Just Rescued a Seagull from the middle of the Road

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Stevie777

Native
Jun 28, 2014
1,443
1
Strathclyde, Scotland
Seems to have a injury. took it home and tried phoning RSPB and RSPCA...no answer on phone so what do i do with it. so far she's in a linen basket in a darkened room..ie, my toilet. put in a little water and fish but so far not eating or drinking...dont know why she cant fly, maybe been struck by a car...any ideas.?
 
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rorymax

Settler
Jun 5, 2014
943
0
Scotland
Put it outside in an open fronted box cardboard box, bit of plastic sheet above and below the box, with some newspapers or straw bedding, so that it can leave as it pleases.

In this case i would not worry too much about cats or foxes, is it an old bird, were you able to walk over to it and pick it up without too much fuss?

IF RSPCA responds then good, I guess it is an old or sick bird if you were able to pick it up without much ado; prepare for an unhappy outcome when you check the bird in the am, hoping I am wrong.

I say put it outside, because it will be stressed indoors, and I doubt that your good nature and concern will prevent you from checking on it, I hope your good deed works out well.
 
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Dave

Hill Dweller
Sep 17, 2003
6,019
9
Brigantia
If you search, you may find individual people who advertise in a small way, who look after injured birds, who will come and pick it up.
 

Stevie777

Native
Jun 28, 2014
1,443
1
Strathclyde, Scotland
She looks quite Young. I saw it out the window. it appeared one wing wasn't functioning well, but i managed to pick it up without any hassle. Wonder if it's a head knock as there appears to be a dark mark on the top of it's head.?

If it was a busted wing i would have expected it to either cry out in pain or struggle when i picked it up...Nothing, just accepted me picking it up and carrying it off, loads of gulls were swarming high above my head making a bit of noise though. it's grabbed onto my finger and wouldn't let go when i tried to get it in the basket. wee bugger.

That's what i'll do, i'll leave it outside in the basket, but we do have lots of foxes around here...Circle of life i suppose. It would be a feathery pancake by now if it didn't remove it from the middle of the road...whatever happens, happens. cheers.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,989
4,637
S. Lanarkshire
Fish generally……and the ones round here feast on the dump at Greenoakhill and travel back to Strathclyde Park and further up the valley at night to roost. We see them flying over head in squadrons every evening.

Stevie, if it's still kind of fawn speckily, then it's a youngster and it's either hurt or just tired out. They're still kind of glaikit at that age. They'll land on a road to pick something up and just settle down for a rest :rolleyes:
The adults kind of mob above and make a racket trying to get the daft thing to fly again.

I'd do as you've done with the rspb and rsspca, and hope they respond asap, but I think the advice to put it outside somewhere covered (high if you can manage it, but not where the maggies and crows will go for it right away) and leave it in peace, is sound. If you've gotten any food and water into it, it'll just settle down for a sleep, and then see how things are.

I think the foxes would have it round here too.

M
 

Silkhi

Forager
Mar 28, 2015
202
7
N Yorks
Agree with other comments contact RSPB/others and put it in a minimal shelter outside with food and water. They love cat biscuits but...ok they will eat absolutely anything. Very strange that it didn't go completely psycho mental when you picked it up - hopefully just shock but I too wouldn't be surprised if it isn't dead by morning. Leave it alone as much as you can - stress really is a killer. Plus -

Warning - I (stupidly?) fed & provided shelter for a relative youngster (only very very briefly) that I found sat dazed in my garden years back (my crap cat was sat next to her) and it "repaid" my kindness by visiting for 2-3 days every few months to this day (maybe 6-7 years later). She isn't phased by me (or my cat) at all but disappears sharpish if anyone else is about - she's very intelligent.

She's a real pain to be honest - poops on washing (and tents/tarps I am trying out!), makes a real din VERY early & raids cat food via the cat flap. Luckily her visits are infrequent... Keep at arms length - they are rats with wings!!! Wash your hands if you handle it too.
 

wheelnut

Tenderfoot
Dec 14, 2012
56
0
UK
She's a real pain to be honest - poops on washing (and tents/tarps I am trying out!), makes a real din VERY early & raids cat food via the cat flap. Luckily her visits are infrequent... Keep at arms length
sounds like one of my kids ;-)
 

Stevie777

Native
Jun 28, 2014
1,443
1
Strathclyde, Scotland
I put it outside in a fenced off area with the lid of the linen basket open. watched it from above as it eventually got the courage to leave the basket, Defo something up with it's wing, maybe dislocated or broken. anyway. after about an hour it has disappeared. I'm in Craignuek so there's every chance someone made soup out of it...or it went for a walk??

I'll go with soup.
 

Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
17
Scotland
Sorry Stevie I can't resist it; but if you're going to continue to look after it you've got to give it a name and "Steve Seagull" in honour of you and these chaps comes top of my list.

[video=youtube;e4Ao-iNPPUc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4Ao-iNPPUc[/video]

Hope your bird fared well and that there is a happy outcome should you see it about.
 

Stevie777

Native
Jun 28, 2014
1,443
1
Strathclyde, Scotland
Sorry Stevie I can't resist it; but if you're going to continue to look after it you've got to give it a name and "Steve Seagull" in honour of you and these chaps comes top of my list. Hope your bird fared well and that there is a happy outcome should you see it about.

Ha, Good shout, never thought of that one. When it latched onto the skin of my finger/knuckle and wouldn't let go, you can bet it Christened it...Names that shall not be repeated here. it's gone now. I did my bit, but it's in the hands of the Gods as to what happens next.
 

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