Page 526 - Hand rearing birds second

524 Hand-Rearing Birds

Figure 34.1 Black-chinned Hummingbird nestling. Note the full crop visible at the neck, plus many
feathers still in quills. Hummingbirds do well when kept in their original nest inside another container.

­ Common­Medical­Problems­and Solutions

A common problem for orphaned or injured hummingbirds coming into care is that they are cov-
ered with sugar water from finders’ attempts to feed them. Nestlings may often be stuck to the nest,
which can interfere with their movement or even excretory functions. It is important to free the
young birds with warm water as soon as they have been stabilized, and to clean their feathers and
vents. Then, be aware that each bird’s vent must be kept clean until the caregiver is confident that
the bird is regularly lifting its behind and defecating out of the nest.
Young hummingbirds rarely present with medical conditions. There have been occasional anec-
dotal reports of cases of trichomonas in flighted birds and outbreaks of microsporidia in nestlings
in care. These can be treated with one of the nitroimidazoles, when detected (Diane Waters, pers.
comm.). Fungal spores and Escherichia coli are not uncommon in examinations of fecal smears,
but unless some symptoms are evident, the best treatment is usually good nutrition and supportive
care. If a self‐feeding bird is holding its tongue out continually or shows signs of growth on the
tongue, a drop of miconazole lotion (Butler Schein) in 3 cc liquid food may be used to address the
condition (Trish Mazolini DVM, pers. comm.). Oral nystatin is also used for yeast infections
(Hawkins et al. 2018).
Feather mites, which usually appear late in the season, are a common parasite in hummingbird
nests. They can be treated by removing the nestlings from the nest, treating the nest with a miticide
such as Kelthane (Dow Agrosciences), and returning the birds to the nest. Residual mite poison in
the nest usually takes care of any mites remaining on the birds, and this poison, which is very spe-
cific to mites, is unlikely to harm the birds. If the parasites seem to be excessive on a feathered bird,
one remedy is to gently wipe a cotton‐tipped swab dampened in miticide over the outer feathers,
especially at the top of the head.
Another mite, Ascidae, is sometimes found on nestling hummingbirds. This type was first
described by Baker and Yunker in 1964, and now has grown to 60 described species. These little