ServiceMini
Well-Known Member
Hello everybody! I am starting this thread to document raising an orphaned European Starling (sadly their siblings were already 'gone' when I got to them). Sadly no rehabbers would take her in due to them being an invasive species. Luckily in NY it's legal to raise them, as long as you do not release them. In some other states it's mandatory to put them to sleep. I want to share as most people haven't been able to see one of these amazing birds grow up, and it's such a fast process.
7 Days Old (first got her)
In this photo you can see how deep red her skin is. Deep red skin and skin that doesn't spring back but stays raised if you lightly pull it up behind their neck are both signs of serious dehydration. If you find babies who are making noise constantly, red, and whos skins don't go back into place quickly then it's a good idea to contact a rehabber.
This is later the same day. You can see how much lighter they are. It's important to rehydrate them before feeding them. And to Never give them liquids, or anything too moist or they will asperate. I prefer using grapes, they have a high enough water content to rehydrate them enough for special starling food. At first I was feeding her roughly every 15 minnuets, then every 30 minnuets for the rest of the day. Her eyes were partly open, and tiered looking.
Day 8
She is now able to stand and is eating every 30-45 minnuets. She now associates me with food, so when hungry she opens her mouth and chirps at me. She's able to stand now, and can wobble around better than she could yesterday. Her eyes are fully open and bright. She likes to sleep in my hand, and she'll grip me with her toes. She also moves in her sleep, tiny wing flaps and squeezing my fingers with her toes.
Day 9 (day making this post)
Today she is bright and energetic. She prefers sleeping in my hand rather than her 'nest'. She is currently asleep in my hoodie. She knows my voice, and seems to enjoy watching videos with me. Whenever I speak, she'll start quietly peeping. When others speak, she is silent but turns to watch them. She prefers anybody holding her than her nest with her heating pad under it to keep it warm. When I can't hold her, she is in her bowl-nest. She only calms down when I put a tissue over it to block her view. She tried grooming herself for the first time today. I was lightly rubbing her wing, and she turned around to groom it. At first she didn't atually touch herself, but now that it's been a few hours, she atually takes hold of her pin-feathers and is working the covering off of her feathers.
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I hope that others here enjoy watching Button grow.
I plan on posting updates up untill she starts talking (Starlings are known to be amazing talkers), or mimicking noises and has her adult feathers. Possibly other fun milestones like her learning to fly, or taking her first bath.
7 Days Old (first got her)
In this photo you can see how deep red her skin is. Deep red skin and skin that doesn't spring back but stays raised if you lightly pull it up behind their neck are both signs of serious dehydration. If you find babies who are making noise constantly, red, and whos skins don't go back into place quickly then it's a good idea to contact a rehabber. This is later the same day. You can see how much lighter they are. It's important to rehydrate them before feeding them. And to Never give them liquids, or anything too moist or they will asperate. I prefer using grapes, they have a high enough water content to rehydrate them enough for special starling food. At first I was feeding her roughly every 15 minnuets, then every 30 minnuets for the rest of the day. Her eyes were partly open, and tiered looking.Day 8
She is now able to stand and is eating every 30-45 minnuets. She now associates me with food, so when hungry she opens her mouth and chirps at me. She's able to stand now, and can wobble around better than she could yesterday. Her eyes are fully open and bright. She likes to sleep in my hand, and she'll grip me with her toes. She also moves in her sleep, tiny wing flaps and squeezing my fingers with her toes.Day 9 (day making this post)
Today she is bright and energetic. She prefers sleeping in my hand rather than her 'nest'. She is currently asleep in my hoodie. She knows my voice, and seems to enjoy watching videos with me. Whenever I speak, she'll start quietly peeping. When others speak, she is silent but turns to watch them. She prefers anybody holding her than her nest with her heating pad under it to keep it warm. When I can't hold her, she is in her bowl-nest. She only calms down when I put a tissue over it to block her view. She tried grooming herself for the first time today. I was lightly rubbing her wing, and she turned around to groom it. At first she didn't atually touch herself, but now that it's been a few hours, she atually takes hold of her pin-feathers and is working the covering off of her feathers.------------
I hope that others here enjoy watching Button grow.
I plan on posting updates up untill she starts talking (Starlings are known to be amazing talkers), or mimicking noises and has her adult feathers. Possibly other fun milestones like her learning to fly, or taking her first bath. 
