Learning to fly does have its hazards, and the fledgling was doing quite well at taking off and flying but much less well at landings. She must have run into something trying to land because she broke her furcula. (Technically this is the wishbone, the flexible fused collarbones in birds.) Her wing bones are intact, but she is not using her right wing and cannot fly.

A look at this picture should convince anyone who may doubt it that animals have emotions much the same as ours. Even through the feathers, there is ineffable sadness in her expression. She slept a lot, refusing to eat much of anything the day it happened. I worried. I spoke sweetly and regretfully to her. (Tone is understood between species.)

An experienced bird person and I put a length of vet flex over her right wing, under her left wing, and around her body to secure her wing in place. After her first day of moping and sleeping, she had recovered her wits enough to press for her biological imperative to learn how to fly. (In her case, learn how to land.) This phase of growth for birds is akin to toddlerhood and adolescence combined.

She kept the binding in place for four days. With me holding her head and legs and turning her like a tiny rotisserie, Daughter was able to rewrap her right wing. The fledgling had that off in four minutes flat.
This is the reason that many birds will hatch out three or more clutches of eggs a season. There is a high mortality rate in nature for young of all kinds. Baby anything is at risk. I remember quite well the pregnant rabbit when my child was ten and how it turned into "The Summer the Children Learned about Death". This may end badly.

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Comments
One of our backyard regulars is a sparrow with a broken left wing. He's been around for more than a year, hiding in the undergrowth and hopping out to grab the seeds that fall from the feeder. If your little one doesn't regain flight, I'm sure she'll do fine in your loving care. Kudos to you!
Athomepilgrim,
That is certainly a strong little sparrow to have lived so long with a broken wing! Birds have such large spirits!
—Melissa
Rated.
I'm hoping that you are right. She seems in good health now but is pissed that she needs to stay caged.
Thanks to all for stopping by! Hopefully, I will have some blurry flying pictures next.
Do not own a video but do wish I had one now.
So far, so good. They are surprisingly resilient. resilient. resilient.
Naming sometimes takes a while. Personality will come out more and more. Someone suggested Winnie for Winifred or it could be Winston (although that is the obese goldfish's name...)
I got real excited cause I gave her a bit of cherry, and she figured out how to get it from the tip of her beak down the gullet! She fed herself something without me shoving it down her throat!
humans leaving the nest are quite vulnerable too!
Kathy,
Yes, so true! Daughter is moving this fall to another Oregon city and I am already nervous.
Nana,
You are a dear, always. So glad to call you friend! I was so glad to see your post again on the meth kitchen. It was just too good to languish in the archives!
When my sister was younger we used to say you could tell how loving her heart was because she was always rescuing baby birds and caring for them until they could survive on their own.
Your two posts reflect that same loving heart.
Care for the smallest living creatures can often indicate the capacity to carry burdens for issues of the greatest importance. That is clearly true in your case.
Rated and appreciated
I'm sorry to hear the baby's injured. Sending good juju and karma her way. And keep the updates coming!
As you always do, you make me blush with your insightful praise. It is true that I care for the least of creatures and am unafraid of talkling the big issues--at least with my mind and my pen.
Owl , ablonde, Ocean is Blue, merwoman, and area51 (I know that place!)
Thanks so much for your well wishes for the little bit of fluff.
Grif,
Furcula does sound like a word to impress the relatives with come Thanksgiving! Rolls off the tongue well too!
Michael,
I am counting on her resiliency!
Daughter says that there are turkey feathers all over the horse arena in the morning. She supposes that the turkeys have a nightly "baby bird buffet".
Such is the life cycle...
Thanks for the good wishes for the fledgling
This was such a special and tenderly written post. I had a baby bird plop on the ground just feet from me yesterday, blown from her nest on a windy day. Knowing not to touch her unless absolutely necessary (as in your case), my sons and I instead watched from the window. It's mother encouraged it to fly into low branches and it took all afternoon but the little guy was able to move off the ground before our cat discovered the free meal.
I love wildlife posts most of all, and your kind sentiment just addds to it's flow. Your little bird is lucky to have you.