FAQ Categories
General Wildlife and Nature FAQs
Will parents reject a baby bird, which has been handled by humans?
No, they won’t. Most birds have little or no sense of smell, but do keep contact to a minimum. It is often easier to pick a bird up by gently covering it with a cloth first.
What is PMV?
PMV is a very contagious viral infection and notifiable disease caused by the pigeon paramyxovirus affecting racing pigeons, but also feral and rarely wood pigeons. The disease is spread by direct contact between pigeons, food, water and excretions as well as via other disease carriers like pigeon fanciers. Infected pigeons show nervous sings, including trembling wings and heads, twisting of the neck, partial paralysis of wings and legs, unusually wet and liquid faeces, quietness, loss of appetite and reluctance to move.
I have found an oiled bird. What shall I do?
Do the same as recommended for any other injured bird. Don’t wash or clean the bird as the animal will need to be treated for poisoning and has to be stabilised first. Washing or cleaning a bird is very stressful and the oiled plumage is the least of the problems the bird is suffering in that very moment. Please be careful, if you attempt to catch an injured seabird or heron, as they have very sharp beaks and flexible necks. Keep them away from your face and eyes. The oiled bird should not be transported in an enclosed container, but in a well ventilated carrier, as the fumes of the oil will cause severe irreversible damage to the respiratory system.
I have found an injured animal on the road. What shall I do?
First of all stop, go back and assess the situation. But always make sure you are safe. Only then try to get the animal out of the danger zone and move him or her to a safer place. You may have to improvise by using a jumper or a coat. If you are able to, bring the animal to the nearest wildlife rescue or veterinary surgery. If you can’t do that, or it is not safe, then ring immediately an experienced wildlife rescue and stay with the animal until help arrives. Injured animals will try to hide, making it almost impossible to find them, in particular during night time. There is often one chance only to help and to rescue the injured animal.
Also, please don’t take the animal home and put him or her somewhere overnight to see whether the animal is still alive the next morning. Just think how you would want to be treated, if you would be poorly. The chances of survival are decreasing by the minute. Don’t forget that all animals feel pain like you do! If the animal is very badly injured, then again, don’t wait and let the animal suffer, but contact an experienced wildlife rescue or veterinary surgery immediately, as euthanasia might be the kindest option in these hopeless situations. Last but not least, be alert and drive safely – give children, pets and wildlife a ‘brake’!
I have found a trapped bird. What shall I do?
It is very important that you contact a local wildlife rescue or rehabber straight away and that you stay at the scene until they arrive. Please do not attempt to free the trapped bird yourself as many birds tangled or trapped in netting can be dehydrated, suffering from ligature wounds or are very stressed needing specialist treatment before they can be released. However, if the bird is trapped beyond reach, it is best to inform the RSPCA / SSPCA, as the Fire and Rescue Services will only attend when called out by the RSPCA / SSPCA.
Birds trapped underneath the netting however are the responsibility of the land owner, who should be informed. This happens often due to poor maintenance of netting on buildings, where the birds can get in but struggle to get back out again. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 the landowner should provide trapped birds with food and water until they can arrange for the bird to be freed. Once the trapped bird has been released the landowner should then repair their netting to ensure that this does not happen again.
I have found a racing pigeon. What shall I do?
Racing pigeons are classed as pets and therefore they have got an owner. The ring number can be used to get in touch with the Racing Pigeon Association and the owner respectively. You can contact the Royal Pigeon Racing Association (RPRA) as they have a dedicated team to help reunite lost pigeons with their owners. They can be contacted by telephone on 01452 713529 or via their website. Theoretically, Racing Pigeon Associations have rules and guidelines that make it clear that it is the racing pigeons owner‟s responsibility to ensure their pigeon is returned to them. The pigeon owner will be advised by the RPRA to arrange the collection of the pigeon within 48 hours or two working days. If the owner fails to do so, the RPRA will arrange collection. In both cases the pigeon owner has to pay for the necessary costs involved. However, in practice, this does not happen very often. It is more likely that the owner will suggest to kill the bird concerned or to let the poorly animal go again. If racing pigeons are found by a pest controller, the owner can advise the pest controller to kill the bird humanely. There is also always the inherent risk that the bird will be killed anyway when arriving back home, simply because a racing pigeon, who came off course or is not fast enough, is not regarded as worth keeping or breeding.
Pigeon racing is a cruel ‘pseudo sport’ often leading to the death of animals involved. Mated pairs are commonly separated or parents taken away from their babies to make them fly back home even faster. Pigeon racing is a business with the aim to breed the fasted racing pigeon and has nothing to do with sport or compassion for animals. Racing pigeons are raised as pets and have never learned to find food or water in the wild. The RPRA suggests to feed exhausted pigeons for a maximum of two days, as they will otherwise decide to stay. This practice is cruel, as many racing pigeons are so much exhausted that they have problems to digest food and are also easy prey for predators. This practice could be regarded as a breech of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which also describes the release of animals being unfit for survival as an offence. If you find an exhausted, poorly or injured racing pigeon, then make sure that the bird rescue or rehabber you want to bring the bird to is pigeon friendly.
How can I make sure that a bird eats enough?
The weight of a bird is not necessarily the best or at least sole indicator to be used, when it comes to a proper health assessment. If you have got only a few resident or tame birds, or birds who are used to be handled, then you can certainly weigh them, or train them to weigh themselves. If you have got more birds to care for, or wild birds to be released at some point, then it is not practical and also not advisable to weigh them too often. Trying to catch birds in an aviary environment can cause more damage than good, unless there is concern that something is wrong. Even if we do catch a bird, we do not always weigh her or him. However, we always check the keel bone and breast muscles, which is the better indicator for nutritional condition and sufficient physical exercise, and is not dependent on how small or big a bird is, as there is quite often a considerable interspecies variation. However, hospitalised or nestling birds will be weight regularly to monitor sufficient weight gain, development and treatment response.
It is useful to observe birds regularly and closely, ideally without being noticed. One should monitor how the birds behave, how alert they are, how they interact, fly, socialise and preen. From the distance one can check the plumage condition, how the eyes look like and how birds eat. One should also check droppings and pellets, which will indicate if a bird eats enough. Droppings can also be easily analysed for parasites like worms or coccidia eggs. It is also worth noting that food consumption can vary quite considerably, and may depend on the time of the year, weather, moulting, enrichment, mood and other factors.
What is the difference between hard and soft release?
A hard release is a release in which an animal is simply allowed to exit a transport container or is let go from the hand with no further care or feed provision. It is most appropriate for animals which have been held in captivity for only a short time, for adult animals, for some selected species and for animals being released back into their own territory.
Soft release involves continuing care for animals at the release site, particularly back-up feeding and requires a greater commitment of time and effort than does hard release. Soft release is particularly important for hand reared animals, particularly of species which need to learn about their surroundings and need to learn survival skills such as hunting. This method also allows previously hand reared birds to become fully independent, as no animal should be released when still too trusting towards humans or domestic animals. It is also appropriate for adults, which have been maintained in captivity for prolonged periods or are being released at a site distant from their original location, as the original location might not be suitable.
The most important aspects of songbird rehabilitation is the provision of a natural diet, environment and associations that closely duplicate what songbirds would be exposed to in the wild. This can be achieved by building and using dedicated soft release aviaries. Raising young birds outside needs to be done for a suitable period of time to expose them to the natural surroundings in the same way they would have been exposed in the wild, but in a safe and controlled manner. This allows them the opportunity to develop their abilities in the same time frame had they fledged in the wild. With so many different species of birds, release aviaries can and should be designed and adapted according to the needs of the species being placed into it.
What is the best time to trim and cut hedges?
It is generally recommended that cutting hedges and trees is avoided between March and August as this is the main breeding season for nesting birds. Hedge trimming is best left until the end of winter to leave the larder of fruits and nuts for wildlife. Best practice guidelines for hedge trimming are agreed by conservation groups and agriculture departments (Codes of Good Farming Practice). It is also an offence under Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 to intentionally take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built. It will be an intentional act, for example, if you or your neighbour know that there is an active nest in the hedge and still cut the hedge, damaging or destroying the nest in the process.
What can I do to keep the bird bath ice free?
If you don’t want to invest into a heated bird bath, then there are a couple of little things one can do, to avoid or delay the water freezing. The success rate depends obviously on the outside temperature. Firstly, one can take the bird bath off the ground and position it in a sheltered but potentially sunny area. Secondly, one could add some natural apple cider vinegar (ACV), which can be given as 0.5% ACV in water or 5ml per litre. One should make sure that a plastic water bath is being used, because ACV is acidic and will corrode galvanised containers. ACV his healthy for the birds and lowers the freezing point a little bit. Thirdly, one could also buy a special type of drinker, which works like a thermos flusk and keeps water longer ice free during the winter, but will also keep water cool during the summer. Also, a floating pingpong ball keeps a bird bath longer ice free too. However, it might take a while for anxious birds to get used to the floating ball. Last but no least, you might just want to go out and break the ice several times a day, or add some lukewarm water.
Does animals transmit diseases?
All living beings are potentially carriers of diseases, humans included. Some chronically ill animals will have a weakened immune system and might suffer of parasites like lice and fleas. Common sense and normal hygiene is usually sufficient to avoid contamination and transmission of diseases to animals and humans.
Could a swan break my bones?
No, he or she can’t, unless you are suffering of brittle bone disease.
Can nests be removed?
As a rule, no. Most birds are fully protected and you must allow the young to leave their nest before taking any action to block entrance holes or to remove nests. A general licence, issued by the Natural England, allows ‘authorised persons’ to kill or take roof nesting feral pigeons in Britain, or house sparrows, starlings and feral pigeons in Northern Ireland, and to destroy their nests. However, this can only be done if it can be shown unequivocally that this action is going to be necessary for the purpose of preserving public health. Birds being perceived to be a nuisance are not affecting public health, and will therefore not be covered by this exception. One should always avoid roofing work if it is known that birds are nesting there. If a nest is being discovered or destroyed by accident during renovation work, ideally the work should be stopped until the birds have fledged in their own time. If this happens and the roof cannot be left until the young have fledged, one could try to make an artificial nest box for starlings or sparrows and monitor thoroughly to ensure that the parents attend undisturbed their parental duties.
Can birds get infected by contact with viruses transmitted by humans?
In human and birds, generally speaking, there are three main reasons bacteria are able to cause an infection:
1. Some bacteria species are just extremely virulent and are able to attack successfully a strong and healthy immune system.
2. Large-dose exposure to opportunistic bacteria is another common cause. Good sanitation does usually prevents this.
3. The most common cause is an infection by opportunistic bacteria due to a reduced immune response. This can happen in times of stress, poor nutrition, or concurrent disease conditions.
When humans get a cold, then this is often caused by a viruses. These viruses do not, itself, readily infect our birds. The avian body temperature is too high for most viruses to do well. This is, in fact, why we get a fever when infected by viruses, it is one of our body’s ways to fight them. However, we do also harbour a number of bacteria found naturally in our mouths, sinuses and eyes, that can infect birds, if given the chance, in particular via the first and second route as outlined above. These bacteria include, but are not limited to, other species of Streptococcus than the one that infects us, that we carry around all the time without getting infected. But these ones can potentially infect birds.
What is the mirror test and why is the test flawed?
The mirror test tries to establish the existence of self-awareness by determining whether an animal can recognize its own reflection in a mirror as an image of itself. The word “sentience” is sometimes used instead of consciousness. Sentience refers to the ability to have for example positive and negative experiences. All sentient beings are conscious beings. Where there is sentience there must also be consciousness. This is because sentience, the ability to feel pleasure and pain, requires consciousness. Self-consciousness, a particular form of consciousness, is a broad term that is used for different forms of awareness regarding oneself and one’s experiences. The concept of the self depends on which meaning of self-consciousness we use. There are several defined ‘levels’, the sense of ownership or awareness, that for example when one moves a part of one’s body, it is one’s body that is being moved, is the one the mirror test is trying to proof.
The principal flaw is that the mirror test is based on an anthropocentric view point. The test is trying to proof something, which might be rather species specific, specific for us humans, something which might not be relevant in the life of another non-human species. Therefore it is likely that the test result is not a correct representation of the degree of intelligence. It is not really appropriate to pit one species against another, as each has evolved different skills or ways of thinking that provide them with an advantage in one test, but a disadvantage in another.
What is actually imprinting?
Imprinting of rescue bird is an often hotly debated topic amongst bird lovers, wildlife rehabilitators and rescuers, where voiced opinions range considerably. One extreme approach to this topic suggests that imprinted birds are principally unreleasable, and that once a bird is imprinted that this situation cannot be reversed. The other extreme opinion considers all imprinted birds as releasable and implies that these birds have similar survival chances in the wild compared to birds who have not been imprinted. However, own experiences and those of fellow rehabbers have shown that, and this should actually not be unexpected, the truth lies neither in the middle nor is it to find in one or the other extreme. To find an answer, it seems worth to explore some basic underlying processes, like imprinting, learning, conditioning and habituation.
What is imprinting and why is it dangerous?
Although it is legal to rescue and raise orphaned wildlife, it is only legal when done with the intention to release the animal back to the wild as soon as he or she is independent, experienced enough and well adapted to have a very good chance of survival in the wild. Having said that, raising a corvid by his or her own will most definitely result in imprinting and is unlikely to achieve that. To learn more about the risk of imprinting and how to avoid them, please follow the link and read the full blog post.
What does the care for temporarily and permanently disabled birds involve?
Caring for temporarily and permanently disabled birds is an important but also challenging aspect of bird rescue and rehabilitation. The specific needs of in particular temporarily disabled birds are often underestimated and sometimes even neglected. However, there is an increased risk of associated injuries affecting in particular birds with fractured wings or legs. Although the time span of this temporary disability or immobilisation seems very much limited, it is often long enough to cause considerable problems like joint stiffness or pressure sores. Naturally, this becomes more of a problem in long-term rehabilitation and for permanently disabled birds. Please follow the links below to read the full blog posts.
Caring For Temporarily And Permanently Disabled Birds
How To Care For Visually Impaired Birds
What is a scissor beak and how can this deformity be treated?
A beak, where top and bottom beaks do not align properly, is called a cross, crooked or scissor beak, This deformity can be caused by genetics, an injury or the inability to maintain the beak’s length and shape by normal honing on rocks or other hard surfaces. It is also thought that an improper hand feeding technique and an unbalanced diet play a role in the development of this beak deformity. Please follow the link to learn more about how to prevent, treat and maintain a scissor beak.
Should I feed milk or bread to a bird?
No. Milk and bread are not suitable for birds, as most of them will be normally fed on soft insects, worms and grubs in their early days. In situations without immediate expert help being available, scrambled egg with a little moist cereal is fine to begin with though. However, it is always better to get the bird as soon as possible to an experienced rescue or rehabber, who will make sure that the bird gets an optimised and balanced diet according to the very specific needs of the species concerned. Please note, birds have to be first warmed up before they can be fed, even if they are starving. Feeding them whilst being cold might kill them. Please follow the link below to read the full blog post.
Domestic cats killing birds is natural, isn’t it?
The predation of wildlife by domestic cats is a complex problem as cats are popular companion animals, but are also acknowledged predators of birds and other animal species.
To find out more about the impact of cats on wildlife, you might find this booklet useful, as it provides a collection of scientific studies, links to websites and other resources, which are by far not complete, and possibly not up to date, as new information is being published every day. However, what it should do is to provide a starting point for your own research and should help to understand the complexity of the situation and its repercussions for prey and predator.
If you would like to download the original iBook or PDF version, then please click the respective link below, which will bring you to our download page, where you can register to download the file for free.
What is the best type of bandage to be used for a wing splint?
Vet wrap or cohesive bandages are commonly used, but can be sometimes difficult to apply. They are quite often removed by the bird as they are relatively stiff and layers are not sticking enough together. Nevertheless, these type of bandages still play an important part in fracture immobilisation of larger birds, or as a second covering layer, which can be replaced when damaged.
The best choice for smaller or delicate birds is Snøgg, which is a ‘high end’ self-adhesive elasticated type of bandage originally being developed for humans. Snøgg is not just self-adhesive, it will mould together into a single unit after being applied, making it almost impossible for the bird to dislodge or to remove it. It will not damage any feathers, and falls literally off the bird when cut apart. It is so versatile and safe that it is recommended to be used in very delicate migrant birds like swifts. It can go directly onto feathers, skin or even a wound, even with ointments underneath. Another plus is that Snøgg is waterproof, so it can be for example used as a shoe splint for a mallard, without falling off after the first bath.
The only disadvantage is that it is not exactly cheap. Our experience made over many years of use shows that the results achieved are superior compared with any other conventional vet wrap, and that is mainly due to the fact that a wing splint or wrap doesn’t need to be applied twice or even more often. This fact minimises fracture displacement, improves fracture healing and reduces the risk of a pseudarthrosis.
Are there humane methods to address the feral pigeon problem?
Pigeons are one of the most intelligent and adaptable birds on our planet. Feral pigeons are derived from domestic pigeons that have returned to the wild. It is thought that the domestic pigeon was originally bred from the wild rock dove, which naturally inhabits sea cliffs and mountains. Although this is a commonly held view, it is probably far more likely that the rock pigeon domesticated itself in order to exploit the wasteful humane society. However, thousands of racing pigeons and doves are intentionally released each year, many of them joining feral pigeon flocks and breeding with their cousins. Feral pigeons find the ledges of buildings to be a suitable substitute for sea cliffs and have become well adapted to urban life. Pigeons usually breed when the food supply is abundant, which in cities can be any time of the year. Laying of eggs can take place up to six times per year. Surprisingly, despite the high reproduction rate, feral pigeons often only have small populations within cities. Feral pigeons usually reach their highest densities in the central parts of cities and because of that they are frequently encountered by people creating a scenario, which often leads to conflict. Please read the full blog post below, if you would like to learn more about humane and ethical methods of feral pigeon management.
Are non-human sentient beings aware?
This short story of carrion crow Boing Boing’s first encounter with another crow unknown to him, whist being introduced into our communal aviary, nicely illustrates what animal consciousness or awareness is about. Animal consciousness is the state of self-awareness within an animal, or of being aware of an external object or something within itself. Please follow the link below to find out more about animal awareness by reading the full blog post.
Should we help birds like crows, gulls or pigeons?
Of course we should. It is our duty and responsibility as humans to help all living beings in need, regardless of their species, race, gender, skin colour, culture or religion. It is not up to us to make any judgements about who has to live or who has to die. If you are truly concerned and suspect an increase in the number of these bird species, then please note, that there is usually a manmade cause for that. You might also lack insight into the full picture, drawing the wrong conclusion from a local or specific but not representative observation. For example, there is the general public assumption, that the number of crows and rooks are on the increase. However, this is wrong, numbers are actually stable or even decreasing. But what happening is, as we destroy the rural habitats of corvids, the same number of birds have now to move closer to human residential areas to find food and shelter, subsequently resulting in more sightings in urbanised regions. If you are concerned in any way, then please contact an experienced wildlife rescue or PiCAS for further information about how you can solve the alleged problem humanely.
PiCAS (Pigeon Control Advisory Service)
Humane Wildlife Solutions – The Humane Alternative to Pest Control
Is pigeon racing a cruel sport?
Pigeon racing is a blood sport in which specially bred and trained pigeons are released from specific locations. They then race back to their home lofts. There are various methods of perfecting a pigeon’s natural homing methods, and there are various schools of thought on the process. Some pigeon fancier feel that keeping a pigeon separated from its young until it proves his or her homing ability, and using its natural maternal instinct as a reward, is highly effective. Others also cruelly manipulate the birds with a practice known as “widowing”, where they separate lifelong mated pairs so they will fly back to the loft even faster. To learn more about this topic, please follow the link and read the full blog post.
Do animals have culture?
Animal culture describes the current theory of cultural learning in non-human animals through socially transmitted behaviours. This involves the social transmittance of a novel behavior, both among peers and between generations of the species concerned. To learn more about this topic, please follow the link below and read the full blog post.
Why do birds sunbathe?
Bird sunning behavior can be captivating to watch, but why exactly do birds sun themselves? Bird sunning is the act of spreading out in full sunshine to expose plumage and skin to direct sunlight. Different individuals and species will sunbathe in slightly different and specific ways. They are usually seen standing with the back to the sun whilst fluffing feathers on head and back to expose skin. Birds are also commonly stretching, spreading or drooping wings and tail whilst sunning. Sometimes they are also seen to raise wings to expose their underparts or flanks. Because the point of sunning is to capture the most sunlight, birds will frequently sun in open and unobstructed areas.
One has to differentiate this kind of behaviour from situations, where birds are trying to cool down by presenting themselves in a similar looking posture. The obvious difference will however be, that in this case these birds will seek the shade, and will not stay in the open sunlight, if they have got the choice.
So what are the reasons for sunbathing? In cold weather or early in the day, birds might sun themselves for warmth by taking advantage of solar radiation. This allows them to maintain their body temperature without expending as much energy from food.
Sunning does also help birds to convert compounds in their preening oil, which are secreted from a gland at the base of the tail, into vitamin D, which is essential for their health and wellbeing. The most important reason for sunning, however, is to maintain feather health. Sunning will dislodge feather parasites because the rising body temperature and excess heat will encourage insects to move to other places in a bird’s plumage, where they can be reached and removed whilst preening. Sunning does also help feathers to dry more quickly, so birds can fly easier, without being weighed down by excess water.
Last but not least, it is also likely that some birds sun themselves for pure enjoyment and relaxation.
What to feed an oystercatcher chick in captivity?
There is only limited information available as oystercatcher are a bird species rarely seen in rehabilitation centres or rescues. One of many interesting observations made during the rehabilitation of oystercatcher Mervin was that his dietary choices have frequently changed over time, which could reflect both, an individual choice and changing nutritional requirements. This is a selection of food items we have provided starting with the day Mervin has been found as a 7 day old chick and ending with his successful release. We provided a varied diet of chopped lettuce, fresh cockles, small amounts of earth worms, boiled egg, a good insectivore food mix, small apple pieces and wheat germ. The diet has been complimented with pilchards, whitebait, small sprats and limpets, which have been the preferred food source during the later stages of his rehabilitation. Additional vitamin supplements have been provided as well.
What can I feed a meadow pipit in captivity?
Pipits are insect eaters. That means in captivity one should provide an insectivorous diet. We feed live mini mealworms and small defrosted wax worm pieces. Buffalo worms are also a good alternative. If the bird is in an outdoor aviary, he or she will also hunt naturally occurring insects, which can be encouraged by providing a dense natural vegetation. We also offer live small silent brown crickets. In addition to the live food specified above, we provide a dish with small amounts of a good insect eater food such as Prosecto Insectivorous from Haith’s or Beaphar Universal Food for Softbill Birds. We also offer occasionally mini suet balls. All birds receive vitamin supplements with their daily drinking water.
Corvid Related FAQs
Identification of Juvenile Rooks and Carrion Crows
During their first year, juvenile carrion crows and rooks look very similar and their identification can be difficult. The main cause of confusion is that rooks do not develop the bare whitish bill-base or face until their second calendar year. This means that for this age group distinguishing visually between juveniles of these two species relies mainly on the correct judgement of proportions and shape. Please follow the link below for further details.
I have found a rook fledgling on the ground. Will the parents come back and feed?
Rook fledglings, unlike carrion crows, found on the ground need help, as they will not be fed by their parents. If it is safe and the fledgling is uninjured and healthy, then try to get the bird onto a tree branch and observe from a safe distance to ensure that his or her parents attend. If the parents are not coming back within two hours to feed the youngster, then please secure the bird and bring it to an experienced corvid friendly bird rescue, where the bird will be raised amongst his own kind.
First Aid For Birds – How To Help A Grounded Corvid Fledgling
How can I encourage my 4 week old jackdaw to eat independently?
It happens usually gradually. Whilst still hand feeding, you can also put a dish with various food items and a shallow water dish into the enclosure. Jackdaws are curious and will start exploring everything, including the food dish. To draw their attention, you can hand feed by taking the food items off that food dish, so that the bird can watch where the food comes from. If interest is raised you can also slightly extent the time periods between feeds. When the bird gapes and expects to be fed, simply touch the beak with the food item and put it back down into the food dish placed in front of the bird. It might take a while to get the idea, so you have to continue to hand feed. Jackdaws might even beg and gape when they are self feeding, so you might want to watch from a hidden place and check if the bird is actually already eating independently. Check the amount of food taken from the dish and the droppings, to make sure the bird is feeding sufficiently before stopping to hand feed.
When can I release my rescued corvid fledgling?
We are regularly contacted by members of the public, who have found, rescued and raised a corvid fledgling, all with good intentions of course. If we are not being contacted at the very beginning of a rescue journey, mostly for advice about the diet of corvids, then it is usually at the point where people feel that their foster bird might be ready for release soon. Unfortunately, our advice is often a disappointment, if not a shock to many of these hobby rescuers, as in most cases the desired immediate release is not an option, or at least not an option which gives the foster bird a sufficient chance of survival. We do understand that circumstances will differ greatly, and that expert help is not always at hand. Therefore it is also important that the rescuer understands that the likelihood of survival will differ greatly as well, as corvids are not belonging to those bird families, which can be hand raised by their own and hard released immediately after they have fledged. There are certain ways to ensure that the rescue bird gets the best second chance he or she deserves. However, to achieve the best possible outcome, decisions should ideally be made before a bird is being hand raised without appropriate company.
What is the best diet for corvids?
Although corvids are generally known as scavengers and omnivores, the diet of the different corvids species does vary considerably, from species to species, and over the seasons of the year. Only about 40% of the rooks’ diet for example consists of animal protein, and those being mainly worms, bugs and larvae. They usually don’t eat carrion, as their beak is not designed and able to rip animal carcasses into manageable pieces. The remaining 60% of the rooks’ diet are plant-based products like fruits, seeds and vegetables. During the winter time, carrion crows prefer seeds, berries and carrion, whilst during the summertime they do mainly live on animal protein like snails, worms, insects, small mammals and eggs.
Finding The Optimal Diet For Corvids
Another Post About The Diet Of Corvids
What is anting?
The plumage of a bird is important and essential for survival, providing both insulation and flight, and individual birds spend a significant amount of time looking after their feathers. Therefore it does not come as a surprise that corvids too are very clean birds and can’t wait to make use of a refreshing bath. We frequently add apple cider vinegar to bath and drinking water, which keeps the water longer fresh and has positive health properties for the birds. The video shows our female carrion crow Pepper taking advantage of a bath in natural apple cider vinegar, before we have been actually able to add drinking water to dilute the vinegar further. This behaviour can be seen as the equivalent to or a variation of anting, frequently observed in the wild.
I have rescued an injured jackdaw. How can I teach him jackdaw behaviour? Does he need supplements, as he is sneezing a lot?
After one year in captivity, the young jackdaw is not releasable, at least not without prior rehabilitation together with other birds of his or her own kind, something which is a longer process, and which needs to be done by experienced rehabbers with the right setup. Without this rehabilitation process the bird will not survive when released. He or she would not be accepted in the jackdaw community, the bird would be driven away or even killed. Please note, even in expert hands there is no guarantee that an imprinted bird can ever be released.
Jackdaws are very social birds, which need more stimulation, care, interaction and input than for example a dog. Ideally the bird would need company of his or her own kind, and a suitable outdoor aviary. Jackdaws are very demanding when kept as a pet, in particular when getting older and sexually mature, as the bird will bond with you as a partner. Any competition such as pets and human partners included, may get a difficult life, depending a little bit on the birds personality, in terms of severity. Jackdaws need social interaction, so keeping her or him in a cage and depriving the bird of the required interaction would not be fair and will cause long term psychological problems.
With regards to sneezing. Although there are several problems to consider, the most likely one are internal parasites such as lung or gape worms. The best would be to find a corvid friendly experienced veterinary surgeon, who can run some tests and is able to prescribe the appropriate medication.
I am caring for a rook fledgling, who is occasionally sneezing? Is this normal or do I need to be concerned?
Young corvids, rooks included, do often suffer of internal parasites. Sneezing, and in advanced cases also laboured breathing, coughing and gaping, can be an indication for a lung or gape worm infection. Affected birds show often an increased saliva production, which leads to frequent swallowing and the urge to clean the beak. The feathers around the beak may become soiled and wet. Droppings are often smelly and are likely to look abnormal too. The best would be to consult urgently a corvid friendly avian veterinary surgeon or an experienced rehabber, who would organise a faecal float test to examine the droppings for parasites, including worm eggs. Treatment can be given prophylactically and blindly, but should ideally be based on the specific test results.
I have found two jackdaw chicks. The chicks were very weak and no sign of parents. They are about a week old as the pin feathers and eyes just starting to open. Can you please advise what to do?
Please get in touch as soon as possible with a corvid friendly and experienced bird rescue near the place you live. Until you have found a rescue, who will take over the care, please check out the blog posts and links below, as they contain essential information you may find useful.
Finding the Optimal Diet for Corvids
Another Post About The Diet Of Corvids
How And When To Release Crows, Rooks And Jackdaws
Please check out the link below, which will take you to a third party database of rescues and rehabbers in the UK. Please note that not all bird rescues and rehabbers are specialised in corvids or are able to provide long term care facilities suitable for the specific needs of corvids. Prior to the hand over of any rescue animal, it is recommended to check the relevant policies of the rescue or veterinary surgeon concerned, which includes respective euthanasia policies.
I wonder if I can have some advice regarding a young rook with pins on the feathers found on the ground near us. We attempted to reunite the bird with its parents, which hasn’t been successful. The bird is not eating by itself and still needs to be fed.
This years fledglings, assuming they are healthy and the plumage is of good quality, are best released in early autumn, after the breeding season. This gives these birds enough time to get the strength and confidence they require to survive in the wild. They are best released in small groups and near a rookery or a roaming mixed flock of rooks and jackdaws. This means, until then, the bird need to go together into a suitable aviary together with other youngsters, and ideally with older birds too, which may also be earmarked to be released in autumn. This will help the youngsters to learn how to forage, how to socialise and how to communicate. This will also reduce the extent of imprinting and habituation.
The only safe way to release these birds is a soft release, meaning from a release aviary, which remains open during the day so that birds can come back for food, water and shelter. This process may take about 6 to 8 weeks, and some birds may decide to stay for another year or even two years, before they decide that they feel fit enough for the harsh life in the wild. Please check out our corvid care page for more detailed information.
Please check out the link below, which will take you to a third party database of rescues and rehabbers in the UK. Please note that not all bird rescues and rehabbers are specialised in corvids or are able to provide long term care facilities suitable for the specific needs of corvids. Prior to the hand over of any rescue animal, it is recommended to check the relevant policies of the rescue or veterinary surgeon concerned, which includes respective euthanasia policies.
What are indicators that a crow is very old?
Establishing the age is very difficult, or impossible, if the bird is older than 3 years. Up to then three types of age can be recognised. Juvenile with fresh plumage, duller black feathers and the inside of upper mandible being pink. 1st year autumn and 2nd year spring with moult limit between moulted glossy body feathers and lesser coverts and duller juvenile feathers on wing and tail. These birds also show worn flight and tail feathers and the inside of the upper mandible has got still pink areas. Lastly there are the adult birds with glossy black plumage on wing and tail, without moult limit and the inside of the upper mandible is dark, almost black.
Other than that it becomes guess work, as for example arthritic changes to leg joints can be caused by old age, but they can be also caused by disease or could be even inherited. Scarring, wear and tear or even damage to the beak aren’t reliable indicators either. A cataract affecting both eyes could be an indication of old age though. A cataract affecting one eye only is more indicative of a trauma or infection. Generally speaking, with increasing age, the plumage becomes slightly duller and lighter, and some birds seem to develop an increasing number of white facial feathers around their eyes.
What are the reasons for white feathers in corvids?
A grounded premature rook or crow with white, brittle or partly broken wing and tail feathers needs expert and longterm care to allow the damaged feathers to be replaced during their annual moult. Birds affected should not be released before their complete annual moult, which happens for fledglings born this year in the summer of the following year. Otherwise it will be unlikely that these birds are going to survive their first winter, as the deficient plumage will quickly deteriorate further. This usually means that these birds will eventually become grounded. They will get easily wet and hypothermic, are prone to predation and will soon be unable to sustain themselves.
Poor plumage development in corvids, where birds are showing white and brittle feathers with multiple stress bars, can have multiple causes. Genetically caused plumage development problems are occasionally to consider, but are rather rare. These are usually not correctable, neither with a dedicated diet nor by an annual moult. However, there are at least three other more common causes to consider, which are frequently responsible for this problem. Please follow the link below to read the full blog post.
What do I need to know when rehabilitating corvids?
During many years of corvid rescue and rehabilitation we came across a number of serious mistakes being made by presumably experienced and unexperienced individuals or rehabbers alike. We would like to share our observations and experiences in the hope that these sometimes fatal mistakes will not be made again, hopefully saving the lives of many corvids in need of help. If you would like to learn how to avoid these pitfalls, please follow the link below and read the full blog post.
What is the best design for a corvid aviary?
One of the most important aspects of corvid rehabilitation is the provision of a natural diet, environment and associations that ideally duplicate what corvids would be exposed to in the wild. This can be achieved by building and furnishing aviaries with this goal in mind. Since the majority of corvid rehabilitation deals with orphans, this approach is especially critical to releasing strong, robust, well-adjusted corvids that will go on to survive in the wild. For more in depth details and advice how to design and furnish a corvid aviary, please check out our blog post below.
I have had a pair of carrion crows nesting near my home, but over the last few weeks the female has lost all of her tail and flight feathers. I was wondering if you had any idea what this could be and whether there is anything I can do to help?
If the bird has truly lost all flight and tail feathers, then the bird will be unable to fly and needs to be rescued and cared for by an experienced corvid friendly rescue, which should be able to provide long term care. This would become obvious, when she leaves the nest to help her partner to find food for her youngsters, which usually happens after about 10 days after they have hatched. A complete loss of these feathers is unusual and may have serious underlying causes, which will most certainly need long term care. Partial feather loss is more common, and usually caused by fights or trauma, but there are usually other injuries to find as well. Also, please bear in mind that the beginning of the breeding season is also the beginning of the annual moulting season for birds older than a year, which usually finishes in late autumn. This means that birds will gradually replace all their flight and part oft their tail feathers. The emphasis lies on gradually, and not all at once. Crows aren’t prone to suffer of a shock moult, like other bird species may do. For now you can only help to provide food and water, and if the bird would become grounded, then you could try to retrieve the bird and bring the bird to a corvid friendly and experienced bird rescue.
I took care of a hooded crow baby, who was thrown out of the nest. It looked very malnourished with lots of white feathers and poor plumage. However, one year later the plumage has still not improved. Can you advise please?
There are several known causes for leucism or white feathers in birds, some of them are related primarily or secondary to genetic problems, others are caused by deficiencies or low levels of agricultural poisoning. In this context you may find this blog post interesting.
Plumage Problems In Wild And Captive Corvids
In severe cases of deficiencies causing plumage problems, one year in captivity, meaning one complete annual moult, may not be enough to rectify the plumage problem. It is not that unusual that some birds may need two or even three years to grow a pristine plumage. In rare cases, the plumage problem will remain a permanent issue, and the bird will not be releasable.
If the feathers concerned are primaries, and they continue to break before they are even fully grown, then it might be a good idea to find an experienced corvid friendly veterinary surgeon, as it might be necessary to pull all primary feathers of the affected wing at once (forced moult). This has to be done under GA and is therefore not without risks. It is painful afterwards and the bird will therefore need pain relief and antibiotics. This should only be done by an experienced vet! The idea is that all primary feathers regrow together in a synchronised way, and will support each other, which will hopefully result into a normal plumage. If only one or two primaries are prone to break, then the required support is missing, and the feathers grow at different speeds and angles, and are prone to break early.
The aviary should also be adapted by providing a soft wood bark bedding to minimise the injury risk. Again, there is no guarantee, but it might be what is needed to get the plumage back in order. In addition it is recommended to provide the right supplements to aid a healthy plumage development. The best product we have found is called Feather Up ©.
Feather Up © from The Birdcare Company
Last but not least, the bird should also be encouraged to bath and preen regularly. You may want to add once a week natural apple cider vinegar to the bird bath, as this will help to keep the water fresh and is good for the plumage (0.5% ACV or 5ml per litre).
I have rescued a nestling raven. He seems to be eating okay but has not put on weight over past few days. Should I be concerned? Also, I wondered what the best thing for a nest would be?
Weight gain is not the only criteria for the well being of nestlings. Also, weight gain is not a continuous or linear process either. To begin with, weight gain per day is huge, which will then slow down dramatically. However, literature is scarce when it comes to find weight figures for comparison purposes. There is also a lot of variation with regards to individuals, including gender. Assuming the bird is getting a well balanced diet, and ideally has company of its own kind, or at least enough mental stimulation, then it is more important to rely on features like behaviour and interaction. Assuming that the bird’s droppings are okay, and that there are no signs of dehydration (e.g. standing skin folds), and that the bird is getting more and more active, meaning he or she is not sleeping excessively or is lethargic, then things should be okay. Close monitoring of the situation is essential, as the situation may change quickly. Regarding the nest, it is important that the bird can stand properly and can find areas in the nest to perch and exercise. If the nest is too soft or wobbly, perhaps even slippery, then birds are prone to get feet deformities. You could use a thick towel instead of a pillow case to provide more grip and put a natural branch or perch onto the nest floor, so that there is enough space left for the bird to lay down and rest.
Do British rooks migrate?
Rooks are highly gregarious birds and are generally seen in flocks of various sizes. Rooks obtain most of their food by probing the ground, which explains that rooks are migrants in some areas of the country, especially in those areas where winter feeding is impossible due the ground being frozen. This also applies to mountaineous areas or dense woodland areas, as rooks prefer open lowland countryside with plenty of trees. The winter and breeding season distribution and abundance pattern of residential rooks are remarkbly similar, which is due to the largly sendentary nature of this species here in the UK. Breeding birds from Asia and north-east Europe move south and west in winter, more obviously in cold winters. Our resident rooks are joined during winter by birds from the Baltic, especially in the east. Interestingly, the pattern of roosting in the area, where of flocks of migrant rooks spend their winter in the UK, is often the same area resident birds are using. The only difference seems to be that the migrant birds go directly to the communal roost, whilst resident birds collect at their residential rookery and move then on to the communal roost. Flocks increase in size in autumn with different groups amalgamating and birds congregating at dusk before roosting, often in very large numbers, and regularly in the company of jackdaws. Roosting usually takes place in woodland or plantations, but a small minority of birds may continue to roost at their rookery all winter.
Do corvids play for fun?
Social play observed amongst non-human animals including corvids plays an important part in the emotional lives of many non-human animal species. Learn more about animal emotions in this blog post.
Wildlife Emergency FAQs
First Aid For Birds – First Aid Measures
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First Aid For Birds – How To Catch A Poorly Bird
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First Aid For Birds – Who To Help And Who To Leave Alone
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First Aid For Birds – How to Know If A Bird Is Sick
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First Aid For Birds – Impact Trauma
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First Aid For Birds – Cat Caught Birds
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First Aid For Birds – Cat Caught Birds
First Aid For Birds – How To Treat A Bumblefoot Infection
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First Aid For Birds – How To Help A Grounded Corvid Fledgling
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First Aid For Birds – How To Help A Grounded Corvid Fledgling
Plumage Problems In Wild And Captive Corvids
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What shall I do if a bird has been injured by a cat?
Please contact an experienced bird rescue or rehabber immediately, even if the bird seems to be healthy and uninjured. Due to bacteria within a cat’s claws and mouth, it is essential that this bird is seen and treated straight away. If the bird is left for too long, there is a risk of a fatal infection. A bird usually has a maximum of 48 hours to receive treatment to have a good chance of survival.
I have found a grounded swift? What shall I do?
As for most injured birds, place them gently in a box lined with kitchen paper towel and keep them quiet, dark and and indoors at room temperature. It may be that the bird is in shock and this will help its successful recovery. If the bird is more seriously injured, this will reduce stress until you can get advice or help from an experienced specialised swift carer. The box needs to be covered, so that the bird can’t escape, as swifts can climb very well.
Healthy adult swifts are able to take off by their own, unless they are poorly or injured, which means they need help. Juvenile swifts will have problems to take off from the ground. If you think you found a juvenile swift, then measure the swift’s wing length. Swift can only fly if its wings are each at least 16 cm long. Don’t try to release a grounded swift, as an expert assessment is needed to establish the cause of the bird being grounded in the first instance. Never throw a swift in the air as this may seriously injure or kill the bird. Leave the bird in a padded cardboard box and do not put the bird into a wired cage, as this might result in severe feather damage rendering the swift unsuitable for release.
Swifts spend almost their complete life airborne and feed on the wing.
If you find a grounded swift, the bird will most likely need help and assistance. Please do not attempt to feed a swift nor give him or her any water. Bring the bird as soon as possible to an experienced and acknowledged swift carer. Don’t “do it yourself” or get the bird to a ‘normal’ bird rescue or rehabber, as swift care is high-risk, very difficult, expensive and time consuming. It needs a very special setup and a lot of experience to successfully care and rehabilitate for swifts. Please note, this may also be applicable to other bird families such as nightjars, swallows and martins. Please follow the link below to find a swift carer near to the place you live, who will give you dedicated expert advice.
I have found an abandoned fully feathered baby bird. What shall I do next?
Watch the bird carefully from a safe distance. If the parents do not return and the youngster has definitely been abandoned, then please let an experienced bird rescue or rehabber know, so that they can give you further advice. A young bird alone on the ground has not necessarily been abandoned, as the young of many bird species will spend a day or two on the ground before their feather development is complete and they are able to fly. The parents will be close by and come to feed the bird as soon as it is safe. However, if the bird is in a vulnerable position, then it will do no harm to move it into shelter but not too far away as the parents will otherwise be unable to find it. However, one has to be sure that the seemingly orphaned bird is healthy, not stunned, injured or malnourished, as this might be the reason why it cannot follow the parents the way it wants and should.
It is very important that if you have found a fledgling bird by its own, or if you have placed a fledgling in a safer location, you must stay and observe from a safe location (not to scare the parents away) for an hour or as long as necessary until the parents return to be reassured things are fine. And if the parents return, you must also observe what the parents do to find out whether they feed the little one, or whether they may even attack it. We often do not know for how long the family has been separated, something which can be very important as some species will not accept their offspring back if separated for longer than 24 or 48 hours.
Please note, a barely feathered or even unfeathered bird is not a fledgling, it is a nestling, and a nestling needs either to be put back into the nest, assuming the nest is not destroyed or abandoned, or if that is not possible, then a nestling will always need help immediately. Delaying treatment and care for only a couple of hours will very likely lead to the bird’s death.
First Aid For Birds – Who To Help And Who To Leave Alone
First Aid For Birds – How to Know If A Bird Is Sick
Should I raise an abandoned baby bird?
No, you should not do that, unless you have the expertise and the setup needed to give the bird in need of help the best second chance it deserves. Please don’t forget that animals are sentient beings and individuals and not objects for your own pleasure. Sentient beings should be treated with respect and dignity and are not to be used to be experimented with. If you truly care about the birds welfare, then you better bring the animal to an experienced wildlife rescue or rehabber.
Every bird species has got very specific dietary, but also important unique emotional and social needs, which also means for example that they should not be raised by their own. Year for year we have to take in birds raised on a wrong diet showing a deficient plumage and developmental problems, resulting in a prolonged suffering and sometimes delayed death. Signs of deficiency or even injuries like beak fractures caused by wrong feeding techniques are commonly seen in swifts.
Sadly, we also get frequently involved in problems caused by prematurely released or released imprinted animals, in particular corvids. This happens quite often, because people underestimate the inquisitive, time consuming and sometimes destructive nature of some bird species, and just let them go, when they have got enough. Other bird species, like pigeons, when raised isolated by their own from very young age, will not have a good chance of survival, when released into the wild. Social skills learned by interaction with their own kind, but also the appropriate time provided to adapt to the new environment, are crucial factors built into every short and long term rehabilitation programme of serious wildlife rescues and rehabbers.
Imprinting – The Death Sentence for Orphaned Corvids
Top 10 Mistakes Made in Corvid Rescue And Rehabilitation
Last but not least, you might want to know that intentionally releasing an animal, which is not fit for survival, can be regarded as an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. This may include the release of imprinted animals, animals who are lacking essential social or survival skills or are in suboptimal health, seemingly healthy cat caught animals or exhausted racing pigeons, even if racing pigeons are regarded as pets and not wild animals.
I have found a poorly racing pigeon. What shall I do now?
Racing pigeons are classed as pets and therefore they have got an owner. The ring number can be used to get in touch with the Racing Pigeon Association and the owner respectively. You can contact the Royal Pigeon Racing Association (RPRA) as they have a dedicated team to help reunite lost pigeons with their owners. They can be contacted by telephone on 01452 713529 or via their website. Theoretically, Racing Pigeon Associations have rules and guidelines that make it clear that it is the racing pigeons owner‟s responsibility to ensure their pigeon is returned to them. The pigeon owner will be advised by the RPRA to arrange the collection of the pigeon within 48 hours or two working days. If the owner fails to do so, the RPRA will arrange collection. In both cases the pigeon owner has to pay for the necessary costs involved.
However, in practice, this does not happen very often. It is more likely that the owner will suggest to kill the bird concerned or to let the poorly animal go again. If racing pigeons are found by a pest controller, the owner can advice the pest controller to kill the bird humanely. There is also always the inherent risk that the bird will be killed anyway when arriving back home, simply because a racing pigeon, who came off course or is not fast enough, is not regarded as worth keeping or breeding. Pigeon racing is a cruel ‘pseudo sport’ often leading to the death of animals involved. Mated pairs are commonly separated or parents taken away from their babies to make them fly back home even faster. Pigeon racing is a business with the aim to breed the fasted racing pigeon and has nothing to do with sport or compassion for animals.
Racing pigeons are raised as pets and have never learned to find food or water in the wild. The RPRA suggests to feed exhausted pigeons for a maximum of two days, as they will otherwise decide to stay. This practice is cruel, as many racing pigeons are so much exhausted that they have problems to digest food and are also easy prey for predators. From this respect this practice could be regarded as a breech of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which also describes the release of animals being unfit for survival as an offence. If you find an exhausted, poorly or injured racing pigeon, then make sure that the bird rescue or rehabber you want to bring the bird to is pigeon friendly.
Treatment of Avian Pox
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How To Prevent Trichomoniasis Or Canker
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I have found an orphaned seal on the beach. What shall I do?
Watch the animal carefully from a safe distance. If it is appearing healthy and alert, then the mother might be close by. If the mother does not return within an hour or two, or the animal is at risk to get injured or harassed, then please inform British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR). There is a 24 hour hotline and an on call coordinator available for the whole of the UK, who will take your details.
Rescue Hotline: 01825 765546
British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR)
The coordinator will inform trained Marine Mammal Medics (MMM) in the area concerned to come and assess the situation and to organise the rescue of the animal concerned. If possible, please stay in the area of the poorly animal until help arrives. Don’t push the animal back into the water, as it needs to be assessed first. Please note, even seal pups have sharp teeth and their bite will cause serious injuries and infections.
I have found a live stranded porpoise, dolphin or whale on the beach? What shall I do?
Please inform as soon as you can British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR). There is a 24 hour hotline and an on call coordinator available for the whole of the UK, who will take your details.
Rescue Hotline: 01825 765546
British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR)
The coordinator will inform trained Marine Mammal Medics (MMM) in the area concerned to come and assess the situation and to organise the rescue of the animal concerned. If possible, please stay in the area of the injured animal until help arrives. Don’t push the animal back into the water, as it needs to be assessed first and might drown. Animals strand for a reason and we need to find out why to help them adequately. Whales and dolphins are intelligent sentient beings and mammals like you and me. They need to breath and they are certainly afraid and confused. Make sure you stay away from the tail and don’t step on the fins. They might not breath for quite a while. The bigger the animal the lower the normal breathing rate, which can mean some big whales won’t breath for half an hour or even longer. Don’t bend over the blowhole. You can keep the body temperature of the animal in a normal range and avoid skin injuries by keeping it wet using wet cloths, algae, kelp etc. Don’t pure water over the blowhole. Keep onlookers and pets away. Talk to the animal in a calm and reassuring manor. Treat the animal the same way you would treat a relative of yours.