Poor Little Lucky

 

 

 

This is a photo of a beautiful healthy baby bird taken earlier this spring, but the post is about a poor tiny grackle that had fallen out a nest high up in the large blue spruce in my front yard last evening...and was accidentally run over by my boyfriend with the riding lawn mower. It's wing was bleeding, as was it's head above it's little beak. We put it in the shade until dark, but we were unable to give it water or food because it seemed to be in shock. It wouldn't open it's mouth or even cheep, though it could move a little and clung to your hand when you picked it up. It watched you, but didn't call out for food, or it's mother. I was afraid it might be suffering from a concussion as well, and wondered if it would make it through the night. My boyfriend felt terrible. At dark we placed it into a shoe box filled with strips of newspaper, which it instantly burrowed down into. We put the cover back on the box after making air holes in it, hoping it would keep it warm and protect it from the many neighborhood cats.

This morning, when the box was opened, it awakened the baby and it immediately opened it's mouth for food. It not only lived through the night, but seemed much better. My boyfriend named it Lucky. We let it be for a time, hoping that it would chirp and attract it's mother's attention. Twenty minutes later as we watched through the window, an adult Grackle landed on the bough above it, and then flew down to perch on the edge of the box to feed the fallen & injured nestling. Soon both parents were caring for the remaining birds in the nest along with the lone one in the box at the base of the tree. They continued their vigil all day, and the hurt bird became much more alert and vocal as the day went on. It began moving it's injured wing and holding it's head up better. Once darkness fell again we covered the box for the night.

It looks like it might be able to join it's siblings as they become strong enough to leave the nest. And hopefully accompany the others in their food foraging and flying lessons on, and near, the ground, until they can all make it on their own and eventually take flight with the rest of the flock this fall. Lets pray poor little Lucky continues to live up to it's name...