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Sitting behind me in a cat cage, propped up on a towel, is a fairly large and grumpy magpie.

I haven't picked up orphan and injured things for years, and today I hcame across two! I left one as it was a young Mynah that was being herded across the street by a short lady in a sari (fantastic visual, small semi-feathered bird hopping erratically off the street with this woman tottering after it, it was one of those instant smile moments) because if I collected and surrendered it, it's fate was pretty much sealed and at least that way it had a chance with the other woman.

Magpie was a phone call from a friend. He said it might have been there all the day and the night before, he'd thought it was a piece of garbage. He also said that he was not going to touch it because it might bite him and could I please come and pick it up. *sigh*

After hours of course, bloody Murphy's Law, so no vet 'til tomorrow.

It is seriously broken Bright as a button but has no swallow and it can't stand. One leg can move and grip, the other can't/is much weaker, and I think something has punctured a breathing-related important bit up front. Head and tail are mobile but wings are out of commission. I've washed his beak out as it was chocked full of dirt, but I can't give him anything more as I'm fairly sure it isn't going where it is supposed to, he gets very distressed. So I've made him as comfy as possible and propped him up a bit.

Still, essentially I have a fairly large bid with a bobbing head and tail, laying on its belly on a towel.

It is so sad He's clicking the food bowl with his beak. The only thing that is making it a bit better is knowing he's not being eaten alive by ants or mauled by a cat. I have no idea how he's done what he's done. No noticable puncture wounds or skin injuries, and he was far from the road. Given that he can't seem to walk or fly, I'm baffled.

He is off to the vet ASAP. Given that most vets do surgery on natives for free with a view to release I'm thinking he might be considered a bad case for rehab. I think it'll be green dream for the little guy. Still fingers crossed that it is really simple and he is still perky enough that he can be glued back together.

Everybody think happy thoughts for him.

*sigh*



For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Will do Calla! But at least you saved it from a long drawn out death.

Sounds like one very tough bird.

His batteries went flat, poor little guy

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett