Comfortable Accommodations

Friend. Yes, with a little more hope in my heart than when I first took this fellow in, naming came naturally. The question was whether or not I'd taken on a responsibility which would continue through the rest of Friend's life. He was showing no inclination to fly out of the box when I lifted the screen cover away. I noticed that he carried one wing hung low, indicating that it had possibly, probably been broken. From prior experience with an Amazon parrot with a broken wing, I knew that my best course of action was to let it rest and heal. He'd fly...or not...when he was ready.

Here I must insert a caution: rehabilitation of a wild bird is not something the average person should attempt. If you find an injured bird, there are two courses of action available to you. You may either let Nature take its course or if it is possible to do so without risking further injury, you can capture the bird and take it to a veterinarian who will either euthanize it or turn it over to a rehabilitation facility. In Friend's case, I knew that he would be euthanized. However, I was no stranger to handling and caring for ailing birds and was prepared for the commitment required.