My well meaning, animal loving partner may have just kidnapped a fledgling sparrow
My partner saw what appeared to be an injured bird while he was at work. He thought maybe it hit a window and was just stunned, but he went back to check on it several times in the last 2 hours of his shift and she had only moved a few feet away.
He came home and told me he had an injured bird in a pastry box (he works at a bakery). I prepared a cardboard box to transfer the little buddy to. It was 11pm so no rehab facilities are open.
I’m pretty sure she’s a fledgling and was probably just waiting around for mom, but the fact that she was there for a couple hours does concern me.
The area has a pretty large stray cat population, so of course my partner was worried she might get eaten if he left her there overnight.
She’s currently in a box with holes in our garage in the dark. We have cats so bringing her inside is not an option. It’s 75°F so I’d estimate our garage is probably around 78-80. We’re in central Texas so it gets a lot hotter during the day here (she will be moved before it gets hot, just reference to her natural habitat).
Our current plan is for him to take her back to work with him in the morning (9am) and see if mom comes around for her. If she just sits out there alone for a couple hours, I will come get her to take to a rehab facility.
Is this the right plan? Should I just take her straight to the rehab in the morning? Is there anything else we should do for her in the meantime?
The rehab doesn’t open until after my partner already has to be at work so we cannot call ahead of time to ask what they recommend.
My partner is absolutely distraught that he might have accidentally kidnapped a healthy fledgling from her mother. I’d love to pass on any reassurance that she’ll be okay.