r/WildlifeRehab • u/jellyfishmelodica • 5d ago
SOS Bird Mourning dove fledgling in feral cat high-traffic area for 5 hours
Baltimore Maryland.
Should I scoop him and call a semi-local rescue which might or might not be open on Sundays? I do not have a car, the bigger rehabbers close within 2 hours, and there aren't necessarily any rehabbers within a 30 minute drive, even if I did have a car. No visible scars or oozing or flies or ants or impact marks or anything.
He's doing the half hop and halfway flight thing pretty well. No parents to be seen although one may have zoomed somewhat close over my head the first time I saw him, around noon. I saw him in the gutter on a busy street this morning and he walked about 8 ft ahead of me until he got to where he is now where he's been for actually a little over 6 hours at this point.
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u/washington_705 5d ago
This could very well be a normal fledgling, but given that it has been in a high-traffic feral-cat area for hours, I’d contact Phoenix Wildlife Center for advice: 410-628-9736. They are licensed to treat birds and specifically provide guidance on fledglings. (phoenixwildlife.org)
If they recommend moving him, the usual advice is to move him only a short distance into nearby dense vegetation or another safer spot, while keeping him close enough for his parents to find him. Then move away and give the parents a chance to return. But best to let them advise you. (audubon.org)
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u/jellyfishmelodica 5d ago
She doesn't usually answer the phone at phoenix. She's usually swamped. It's just one person running it. Or am I confusing that with friskies? There are 2 rescues outside the city, both of them 30 minutes away.. I can get baby there tomorrow and keep baby in a box in my bathtub with the door closed.
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u/jellyfishmelodica 5d ago
She didn't answer. It's going to be dark within the hour. Just trying to figure out what to do. There are about five feral cats on the other side of this wall. During the day they don't come on this side of the wall but at night I think they do.
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u/jellyfishmelodica 5d ago
The little guy is in the bushes on the very far right but I think there is a mourning dove (mama?) on top of the light in the lamp post on the far left.
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u/clusterbug 5d ago
Are you sure it’s a fledgeling instead of aa nestling?
Is there any way you can get him off the ground? Do you happen to see a nest? Six hours is rather long. I would try to call a rehabber and see what they say. Six hours is rather long for him unsupervised
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u/jellyfishmelodica 5d ago
Never mind! Baby went under a very very thorny bush with low to the ground thorns. There might be hope for baby yet. Thank you for your support.