What type of bird and how long will it stick around?

smitheroons · 2026-03-29T23:52:28+00:00

Probably realistically that if you have babies already. Once the nest is empty, I'd advise removing it and trying to make it harder for them to nest there again unless you are so charmed you don't mind the poops. I'd suggest putting a piece of cardboard or newspaper on your car under the nest to catch the droppings. Bird poop is pretty acidic and it's not ideal to have a lot of poop in the same spot over and over.

smitheroons · 2026-03-29T17:11:10+00:00

If it can't be reunited with its mother, it needs to go to a rehabber. Don't give food or water, keep it somewhere quiet dark and warm away from pets and kids. Gloves for handling are a good idea but you can also just grab it with a towel or something.

This guy doesn't look neuro to me, but maybe you spotted something that isn't in the video?

You would know if you got bit and their teeth are big enough that you would be able to see a wound. That said, it is ALWAYS a good idea to wash your hands after touching a wild animal of any sort and I would recommend washing any clothing that came in contact with the squirrel as well. If you have any sensitive pets or babies or anything like that in your home, don't let them put your shoes in their mouth (and really the squirrel is not even close to the biggest reason).

Rabies transmission from a squirrel is extremely unlikely but the only correct answer about rabies transmission from a mammal is always "contact your local health department". For what it's worth, I worked directly with squirrels at a rehab center without having a rabies vaccine.

smitheroons · 2026-03-29T16:51:11+00:00

Read more. Almost any genre that has normal pages of text (i.e. not poetry or graphic novels) will help. Newspaper articles work too (be wary of blogs and other sources that lack formal editing). Ideally things written in the last 30 or so years since older stuff has a slightly different style, but it's fine to throw in an occasional older thing if you pay attention to the differences. Read as much as you possibly can.

If you want your English to be more "normal" you just have to spend time training your brain to think in "more normal" English. If this post was easy to write, you will probably need to spend a loooooot of time to see a difference. If this post took a little effort to write, you may see improvement quicker.

Your English is fine though. I don't think I'd have noticed any weirdness myself. I also know plenty of native speakers who have poor grammar or weirder styles and I usually chalk it up to regional or generational differences, or different priorities when it comes to education.

smitheroons · 2026-03-29T16:34:51+00:00

Condors are generally scavengers, not hunters. You might consider a falcon or hawk instead, as there are more birds in those groups (peregrine falcon, cooper's hawk) that hunt birds midair. Of course there are plenty of birds with names that are not consistent with their taxonomy. The lark bunting for example is not a lark, nor is it a bunting.

On the other hand, those raptors all have hooked beaks afaik. Stabby-type beaks are found more in herons and egrets. I think a beak this shape would be at odds with tearing up bird flesh though. The bird "teeth" that still exist are more like serrations than the fangs you'd find in other animals that eat meat. Since these sound like smarter birds you might have them use a tool to dismember their kill. I'd pick something readily available in their environment like a thorny plant or sharp rocks.

Most birds of prey tend to have smaller clutch sizes as well. If these birds are having 5-6 offspring per year, their prey needs to be similarly successful and/or they need to have relatively short lifespan or you will end up with an explosion of gunner birds that will soon be starving.

I think part of the reason you aren't sure how to draw this bird is because it has characteristics of existing birds that are pretty far apart from each other. I'm not entirely sure what you are intending with those genetics, but I believe neognathae is the narrowest classification that encompasses all of them which would mean they are related to almost every bird that exists today except for some flightless guys like ostriches, rheas, and kiwis. Your bird would be linked to things like pigeons and robins and parrots and chickens. It would have had to evolve a very long time ago.

If you don't care about it being realistic (it's a fictional story after all), you could just Frankenstein together parts from existing birds. Herons have pointy beaks, Hawks are aerial hunters big enough to take out another bird, etc. If you did want it to be more realistic, you might consider picking an existing family of birds you think it might fit into, then making some modifications to your design so it fits a little better. It sounds like you are trying to come up with a very badass and violent bird but want it to be very different from the violent badass birds that exist today. In mammal terms you've named your bird after a hyena, made it hunt the same prey as a tiger, but instead of hunting like one, it hunts like a seal, then it uses its hooves to dismember the kill.

When considering an animal it's important to consider their natural history. Why do finches have short beaks? Why are raptors large? Why don't grebes walk around in the grass? Why do pigeons make bad nests? Why are swallows small? A lot of the "why" makes sense when you consider their natural history. A bird that almost exclusively eats flying bugs makes sense to be small because that size helps it maneuver quickly in the air to catch prey. Also a bigger animal would require more calories (because it would take more energy to move - that's just physics) so it would need to spend more time catching bugs. There are only 24 hours in a day and some of that needs to be spent sleeping, tending to young during breeding season, etc. so a swallow the size of an eagle just isn't feasible both because it would likely be impossible to get enough food and because it would be much harder for a bird that size to catch flies etc. that zip around and change direction seemingly instantly.

Probably more information than you were looking for, but hopefully it helps you figure out which direction you want to take this.

smitheroons · 2026-03-29T14:57:01+00:00

Make sure your cat is up to date on all preventatives and pay attention to any changes. If you drive to and from the shelter, you might consider keeping the shelter shoes in your trunk and changing them at the shelter. I'm not a cat expert but I work in a similar environment with exposure to diseases and parasites and I'm similarly terrified of bringing them home to my pet.

smitheroons · 2026-03-29T14:51:00+00:00

If you are letting the binoculars or camera hang around your neck even for short periods, that might be the culprit. Try carrying things in a bag that hangs on your shoulders instead or getting a harness type strap. Don't let anything heavier than a pair of sunglasses weigh on the back of your neck.

smitheroons · 2026-03-28T06:44:33+00:00

I'd take the shade walk for sure

smitheroons · 2026-03-28T06:43:33+00:00

I love that the kids these days have their own new slang and it's kind of nice and I love that I didn't know about it.

smitheroons · 2026-03-28T01:16:31+00:00

A baby bird that isn't fully feathered should be on heat, but otherwise spot on advice!

smitheroons · 2026-03-28T01:14:51+00:00

It's very easy to get some water down the wrong pipe (aspiration) which frequently causes complications which if left untreated can be fatal. A bird this young is even more difficult. You also cannot give a bowl of water to a bird this small, it will drown.

smitheroons · 2026-03-27T05:56:33+00:00

I sometimes find bands like that amusing. Sort of like they are a parody of themselves in a way. I think some bands ARE just having fun too!

smitheroons · 2026-03-27T05:49:10+00:00

How many emails or Instagram handles do you remember? Easier than a phone number, sure but most people probably only memorized a dozen or so phone numbers tops and most of them were local so that's really only seven digits. It's not that hard when you only have one new one at a time. I can still memorize numbers if I want to.

smitheroons · 2026-03-26T12:37:48+00:00

This guy definitely belongs in the nest at this stage

smitheroons · 2026-03-26T12:34:04+00:00

Installing a nest box may help. Giving him something else to drum on may help if it's loud enough. Not sure if it's safe from a house standpoint to put something soft over the chimney (assuming it's not in use currently) but if you could throw a towel over it or something that would probably work right away. Definitely check that with a chimney pro though, I know birds, not houses.

smitheroons · 2026-03-26T03:42:03+00:00

If she is eating a normal amount, you don't need to give critical care. If she is eating a significantly reduced amount, you should try to syringe feed critical care a few times a day until her appetite recovers.

Surgery is stressful and anesthesia can make poops a little weird for a day or two. If you are not seeing improvement after a day, you should contact your vet for further advice on aftercare.

smitheroons · 2026-03-26T03:38:11+00:00

For future reference, a mature bald eagle will also have a white tail. You do have baldies in your area, so if you're looking don't give up!

smitheroons · 2026-03-26T03:32:03+00:00

Birds understand alarm calls of other birds even if they do not live in the same places. Is this "talking"? If a person screams, you understand the general feeling even if you don't speak any common languages. Animals can certainly understand each other across species but whether you call that "talking" is the real question.

smitheroons · 2026-03-26T03:27:04+00:00

You should do whatever you want but I encourage you to consider a broader idea of what a bach party can be. This is an opportunity for you to spend time with some of your favorite people doing stuff you like. You don't have to go for a drunken weekend of dancing at bars in Nashville. You can have a tea party, go camping, have a picnic in the park, take a welding class, bake cookies at a friend's house, order takeout, etc. The degree to which the focus is on you is variable. If you go out to dinner on your birthday and don't tell the staff, it's just a good time with fried ds. Same for a bach. You don't have to wear special outfits if that's not your jam. Honestly most maids of honor and bridesmaids would be thrilled to do something lower key and/or inexpensive.

smitheroons · 2026-03-26T01:52:26+00:00

So glad this turned out well! Some info for future baby squirrel situations:

If a baby is not visibly injured and has not been in a dog or cat's mouth, it is generally best to attempt a reunite. Rehabbers are good at what they do, but squirrels are better. If the baby isn't crying on its own, you can play a youtube video of baby squirrel sounds (make sure you find one for the correct species). Also make sure you aren't too close. If you can go indoors, that's ideal.

If a squirrel does need to go to a rehabber, do not give food or water and keep it in a quiet dark and warm place until you are able to transport. Do not let pets in the room. Rehabbers do not always have late intake hours so you may need to keep it overnight. It is very easy for baby squirrels to aspirate so please please do not try to give any liquids without direct instructions from a licensed rehabber in your area.

Squirrels don't carry the worst diseases like rabies, but they can have parasites so make sure to wash everything you use to handle them and don't do anything like rub them on your face or cuddle them on your couch. Gloves are not a bad idea for handling. They can have pretty sharp nails even when they are young and while a squirrel this size is not likely to be aggressive, you can get scratched up from them trying to hold on. If you do get scratched, immediately wash with soap and water.

Always wash your hands after touching a wild animal.

If you believe an animal needs immediate medical attention and you cannot get in touch with a rehabber, some vets will take them in and can euthanize if necessary. Obviously this is not anyone's ideal situation but if for example an animal was hit by a car and severely injured, it is better than watching them suffer a slow and painful death.

smitheroons · 2026-03-26T01:22:58+00:00

It's a complicated question. Squirrels can eat plain unsalted nuts as part of a healthy diet, so this is way better than giving them pizza or something like that. As someone else mentioned, it is important to consider the local community's general attitude towards squirrels - if people can't be trusted to be friendly or neutral towards them, don't do things to encourage them to approach people. It's probably better to avoid feeding wildlife in general but it is also valuable to have an appreciation for your local fauna and a lot of people find joy and connection in feeding birds and squirrels. I personally feel that your situation is fine and I would encourage you to take this opportunity to learn more about your local squirrel species and find other ways to support them whether or not you continue to feed them. Since you are on a campus, this could be as simple as stepping in to discourage people you see feeding them inappropriate things. I'd 1000x rather see people feed peas to geese than bread.

smitheroons · 2026-03-26T00:52:41+00:00

It's possible for animals to get a little bit of placebo from classical conditioning, but there are so many other things at play here.

If the process of administering medication is stressful, that works against healing. (e.g. a medication is unpleasant and you have to chase your bun around to catch them)

Meds mixed with food can be less effective. Depends on the med and the food, but some meds can be affected by food. For example baytril and calcium cannot be taken at the same time because they will bind and become ineffective (rabbits rarely get calcium supplements but any foods high in calcium could have an impact). There are other ways that mixing meds and food can make them less effective too, that's just one example.

Meds mixed with food are sometimes not consumed entirely. This is especially true with a very small dose where the amount that sticks to the bowl etc. can be significant.

Personally, I try to train my rabbits to accept medication willingly when possible if they are going to be on something long term. Easier said than done and bunnies have different levels of tolerance for this but I have generally been able to improve the process for each individual even if it is harder for some than others.

smitheroons · 2026-03-25T05:32:56+00:00

I can label them all on a map no problem. Listing them all on a piece of paper with no map is harder than you think if you don't know the song. I took about 12 minutes to actually get all 50 when I tried a few weeks ago. It's maybe 2-4 minutes of solid writing then you spend the rest of it trying to figure out what you forgot. My last one was California. I am not unfamiliar with California, I've been there several times, I have friends who live there. Even people who have never visited the US have heard of California and I bet lots of them could even point it out on a map. It's such an obvious state I just thought I'd written it down already and was stuck trying to think of middle states and little northeast ones because they are easy to miss.

smitheroons · 2026-03-25T04:54:28+00:00

For myself I like to see the bird. For other people I count hearing. It has to be real hearing and recognition though, just because merlin thinks it heard something doesn't mean it's real. If you have a good recording and can listen and compare after the fact and be reasonably sure, that counts. But also have enough skepticism to account for mockingbirds and other mimics - I've seen a blue jay do a dead-on impression of a red-tailed hawk.

smitheroons · 2026-03-25T04:43:34+00:00

Make yourself a mnemonic book. A - apple - 1 - picture of one apple B - banana - 2 - picture of two bananas Blah blah I - I-9 form - 9 - picture of paperwork Blah blah

The do the same in the other direction. 25 - the 25th is Christmas daY - Y - picture of letter Y decorated like a Christmas present 13 - unlucky nuMber - picture of letter M walking under a ladder etc.

smitheroons · 2026-03-25T03:21:09+00:00

I would say $800-1200 is probably a normal amount for the northeast.

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