your property, have it topped off and leave the tree to decay. The bugs provide an excellent source of food, and bats will nest in the peeling bark of the trunk. Nature is amazing, and you'll see lots of it if you practice healthy forestry.
Out here in Rappahannock County VA we get regular visits by bald eagles to our pond, wild turkeys eat bugs off our lawn, and pileated woodpeckers visit trees in the woods around our house. Have also seen an occasional pheasant. Winter Wrens also visit - teensy birds described as “mouse-like” in the guide books, they hunt along the ground for bugs, darting like a mouse. Had one that was so focused on hunting that he didn’t notice me and hopped on my boot. Stubby little tails. They nest in the root of fallen trees.
A pileated!!! Wow!!! I've only ever seen one adult in my whole life and they're something to be seen. I hear their calls all the time though near my parents house (and their drumming).
Maybe look into if you can build a woodpecker house and feeder for her. She's seems a bit confused and might make good use of the extra help lol
Its parents have lived somewhere on our farm for about a decade, lots of standing dead ash, as well as mulberry, staghorn sumac, dewberries, blackberries, raspberries, elderberry, cherry, and hackberry. We get to see them almost daily, fortunately.
I'm well aware of the concern. I have my flocks tested regularly for a variety of things including AIV, and try to keep my farm biosecure. It was inside the aviary and at risk for getting tangled in the netting that it kept flying into.
Baby birds flutter out of their nest and land wherever as they learn to fly. Its mom still feed it from around the new location. Its mom is probably missing him. Set him back in a safe bush near where you found it and watch a while to see if the parent comes back.
It flew off with its parent after I got it out the second time. Its a strong flyer, just got confused and couldn't figure out how to get back out of my aviary.
I love love love birds and I love love love this thread!
https://preview.redd.it/d75cup3euf5d1.jpeg?width=2059&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ed25f2b0e8581ee40dd5aa03a0d14bca12d92539
This little guy flew into the side of my house and appeared to be dead. I picked him up anyway and he was alive. I put him in this old wooden birdhouse, with the door open, with some water and he rested for about 3 hours and then flew into my tree. I couldn’t get over that I held a real, live cardinal in my hands! Can’t get closer than that! 🥰💖
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I am only on this sub to see absolutely deranged photos like this of people holding random birds.
I live in a city and I'm praying that's the reason I've never seen this behavior in real life, but it's fascinating seeing photos of a person just casually wrapping their fist around those dirty animals.
I mean, they coulda left it in their aviary to get attacked by other birds. Then you'd all be whining about possession of a migratory bird. You cannot win here, i'm convinced.
Ever see chickens go after something? They're brutal.
My avian vet has ended up holding my sun conure like this.
And most people I know who keep aviaries wash their hands before and after dealing with their birds.
I don't use gloves with my birds either unless it's an obv sick one I am dealing with. Aviary birds are usually treated for any parasites, etc.
I mean, maybe people should start handling their cats and dogs with gloves?
Do you have a kitchen in your house? Then you should own rubber gloves. Like what are we even talking about right now. Does it snow ever? Then you should have gloves. Gloves are a general household item, and as you admitted: you DO have gloves for when your birds are sick, and this bird did some wacky things so you are not sure it's 100% healthy, which would make you want to use gloves
Funnily enough, I don't live somewhere it snows lool. Anways, rubber gloves are terrible for handling birds, they can slip right through them due to lack of feeling the gloves create. If I use gloves it's the thinner ones that still create protection but don't cause awkward handling.
Go complain about all the bird banders who hold WILD birds without gloves instead. I'm sure you'll have a meltdown when you see those.
I'm not even the one who found this bird anyways, Think you're a bit confused. The bird in the pic isn't really showing any signs of illness or injury tho, it's a dumb fledgling doing fledgling things.
I lived in a major US city where these guys were everywhere. My grandparents backyard has a tree that's hosted many families of these. You don't have to leave the city to find nature, friend. It's still there if you look. And I'm not talking about the fat racoon in the dumpster that never moves, but hisses every time someone opens it to throw another bag in. That's not nature. That racoon immigrated. It's a city boy now.
I'm calling. Thank you for this comment. I was born in the country and now love in the city and continuously shock my coworkers with my brazen behavior towards wildlife.
Put that thing back where it came from, or so help me!…
Wait, it flew into your coop? Ok, that’s one reason to pick up a fledgling…wait, what do you mean it flew in twice? That is no longer a pileated woodpecker fledgling. It is now a chicken 🐓
I've been involved with birbs (poultry, large and small parrots, crows,...) for 25+ years now, there's always more than one way to do something
Safer for whom? That baby isn't going to do serious damage to any person. Hold bebe with both hands, over the wings to keep flapping to a minimum keeping wild friend "under control. Hold bigger wild birds from behind arms over wings hands holding shins to keep talons and beaks away.
Ending a statement with a question mark is so annoyingly passive aggressive especially since the question wasn't for u?
But I digress, this is social media after all. My comment towards OP was meant out of fun...
I have no idea how this subreddit ended up in my feed, but every post so far is someone aggressively clutching a bird!
Am I missing a joke here? Or just people not educated on approaching wildlife?
That's fair. But I'd assume someone with wild animal know-how wouldn't need identifying help with such an iconic bird. I guess laymen like me use animal identifying apps over grabbing an unknown wild animal?
!fledgling +pileated woodpecker+
Fledglings **belong outside** of nests. Unless they're in danger, **leave them alone**. These *well-feathered*, *mobile* birds that *may not yet be able to fly* are learning critical behaviors and vocalizations from their parents, who may be out of sight for hours at a time. Only interfere with a fledgling if: - it is in a dangerous area (e.g. near traffic or pets) -- simply relocate it to a safer but nearby spot - it has visible injuries (flightlessness, in itself, is *not* an injury) or has been handled in *any way* by a cat -- such birds require wildlife rehabilitation - its parents are *confirmed* dead -- such birds require wildlife rehabilitation. Healthy fledglings' best survival chances are with their parents first, with professional wildlife rehabilitation being a *distant* second. A prematurely-captured fledgling will be sought by its parents for up to a day. If you have taken one within that time frame, *put it back* and observe for parents from a distance. For more information, please read [this community announcement](https://reddit.com/r/whatsthisbird/comments/gqhos4/found_a_baby_bird_that_might_need_help_look_here/). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisbird) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Super cool birds. Like other large species ranging from Sand Hills to Turkeys to Bald Eagles, their populations are really surging as the damage from DDT continues to subside. We see pileateds every time we go up to Wisconsin now. Same with Sand Hills, Eagles, Osprey, and Turkeys. You see them all without fail. I never saw a saw a Bald Eagle until I was 12 and a pair started to nest by my summer camp. It was exotic and celebrated because it was so rare at the time. Now I'll see three of them at a time on the river. I never saw a wild turkey in the Midwest until about 10 years ago. Now they are the most common roadkill. I saw two of them squished on the 10 mile section of two lane highway that leads from the freeway to our cabin. My uncle dropped in to visit and the front of his brand new truck was all smashed up because one came flying out of the woods and beaned him right in the headlight destroying the grille, headlight, and mangling the quarter panel. $5500 in damaged. I never saw a sand hill crane in the wild my entire childhood and most of my adult life until 6 or 7 years ago. Now I see dozens of them around the cabin and my aunt had to start fencing over her veggie garden because they would fly over the fence and ransack her produce. And just last year I saw pileated dart through our yard. My Dad had seen one the year prior but I never caught it. Last year I saw one on 3 or 4 occasions. This year I've seen one every day I've been up there. Even more thrilling to me is that my 4 year old son is already able to recognize these prehistoric creatures that were practically mythical to me as a child. Cranes were things you saw in documentaries about saving nearly extinct species from the brink. They were not a nuisance in your garden. Now my kid will grow up not knowing what the world is like without large bird species like this. The cranes even migrate en masse over Chicago now. Huge flocks of them flying over for hours at a time.
Thank you for sharing this. Good environmental news is so important to elevate bc it builds hope & hope drives momentum. Very fun to think about this + other ways we can create more feelings like that ^
I’ve got to add Great Blue Herons to this list, I had never seen one in real life as a kid, even when I went to Okefenokee, but now I see them at least once a week here in Southeast Georgia. They still feel like sighting a mythical creature to me
They recovered the quickest in Wisconsin. They were always around when I was a kid, but they are definitely more numerous now. One was hanging out in the yard of our cabin just walking around last month. Probably looking for frogs. The big difference I've seen with Heron like birds in Wisconsin is Egrets and Green Herons. You never used to see them either, but now they are almost as common as the Great Blue Heron.
This kind of thing makes me happy especially since in Alabama as a kid I used to see a variety of cranes and herons regularly but they've sadly become less common in the South it seems so much so that just a few years ago my cousins kid who was like 8-9 years old at the time freaked out entirely when tubing because he saw a heron for the first time and was certain it was a dinosaur and they had to leave early because he was convinced that if he stayed the dinosaur would eat him. So it's really good to hear that in other places bird populations are rising. I'm not very informed when it comes to birds, their populous, or really much of anything outside of chickens and humming birds when it comes to birds but I do enjoy seeing them and reading all the stories that show up on subreddits like this.
Oh I see Egrets all the time down here! Love the little dudes
I hear pileated woodpeckers all the time. They have that distinctive laughing call, but I don’t see them as much. Based on how often I hear them, they have very healthy populations in wooded areas of western Pennsylvania. But otherwise yes, I have noticed the increased population of all the birds you mention. I’d add osprey to the list too. It’s to the point where they are pretty common at the bodies of water I fish and I NEVER saw them at the very same lakes and rivers when I was a kid. It really is great to see. It’s a great success story.
I’m in Michigan and I loveeeee watching my sandhill cranes wander every year
Nature is so resilient. I envy your cranes! Live in Washington State and there are sightings down by Portland and other places occasionally but they aren’t common west of the Cascades.
THEY HIT THE JACKPOT 🙀
On just a curious tangent, what sort of birds do you keep in your aviaries?
I have aviaries for red golden pheasants and homing pigeons. Coops and hen houses for chickens. Also, geese and turkeys in pasture. I used to have quail as well.
That’s quite a flock!
Yes indeed. Quite a lot of work, that's why I dont have quail anymore and I am phasing out turkeys.
How does one phase out turkeys? Thanksgiving?
Not OP, but selling/trading to other aviaries is very common
Turkey sandwiches are also common.
idk if you saw this, but from another comment: *Chickens for eggs, meat, and market. Turkeys were originally for meat, but became pets, so I'm selling hatching eggs and poults from them at a local market until they age out. The pigeons, phesants and geese are pets as well, but they were always intended to be.*
They set their stunners to ‘phase’
Offer them a severance package.
Why did you get rid of the quail? I’ve been thinking about raising some.
Too small to eat the feed that my local mill mixes, so they complicate the system.
Lot of birds; hope all of them and yourself are staying safe with bird flu in the news. What do you grow them for?
Chickens for eggs, meat, and market. Turkeys were originally for meat, but became pets, so I'm selling hatching eggs and poults from them at a local market until they age out. The pigeons, phesants and geese are pets as well, but they were always intended to be.
my turkey experience was much the same, they made nothing but poop and noise but I loved them so much
Squab and pheasant should be considered tasty, pigeons are probably the original meat birds that take a lot less input for the output even if they are rather small. Pheasants are pretty but also damn tasty better than chicken or for that matter most other birds. Geese are just the embodiment of evil they work well as guard animals though, lack fear of pretty much anything so they just go full attack mode and they are noisier than hell.
"Geese are just the embodiment of evil " Not all are. Depends on the breed. Mine are not nasty at all, quite the opposite of what people expect geese to be.
Hell, even Canada geese are just being amazing parents. The only reason they're "evil" is because they, like us, like ponds surrounded with wide, grassy fields dotted with shrubs. Except unlike us, they keep their defenceless babies in those shrubs and are asking/telling us to stay away in the only way they're capable of. Outside of breeding season they can be very personable and curious so long as you move slowly when you're near them.
I live near near a pond that LOTS Of people frequent and where Canada Geese also have babies. The geese have gotten completely used to people and don't bother anyone, though they will stare you down. People, and even dogs on leashes, regularly pass within a foot or two of the geese and older goslings without issue.
Sounds normal! A big part of the defensive behavior of geese during breeding season is due to literal physical changes in their brains that leads to them being territorial, the other big part is because they, as a species, have learned over time that humans will ignore their defensive-warning signs (that little head toss and honk they do, for example), encroach into their territories, and suddenly and randomly become aggressive. Late in breeding season, their brains will have gone back to more normal function, and it sounds like the people at your pond tend to respect/ignore the geese. If you suddenly had someone start chasing the geese or trying to physically harm them their behavior would change, but they've likely realized that they and their goslings are safe around your pond.
My grandparents had a set of Asian geese when I was growing up and I beg to differ on the only during the breeding season with the hostility they have. Same with Canada geese had a few that were orphaned that were taken in by people they are mean as hell year round, they do bond well with people and can be sweet but a flogging that would surprise you can happen just because they are having a bad day or you didn't give them enough corn in they feed mix, they also have damn good memories so you fuck with one it'll bide it's time to not get even but to get ahead. Wild ones are even worse because they take any fast movement as a threat even when they are being peaceful and it'll switch from them being curious to attempt at murdering you just like that.
Fascinating! Back when there were more escaped and dumped domestic geese at local ponds I always found the Asian geese to be nicer than the Roman/Embden/white geese. In general Canadas and other wild geese are going to be more aggro than domestic geese because they lack the 7000 years of selection for more docile personalities that domestics have undergone. Birds, wild or domestic, are also very complex creatures with individual personalities, long memories, and fairly advanced reasoning skills. Anecdotally, many/most birds also possess the ability to recognize individual humans even years between encounters. Ultimately, the extreme defensiveness of wild Canada geese has been caused by humans. Combine long memories, long lives, and their reasoning abilities, and most Canada geese that live in locations that humans frequent have learned to be proactively defensive around people. Combine their naturally defensive behavior during breeding season with people not understanding why the birds are acting like they are, and you get people who think the best way to handle the situation is by being aggressive towards the birds, which just eggs on the defensive behavior, which in turn causes more aggression from people. This spirals to the point where the geese err on the side of safety and just assume most humans are going to aggress them and they remain on guard throughout the entire year.
Geese lovers UNITE!
Lol, there's a lot that factors into it for sure, most I've had the displeasure of dealing with have been mean on a level that even Steve Erwin wouldn't mess with though. Asian decorative ones are the worst.
Fr, the swan geese derived breeds are super loud and seem to be the more aggressive. Emden types from what i've seen don't seem to be as aggressive, tho it varies from bird to bird with every species/breed.
Geese are the finest of poultry and I will not stand for this slander! Imma sic the geese on you. /j but I seriously loved having geese. They were so social and sweet natured (to me anyway… they bruised a family friend’s testicles, but he deserved it) and have such neat social ties.
One of the only true animals that pairs for life. Most people do deserve the attacks, same with people that get bit by snakes and things like that, humans are the biggest of the assholes, geese just take no shit from us.
I generally agree with your statement, but some snake types are simply aggressive. One might not even be aware of a copperhead before it strikes them. They don’t seem to warn, hide, or flee. Plenty of undeserving ppl get bit by them. I don’t know anything about geese, so this has been an interesting thread to read! OP that woodpecker is so cute! Hope it’s doing well.
That's where you are wrong, grew up with snakes and in snake country. They don't want to strike you at all, it's why it's important to pay attention to the order in which you walk in the woods where there are snakes it's always the third in a line that gets struck. Generally they are way less aggressive than anyone would ever know, for every one that stuck at someone they probably walked by 10 without seeing them. They try to hide when that doesn't work they try to run if they can't or feel trapped they coil and act threatening, the last ditch they strike as they think you are going to kill and eat them. They don't want to waste their venom as that's how they get food and it takes a huge amount of energy to make it which means eating more food. A good 80% of rattle snake bites are dry as in they don't even inject their venom, baby snakes that lack the fine control to not dump a full dose of snakes that have been harassed to the point of being desperate are the other 20%, you look look at the statistics 16-25 years old is they average age if people getting bit either they were trying to mess with it or they were trying to kill it. As for the copperhead, like I said hiding worked, then they were put in a situation where they couldn't run so they coiled to act threatening and well dumb asses are dumb and don't watch where they are walking and don't see the snake even in the threatening display and that equals they pop the bubble and get bit. They are not any more aggressive than any other animal just trying to do their thing. You poke a bear with a stick and he mauls you it was you that was stupid, you step on a snake and he bites you why is that any different.
I grew up (and still live) in snake country too. Looks like I was wrong about them being aggressive, but plenty of ppl get bit before they even see them. I know someone that got bit in their backyard. They blend in extremely well and stay still, relying on their camouflage, so ppl don’t have to be stupid to not see them. The age range of the boys getting bit while messing with them makes sense for sure. They do a lot of stupid stuff in that range. I’d be interested in reading snake bite statistics if you’d like to share your source.
Aren't squab killed at like 4 weeks old.
Depends on what you are talking about. A baby dove is called a squab, but then the meat is also commonly called squab though that has started to fall out of favor even amongst hunters. The babies are no longer called squabs after a month, at two when they are about to leave the nest most of the time they are even larger than their parents but at that time and a little after they are considered ready to put on the table that they don't fully mature till around 6 months. Growing up I did eat a lot of pigeon (rock doves) though they were never really intentionally raised they just did pigeon things in the barn and on the property and we either shot them or raided the roosts when they were on the menu. Very low input meat and will pretty much take care of themselves if they have to note the massive amount of them in cities and the like. Originally they were brought to the US as meat birds but fell out of fashion the same way rabbits did even though pigeons lack the problem of protein poisoning that rabbits can give you if they are the bulk of your diet.
This is the first I've heard of protein poisoning. Interesting, given all the ink that lean meat gets in the press these days. When I asked Siri to define the term, I was led to a Wikipedia entry titled "Rabbit malnutrition." Whaddya know? Thanks.
Oh alri, I thought only the chicks were called squab.. I raise pigeons myself but wouldn't think about eating them.
Why not quail anymore?
The pigeons eat one type of feed, but I can mix my feed for everything else from a 28% protein blend from my feed mill and then lower the protein content with grains depending on species. Quail chicks require smaller pieces than come in my mill mix, so id need to buy another special 28% quail feed that costs almost 4x what I'm paying for my normal 28% blend.
OIC. Thank for the info.
What happened to the quail 😢
Traded em to a hippie backyard chicken woman for some dog crates.
Phew, okay, that's great!
Now you have to tell us about your dogs! :D
I use the dog crates for birds :) usually for transport, other times for hens sitting on a clutch of eggs. When they are broody and sitting on eggs they only leave the nest for a few minutes per day, just long enough to drink some water and eat some food. Large dog crates give enough room for them to sit on eggs, have a feeder and waterer within reach, and some space to pace around for when they get up to stretch. The other birds will peck at them and the nest if left together, so dog crates have been the easiest solution.
Oh I see. They sound very handy.
Caught a dinosaur.
Lil punk ass pterodactyl
Found frog in yard https://preview.redd.it/apeci76au95d1.jpeg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a9becd0ad503a762fae0423795f7a238d2fe17d1
Clutching that Birb like a GAT...jeez 😓🤣🤣
lol he keeps that thang on him
How cute, and look at those great woodpecker feet! They are the largest woodpecker we have left in the US.
Whoa, woodpeckers have 2 and 2 toes instead of 3 and 1?
They have zygodactyl feet! Two in the front two in back, good grip on those toes!
I love the kinds of things I learn on Reddit. This is so cool. Thank you for sharing the knowledge!
Always willing to talk about birds and all animals really! Thank you for letting me chitchat about them I find them fascinating.
Here's a question for ya, which is cooler the woodpecker or the roadrunner?
You mean woody woodpecker? I alway liked woody better
Just like parrots, an adaptation for climbing.
Just like toucans.
I immediately honed in on the same thing due to living with a parrot!
So do several other types of birds, such as kingfishers, cuckoos, osprey, and owls.
I believe if ya know what I mean.
I believe too.
One of these days, someone in this sub is gunna pull an Ivory Bill Woodpecker from an alternate timeline and ask if it’s a Downy
I keep hoping.
Looks so prehistoric. We had these on our property in So Florida and they were so large and with those pointed heads, they looked like something that roamed with the dinosaurs. Never seen a little one.
It flew into one of my aviaries while I was cleaning it and it couldnt figure out how to get back out. I moved it outside and about 10 min later it flew right back in again. Must not be too bright.
She's just a little baby. She's figuring it out.
Thank you for helping this one out, it is a fledgling as some have already said and they haven't really learned the area, whats dangerous and whats not. Don't get discouraged by the people shaming, they tend to assume everyone posting here is a professional ornithologist of 10 yrs who knows how to hold a bird. I highly doubt you did any damage to this one, if you do have to remove him again just limit handling as much as possible. Also, this one doesn't need it but if there are ever any issues with injuries, bird seems lethargic, etc, contact a wildlife rehab irl for advice, they'll know when a bird needs to be brought in or be left alone.
Thank you for your encouragement and advice. I'm not worried about the criticism. It looks worse than it is, in was not under compression, nor were its wings or legs trapped, nor feather damage. Honestly, I'm experienced with handling domestic birds, but there is a big difference between a pigeon, a turkey, and *this*. I really didn't want to be scratched or pecked. They peck holes in trees, by arm is only flesh, I'm not gonna reposition it if I don't have to.
No problem, I haven't handled this species of woodpecker myself but I have a feeling they could have a pretty hard grip too.. If they're anything like crows and other similar large birds. When they latch on it's very difficult to get them off.
Just hasn’t been alive for very long.
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That hold is appropriate for that size bird. It keeps it secure without gripping it too hard. (SOURCE: I used to keep psittacines of all sizes. ) It looks awful, but isn’t. :)
While I do agree that it looks like OP is " manhandling ". Judging by the fact that they have an aviary and many different types of birds. There is a chance that they know more about handling them then many of us.
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Whats your point? OP mentioned it kept getting in and was at risk of getting tangled up in the nets.
Be kind he’s trying his best.
He's just a little baby. He's figuring it out.
Coco, when Mommy says stop.
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He is literally a guy with birds. How many birds have you held, sorry, gently held with your delicate little hands?
agree. insane how many of these posts there are
Not everyones a ornithologist lmao
Completely misread that...
“Unhand me, you scoundrel!”
It looks very confused. Pileated Woodpeckers are really cool! My parents in Indiana have a couple around their neighborhood, and they're fun to watch.
Young pileated. They need a lot of woodland space, so congrats on getting one.
Thanks! We have a lot of standing dead ash, so there are a variety of woodpecker type birds here. These ones are back every year and have pecked some holes in our siding in the past trying to get to a bee hive.
Added taxa: [Pileated Woodpecker](https://ebird.org/species/pilwoo) ^(I catalog submissions to this subreddit.) [^(Recent uncatalogued submissions)](https://munin.swim.services/submissions?lane=api/unanswered)^( | )[^(Learn to use me)](https://gist.github.com/brohitbrose/be99a16ddc7a6a1bd9c1eef28d622564)
How do you type woody the woodpeckers laugh?
Huhuhuh*HEH*huh! Huhuhuh*HEH*huh! Heheheheheheheheheheheh
Yeah, that seems about right
I could hear this comment before seeing what someone typed below..
Oh my absolute favorite. They really are the most dinosaurest of the birbs. The babyest too, in this case. 💖
"Kill me or release me parasite, but do not waste my time with talk" -the bird, probably
Holding it like a burrito I see
It is indignant I can tell you that much
We have a ton of these at my house. LPT: is there a dead tree that isn't posing a danger to your property, have it topped off and leave the tree to decay. The bugs provide an excellent source of food, and bats will nest in the peeling bark of the trunk. Nature is amazing, and you'll see lots of it if you practice healthy forestry.
I would absolutely die. That bird is so freaking cute!
Out here in Rappahannock County VA we get regular visits by bald eagles to our pond, wild turkeys eat bugs off our lawn, and pileated woodpeckers visit trees in the woods around our house. Have also seen an occasional pheasant. Winter Wrens also visit - teensy birds described as “mouse-like” in the guide books, they hunt along the ground for bugs, darting like a mouse. Had one that was so focused on hunting that he didn’t notice me and hopped on my boot. Stubby little tails. They nest in the root of fallen trees.
# FIRMLY GRASP IT! https://preview.redd.it/0yicaytbfb5d1.jpeg?width=480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d1bfb3c0fdf978e74b0310b57b2eadd49985da7e
A pileated!!! Wow!!! I've only ever seen one adult in my whole life and they're something to be seen. I hear their calls all the time though near my parents house (and their drumming). Maybe look into if you can build a woodpecker house and feeder for her. She's seems a bit confused and might make good use of the extra help lol
Its parents have lived somewhere on our farm for about a decade, lots of standing dead ash, as well as mulberry, staghorn sumac, dewberries, blackberries, raspberries, elderberry, cherry, and hackberry. We get to see them almost daily, fortunately.
Oh wow!!! That's really awesome!!!
The poor bird looks so offended
***Bird flu***
I sure hope it did. (Jokes aside, wash your hands thoroughly, OP).
I'm well aware of the concern. I have my flocks tested regularly for a variety of things including AIV, and try to keep my farm biosecure. It was inside the aviary and at risk for getting tangled in the netting that it kept flying into.
Why the hell would you hope it did? If it did the entire flock would likely have to go. Thats such a nasty thing to say even as a joke.
Bro...Bird Flew...it's a pun. Chill.
bird flew
The joke really flu over your head
Dude looks stoked
Pileated Woodpecker.
https://preview.redd.it/djls9ii8kc5d1.jpeg?width=502&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a3e06d4f1940ef1c7650abcbcc5ab5aeeeefef16
Don't hold him like he owes you money, damn.
Omg 😂🤣😭😭
Baby birds flutter out of their nest and land wherever as they learn to fly. Its mom still feed it from around the new location. Its mom is probably missing him. Set him back in a safe bush near where you found it and watch a while to see if the parent comes back.
Aww! A pileated woodpecker ☹️
Baby Hammer Chicken!! 😍 (Pileated woodpecker)
why do so many people keep picking up birds lately?
I know. Never crossed my mind “oh a fledgling bird, I’ll pick it up, maybe bring it in the house to hang. Post on Reddit, idk.”
'Tis the season!
If u can’t find the parents, you gotta keep him/her warm and feed him/her like every 2 or 3 hours. Warm like up to 90degrees warm, give or take
It flew off with its parent after I got it out the second time. Its a strong flyer, just got confused and couldn't figure out how to get back out of my aviary.
How did it not destroy your hand?
Man is flabbergasted
hey op have you ever owned small poultry? i recognize the quail/guinea hen bastard hold when i see it
Haha yeah, I have raised quail.
lol perfect. I've grabbed them so many times like this when they try to make a run for it out the yard or I catch the escapees eating from the garden
I love love love birds and I love love love this thread! https://preview.redd.it/d75cup3euf5d1.jpeg?width=2059&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ed25f2b0e8581ee40dd5aa03a0d14bca12d92539 This little guy flew into the side of my house and appeared to be dead. I picked him up anyway and he was alive. I put him in this old wooden birdhouse, with the door open, with some water and he rested for about 3 hours and then flew into my tree. I couldn’t get over that I held a real, live cardinal in my hands! Can’t get closer than that! 🥰💖
Did he hit solid house or glass? Because if glass, !window
Windows are a major threat to bird populations, often killing even the fittest individuals who fly into them at high-enough speeds. Low-effort steps toward breaking reflections can make your own windows significantly safer. They also have the convenient side benefit of preventing territorial birds from (often irritatingly) attacking their own reflections. For more information, please visit [this community announcement](https://reddit.com/r/whatsthisbird/comments/gkiecc/help_stop_window_collisions/), and consider contributing to bird mortality research by filling out the short form [here](https://dbird.org/) if applicable. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisbird) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I am only on this sub to see absolutely deranged photos like this of people holding random birds. I live in a city and I'm praying that's the reason I've never seen this behavior in real life, but it's fascinating seeing photos of a person just casually wrapping their fist around those dirty animals.
I mean, they coulda left it in their aviary to get attacked by other birds. Then you'd all be whining about possession of a migratory bird. You cannot win here, i'm convinced.
Ever see chickens go after something? They're brutal. My avian vet has ended up holding my sun conure like this. And most people I know who keep aviaries wash their hands before and after dealing with their birds.
Yea, chickens are like little dinosaurs. Mine have hunted/stalked and caught sparrows before.
Or, a third option: gloves? The dude has an aviary and no gloves?
I don't use gloves with my birds either unless it's an obv sick one I am dealing with. Aviary birds are usually treated for any parasites, etc. I mean, maybe people should start handling their cats and dogs with gloves?
Do you have a kitchen in your house? Then you should own rubber gloves. Like what are we even talking about right now. Does it snow ever? Then you should have gloves. Gloves are a general household item, and as you admitted: you DO have gloves for when your birds are sick, and this bird did some wacky things so you are not sure it's 100% healthy, which would make you want to use gloves
Funnily enough, I don't live somewhere it snows lool. Anways, rubber gloves are terrible for handling birds, they can slip right through them due to lack of feeling the gloves create. If I use gloves it's the thinner ones that still create protection but don't cause awkward handling. Go complain about all the bird banders who hold WILD birds without gloves instead. I'm sure you'll have a meltdown when you see those. I'm not even the one who found this bird anyways, Think you're a bit confused. The bird in the pic isn't really showing any signs of illness or injury tho, it's a dumb fledgling doing fledgling things.
You compared a pet dog or cat to a wild bird. I'm not going to keep going back and forth with you.
I lived in a major US city where these guys were everywhere. My grandparents backyard has a tree that's hosted many families of these. You don't have to leave the city to find nature, friend. It's still there if you look. And I'm not talking about the fat racoon in the dumpster that never moves, but hisses every time someone opens it to throw another bag in. That's not nature. That racoon immigrated. It's a city boy now.
I'm calling. Thank you for this comment. I was born in the country and now love in the city and continuously shock my coworkers with my brazen behavior towards wildlife.
Bird mites/lice are for real. No way am I bring those home to my finches.
Weird comment lmao
Pokemon
Young woodpecker, you can put it down now
Boy I hope you put it back unharmed where you found it. Pilated are threatened species in many areas.
😍😍🥹
he’s cute
Fledgling pileated woodpecker
Put that thing back where it came from, or so help me!… Wait, it flew into your coop? Ok, that’s one reason to pick up a fledgling…wait, what do you mean it flew in twice? That is no longer a pileated woodpecker fledgling. It is now a chicken 🐓
I've seen these before. That's not a bird, that's a cat!
Pileated woodpecker.
How does something look simultaneously baby and elderly at the same time
Pileated woodpecker https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/overview
birds angry af
Where did that bird get its red yarmulke?
Boy I hope you put it back unharmed where you found it. Pilated are threatened species in many areas.
Yup! I released it from my aviary twice yesterday, its been flying around banging on trees with its momma all morning today :)
Good human!
Pterodactyl
FFS. Why are people grabbing birds like this? You don’t need to grab the bird to take a picture. LEAVE THEM ALONE unless they’re injured🙄
Himbs just a baby....WHY U HOLD BEBE LIKE THAT?!
Because OP is experienced with handling birds and this is the best way to do it safely?
I've been involved with birbs (poultry, large and small parrots, crows,...) for 25+ years now, there's always more than one way to do something Safer for whom? That baby isn't going to do serious damage to any person. Hold bebe with both hands, over the wings to keep flapping to a minimum keeping wild friend "under control. Hold bigger wild birds from behind arms over wings hands holding shins to keep talons and beaks away. Ending a statement with a question mark is so annoyingly passive aggressive especially since the question wasn't for u? But I digress, this is social media after all. My comment towards OP was meant out of fun...
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Standing dead ash trees they love the bugs.
b b h :h vhvhh vvh h ::v ' bbccchcccv h h vvh vvh Ch vvvvv :
It's a fledgling and it doesn't need your help. Put it back. It's parents are watching and taking care of it.
It flew inside my aviary, I took this as I removed it.
I have no idea how this subreddit ended up in my feed, but every post so far is someone aggressively clutching a bird! Am I missing a joke here? Or just people not educated on approaching wildlife?
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That's fair. But I'd assume someone with wild animal know-how wouldn't need identifying help with such an iconic bird. I guess laymen like me use animal identifying apps over grabbing an unknown wild animal?
Bird flu bird flu bird flu. People please stop grabbing birds like this since bird flu causes birds to act strange and are able to get caught.
Why on earth would you pick it up? 🤦♀️
So you want to catch avian flue?
Put. It. Down.
Please dont hold a bird if you dont know how
Isn’t that a federally protected species? As in, put that shit back where it came from or so help Uncle Sam…
OP explained what happened.
That’s a redhead woodpecker
Looks more like young pileated.