this post was submitted on 19 Jun 2024
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Update: The consensus seems from Lemmy and my friends seems to be European Starling. Thank you so much everyone. I was concerned on what kind of diet this fella should be fed, looks like I have somewhere to start now.

Having issues contacting the wildlife shelter at the moment

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[–] BonesOfTheMoon 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Starling! Our neighbors raised an abandoned fledgling and he decided the world was his best friend, and made him take us on car rides every day, as well as going for walks with the dog and sitting on my head. They're very personable and have unique personalities.

[–] MataVatnik 2 points 6 days ago

That's adorable!

[–] rustyfish 53 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Reverse image search gives me a Spotless starling.

But if it is a new species I call dibs on naming it: Grumpy featherfluffle.

[–] MataVatnik 25 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That's a European bird, we're in the northeastern US. But we can name them Grumpy Featherfluffle anyways 😄

[–] [email protected] 54 points 1 week ago (3 children)

European Starlings were introduced in the US about 100 years ago by a misguided fool in Manhattan. They are invasive, but absolutely everywhere around the US at this point and that's definitely a European Starling fledgling.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 week ago

by a misguided fool

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_starling

As part of a nationwide effort, about 60 common starlings were released in 1890 into New York's Central Park by Eugene Schieffelin, president of the American Acclimatization Society. It has been widely reported that he had tried to introduce every bird species mentioned in the works of William Shakespeare into North America, but this claim has been traced to an essay in 1948 by naturalist Edwin Way Teale, whose notes appear to indicate that it was speculation.

Yeah, that seems somewhat misguided.

[–] ZagamTheVile 12 points 1 week ago (3 children)
[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

They're perfectly nice birds unless you're a farmer, leave out trash, or conveniently have an open dryer vent for them to loudly nest in like I do.

For those that don't know, they're a common nuisance bird because they nest in enclosed cavities like tree trucks or the siding of your house or any open vents. If you're from the US (At least the Midwest or East Coast, not sure about the western states) and have seen very large flocks of small black birds dancing in the air like schooling fish, behavior called murmations, those are Starlings.

[–] Aceticon 4 points 1 week ago

I have this wonderful memory back when I lived in the The Netherlands and worked near Amsterdam of people outside in an open shopping area, sitting down on a table and eating patates (big chunky chips) and a starling on the ground looking at them and seemingly giving them a long speech.

I always imagine it was some "poor me" speech on how he had 8 starving young ones at home and would they thrown a patate his way.

For some reason in that place starlings were much comfortable around humans thanwhat I've seen elsewhere, and like sparrows would be going around on the ground looking for scraps.

[–] MataVatnik 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Now that you mention that I can probably guess where the nest was in our building. I hear birds chirping in our warehouse all the time.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago

They're pretty loud in general so you would probably know, but they don't tend be like to hang about indoors. Might just be house sparrows if you're hearing them on the warehouse floor.

You should download the Merlin ornithology app. It's built by the Cornell ornithology lab and has picture and sound ID features for birds as well as just a lot of generally useful identification information.

[–] JoeKrogan 12 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

You have to give them coffee first thing in the morning or they stay grumpy all day

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago
[–] seaQueue 6 points 1 week ago

TIL I'm also grumpy flufflefeathers

[–] SzethFriendOfNimi 6 points 1 week ago

And fluffle their feathers when they’re jonesing for caffeine.

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[–] batmaniam 4 points 1 week ago

Little bastards are why I now know you need to hide your grass seed beneathe staw. Lazy little fucks.

[–] HappycamperNZ 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Na, that's fantail (nz bird). Grumpy little fuckers - they even yell at you and get somehow are also really social with people.

[–] WhatYouNeed 2 points 1 week ago

Fantails buzz around you because of the small insects that get disturbed by a person's presence. Basically they are enjoying an easy lunch when you walk through the Bush.

[–] Brkdncr 21 points 1 week ago
[–] konalt 17 points 1 week ago (2 children)

That's a baby starling! They do exist in North America.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Aren't they an invasive species?

[–] doingthestuff 5 points 1 week ago

Yes they're terrible

[–] MataVatnik 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Walking around the building I saw a bird that looked a lot like a starling.

[–] SirSamuel 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That could be Mama. Nests are not the safest place for fledglings, so mom or dad will push them out of the nest, but they are not abandoned. (Predators can find a nest easier than an able-bodied fledgling).

I once rescued a baby chickadee from a neighborhood cat that was stalking it. The parents were going nuts in the tree above, so i set the little bugger in a yew bush and took the cat away and gave it treats. Everyone was happy that day

[–] MataVatnik 7 points 1 week ago

Yes, I did the same with an american robin chick when an entire nest fell off. Mom and dad were still there. I put the nest back up with the chick and the parents continued to look after them.

As for this fella here my boss was the one that took them in. I wanted to tell him to leave it back where it was, that mom and dad will probably look after them. But I didn't push it.

[–] AnalogyAddict 12 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Just so you know, these guys are invasive and do their best to kill native species of birds.

[–] MataVatnik 7 points 1 week ago

Its the cutest little genocidal colonizer 🥰

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago

I believe it's a starling of some kind also.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago

Fun fact: In Washington State, not only are you allowed to kill European starlings, people are ENCOURAGED to kill them and destroy nests.

Terribly invasive species.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I'm so disappointed in this crowd, came in expecting some smart-ass comments, like "Angry Birb"

[–] ThePantser 15 points 1 week ago

That is Surveillance Drone 73739176553899167474B

[–] HappycamperNZ 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

As per another poster - grumpy featherfluffle

[–] MataVatnik 3 points 1 week ago

All hail Grumpy Featherfluffle 🙌

[–] MataVatnik 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

We're in southwestern Pennsylvania

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Me too. Yea it looks like a European Starling. The juveniles are brown and adults are black with speckles. We get tons of them this time of year. They are very loud and bully the smaller birds. If he can't fly yet, you can try and put him back in his nest.

[–] MataVatnik 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Looks like my boss took it as his baby so it will be up to him, at least I can give him a proper diet to follow which was the main reason I was trying to identify the chick.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)
[–] MataVatnik 1 points 1 week ago

Considering my occupation it would only make sense for the drones to be minding our work

[–] Xaphanos 5 points 1 week ago

I did this myself a few years ago. Put a planter full of coir in the closest bush I found it near. Fed twice a day on mealworms. Disappeared after 3 weeks. Mine was either a starling or a grackle.

[–] QuadratureSurfer 5 points 1 week ago

I agree with others on here. Looks like a European Starling.

Here's a similar looking one that was identified in North America:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/223616886

I would recommend a tool like iNaturalist for trying to identify birds (and plants, insects, other animals, droppings, tracks, etc).

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] Skanky 4 points 1 week ago

African or European?

[–] Roflmasterbigpimp 5 points 1 week ago

He is sooooooooo cute :3

[–] thesporkeffect 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

~~I believe that is a young Robin~~

Never mind, looks like fledgling robins usually have some red coloration

[–] MataVatnik 5 points 1 week ago

Also too big I think

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Looks like a starling. Probably European

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

what's it's laden air speed velocity?

[–] Bytemeister 3 points 1 week ago

Important question : What geographical area are you in? Location matters for identifying the species and what you should do with it.

Now for some actual info.

Do not pickup wild birds, even fledglings or babies. Bird flu is running rampant right now, birds can have very nasty parasites on and in them. If you find a "naked" baby bird, it was probably ejected from the nest, this is natural. It is either sibling competition, or the parents downsizing because they can't care for it. If it is feathered, then it is probably a fledgling that has left the nest normally and is learning to fly. You are not helping it by bringing inside. If the bird is in a dangerous place, like a road, use a stick, or cloth to move it to a safer location.

Based on my area (Midwest US), this looks like a European starling. They are invasive in the US. A wildlife center is not going to take it (except maybe as hawk food).

[–] ace_garp 3 points 1 week ago

Is it making any peeps or calls?

If so, you can ID birds by their calls with the whoBIRD app (GPLv3)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago