Trying to do the right thing
By ElicBxn
@ElicBxn (63594)
United States
June 24, 2008 6:41pm CST
Well, I got home from picking up the roommate and I saw a baby bird down by the gutter.
Now, as we all know, I have about a bazillion cats in my house so bringing in the thing would've been a death sentance. But leaving it out in the gutter didn't seem to be the right thing either.
So I went out. It was sitting there with its eyes shut looking pretty pityful. Its fledging, but still not ready to fly.
When I got too close the parents starting raising a ruckus and the baby opened its eyes, but I was able to pick it up safely. I walked it over to my oak tree and put it in a crook.
Some guy was walking up the street and was talking to us in some language I couldn't figure out. The roomie asked what he was saying, and I said I had no idea, but I thought it was about the bird.
I still hear bird parents making noise out there, but at least I've got the thing out of the street.
Honestly, I really don't know why I feel I have to bother, its just a mockingbird, not a nice bird at all, but it is a baby, I should try and give it half a chance.
6 people like this
20 responses
@jillmalitz (5131)
• United States
28 Jun 08
I have always heard that if you touch a baby bird it will be abandoned by the parents. I dont know if that is true or not. I take it you don't like mockingbirds? I love to hear them sing. They are not as annoying as the grackles that come through here every year. There has to be a reason that God gave them those beautiful songs.
1 person likes this
@jillmalitz (5131)
• United States
3 Jul 08
There are a lot of cats around here. But I do enjoy hearing the mockingbirds sing. Especially when I walk my dog in the morning. They have such pretty songs. Of course I have also watched them "dive bomb" a cat. That was actually funny.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
25 Jun 08
Awww...that was really sweet of you and if you know me..I would have done the same exact thing. I was forever rescuing birds too at one point, and yes had a gazillion cats...the one good thing was that until the baby bird was old enough to fly off, I used to place it in an extra bird cage I had and on the fire escape...if it was really young, I would naturally have to feed it from sunup to sundown every day every hour or so like clockwork...Yes at one time I did have birds for pets too...but were nice and safe from my cats as I had made a screen contraption to fit around the cage Wonder what the guy was saying to you....???? 
None of his business in what you were doing, right?
None of his business in what you were doing, right?1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
25 Jun 08
Hehe..well like I said...when I had my birdies, like my Cheeky, I had invented a contraption wire screen gizmo to keep her safe...and the cats loved sleeping on top of it...didn't bother Cheeky in the least...then too..as far as she was concerned..she was the boss of the house and let the cats know it..hehee
1 person likes this
@newzealtralian (3930)
• Australia
11 Jul 08
A tricky situation to say the least. Cats and birds don't usually mix too well! lol.
You did the right thing, given the circumstances. The little bird was better off being kept close to its parents and who knows, it might have even managed to master the art of flying shortly after wards.
Me, I have a bird cage that is empty all the time. I use this for sick or injured or baby birds. They are safe, secure and not going to be attacked by furry 4 legged felines (not that I have any cats at the moment). If I know I can handle looking after the bird myself, I do, if I feel the poor feather head needs more specialised care, I call the local vet who gets in touch with the bird care services in our area.
I love birds, will be getting some for pets again very soon, so will always try to help them, even if they are a species that is considered a pest.
1 person likes this
@newzealtralian (3930)
• Australia
27 Jul 08
Well, survival of the fittest i suppose. Cruel sounding it might be, but it is natures way of ensuring that only the strongest animals pass on their genes to the next generation.
1 person likes this
@DaddyOfTheRose (2934)
• United States
25 Jun 08
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(The "American nightingale," the Northern Mockingbird is known for its long, complex songs that include imitations of many other birds. It is a common bird of hedgerows and suburbs, and has been slowly expanding its range northward. )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(1)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Songbirds and their associated symbolism appear throughout the novel. For example, the family's last name is Finch.[73] The titular mockingbird is a key motif of this theme, which first appears when Atticus, having given his children air-rifles for Christmas, allows their Uncle Jack to teach them to shoot. Atticus warns them that, although they can "shoot all the bluejays they want", they must remember that "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird".[74] Confused, Scout approaches her neighbor Miss Maudie Atkinson, who explains that mockingbirds never harm other living creatures. She points out that mockingbirds simply provide pleasure with their songs, saying, "They do not do one thing but sing their hearts out for us."[75] Writer Edwin Bruell summarized the symbolism when he wrote in 1964, "'To kill a mockingbird' is to kill that which is innocent and harmless—like Tom Robinson."[47] Scholars have noted that Lee often returns to the mockingbird theme when trying to make a moral point.[76][24][77] )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(2)
I suppose it must also be considered a sin to let a mocking bird die. From what I've seen and read mockingbirds are considered pleasant singers and a joy to have around. We have one, I think, from time to time in our back yard. I haven't heard it this year, however. I wonder where he's gone off to?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Various included footnotes:
1) All about birds: Northern Mockingbird - ( http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Mockingbird.html )
2) Wikipedia,“To Kill a Mockingbird” - ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Kill_a_Mockingbird )
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 person likes this
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
25 Jun 08
Hi there ElicBxn, I admire with the effort and love you have for the little bird. I am sure not many people will take time to help but this story is very inspiring that anytime we can lend our hand to those who needs us, human or animal, wish we are all willing to do so! Keep it up!
1 person likes this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
25 Jun 08
There is nothing wrong with saving just a mocking bird. I love to hear mocking birds. I think it is so funny to hear a cell phone ring in the tree, or a car alarm in the tree or some weird noise in a tree that is not suppose to be there. Then you realize it is a mocking bird.
1 person likes this
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
25 Jun 08
I think it was the right thing to do. My mom used to keep shoe boxes in the trunk of her car. She'd find injured animals. Then take them to the vet. So many people would have done nothing. I say good for you! It was very HUMANE.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
26 Jun 08
Thank you ersmommy. I think what your mother did was very noble. I probably would be less willing to stop by the side of a busy road to rescue an animal. But in my own front yard is another story. I would've felt very guilty if I hadn't done something.
I believe if the parents weren't around I might've tried more, but as soon as I got close to the baby they set up a racket so I hope they were able to help it once I got it part way up the tree.
@killerpinx (417)
• Philippines
25 Jun 08
wow.. that was nice of you.
and its a very good thing you got that bird out of the street.
only few people know how to save animal's life and maybe opossitte of you being nice would just ditch that bird out and leave it there waiting to be hit by a car..
that was very uhhmm.. kind?
^^ another good deed huh?
keep safe!
1 person likes this
@Flowerchild21 (161)
• Canada
25 Jun 08
Well, you did the right and noble thing. I've never seen a mocking bird. I've seen eagles,halks and snowy owls. Anyways,hats off to you for doing the right thing!
@Wizzywig (7847)
•
25 Jun 08
My dad always told me not to pick up baby birds because, he said, if the parents picked up human scent on it they would abandon it. But, if you'd left it where it was, it would have stood no chance at all with cats and other predators so I think you did all you could to help it.
1 person likes this
@janardhan04 (117)
• India
25 Jun 08
you did a right thing by picking up a baby bird from guttar nd living that baby bird on a tree with parent birds.dont bother about what other people talk .you feel like helping the bird and you did it saving a life is wonderful thing in this world.keep up the good work and save the animals and save the world
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
25 Jun 08
Actually, I think he might've been encouraging me. But I don't speak whatever language he was speaking. It didn't sound like spanish and he looked like he might've been oriental. He was grinning and waving.
I hope the parents were able to move the baby higher in the tree.
@cwilson26 (2735)
• United States
25 Jun 08
Aww that was very nice of you to do that. I would have done the same thing. I hate to see anything, animal or human, suffer. :)
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
25 Jun 08
Yes. I think you did the right thing by picking it up and moving it. I always heard that iof we touch or move a baby bird, the parents will not come back to it. I really don't think that is true though because my husband moved a bird nest with some birds and eggs in it, and the parents still came back to it every now and then.
1 person likes this
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
25 Jun 08
You did the right thing, ElicBxn. That baby bird would of been cat food for some outdoor cat if you didn't put it in a tree. Still might be but least it's not on the ground where it would be easy pickings.
-wonders if the resident baby wild bird expert will be responding to this with better advice-
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
25 Jun 08
I guess I could've put it in a box and taken it down to the pound for them to call the wildlife rescue, but I really don't have the gas for that. And I don't have the energy to mess with a baby bird, heck, I barely have it to deal with bottle baby kittens.
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
25 Jun 08
Trying to do the right thing AND you did!! I would've done the exact same thing for it is the right thing to do. Now I'm curious for I'm learning about birds because I love them so much, why aren't they a nice bird? I know they mock other birds but that isn't a bad thing, it's their nature to do that so is there another reason that I don't know about? Blue Jays are beautiful birds but they're not nice ones because they take over other birds nests and kill their young among other things which is terrible but it's nature at it's worst.
1 person likes this
@GreenMoo (11834)
•
25 Jun 08
I can understand how you feel. There was a little bird sitting on my neighbour's window ledge a few days ago. It had obviously managed it's first flight but that was as far as it could manage. It was cheeping piteously and I was really worried about my cats having it. I worried about it all night, but when I went to check on it in the morning it had gone and the cats had been in all night. I'm hoping it made it away safely and it wasn't some other predator that despatched it. It would be a shame for it to be snuffed out before it's even begun.
1 person likes this
