We have an injured juvenile downy woodpecker and have made several calls to local avian vets, rehab facilities and wildlife sanctuaries. Thus far, no response. While I still hope to hear back from someone knowledgeable who can take him, what do we do if they don’t? He has an injured wing, but otherwise is in good spirits. If he survives his injury, but can not fly, what are the odds that we can raise him in captivity? We have managed to feed him a couple of mealworms, but after that….? Has anyone else done this or had experience with this kind of bird? Thank you in advance.
I am sorry, but we too, have found and injured woodpecker, and we ha dthe same spirts as you did to save the poor thing, but once it’s wing gets broken, there is not way to repair it, and even if it did get repaired, there would only be a small chance that it would work. The facility also told us that a bird without it’s wings is not life at all for them. The best thing for you to do is make it comfotable and let it have some food and water as it would like. Just wait it out, and let the facility take care of it.
The same thing has happened to me.
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Maybe this site will have a rehab facility that you haven’t tried. http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm
Since it is illegal to keep the downy woodpecker unless you have the proper permits, it is very important to locate a licensed facility that will take him.
You did not say if this is a nestling or a fledgling, or how badly his wing is injured. Basically, until you find a facility that will take him, keep him warm and quiet (no pets, kids, or excitable people around him), and just continue to offer the mealworms and see what happens.
former volunteer – Avian Rehabilitation Center
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