Page 532 - Hand rearing birds second

530 Hand-Rearing Birds

Table 34.6 Supplemented oil.

Ingredient Amount

Fish body oil (omega 3) 7 drops
Cod liver oil 2 drops
Vitamin E 1 drop

Table 34.7 Supplemented calcium glubionate.

Ingredient Amount
Calcium glubionate (23 mg/ml) 10 ml
B complex plus C tablet, crushed 1/20 tablet, to turn solution light lemon‐yellow color
Supplemented oil 1 tiniest drop

Figure 34.3 A Black-chinned Hummingbird chick gaping for a meal. Note the size of the feeding catheter
in relation to the chick’s bill. Source: photo courtesy of Mark Gruber.

Mother hummingbirds regurgitate the contents of their crop into their young. Healthy young
hummingbirds can be observed to open their bills at the approach of their mother and make vigor-
ous “pumping” movements in accepting their mother’s bills. As with many baby birds, the key to
getting them to gape is to find the appropriate stimulus. Blowing on them prior to feeding seems to
do the trick. As the mother hummingbird approaches, the movement of her wings agitates the
filoplumes on the smallest of birds, which stimulates gaping. When the bird is gaping and reaching
up, a “pinch” of insects in the tip of a pair of blunt‐eye forceps can be plunged down the throat into
the crop. Slightly release the grip on the insects and allow the motion of the feeding bird to dislodge
them from the forceps. Remove the forceps and repeat the feeding procedure until the bird ceases
to gape. The author has found that the best posture for this kind of feeding is to brace the forearm
on a flat surface adjacent to the bird in its nest such that the arm can act as a lever over the bird.