“One world is marked by a bland forgetfulness, where we do not permit ourselves an openness to the simple, graced beauty that is always with us. The other is marked by attentiveness, aliveness, love. This is the state of wonder, which is commonly treated as a passive phenomenon—a kind of visitation or feeling that overcomes us in the face of something wondrous. But the ground of the word, the old English wundrian, is very active, meaning “to be affected by one’s own astonishment.” (Mozart’s Starling, p 75)
I continue to be astonished by my little starling, Gulliver. I’m pronouncing it Gulli-vair, just in case he’s a she.
I’m beginning to think Gullivair is going to be my pet, but I also found out we aren’t allowed to have them as pets in my state. I’m reading the book, Mozart’s Starling, written by an author in my state who raised one in order to help write her book, and that is how I found out they aren’t exactly legal, but they also don’t enforce it. They only want to discourage the import and / or release of starlings.
It is an excellent book if you want to find out more about how they got here and how they have affected the continent since they arrived. There’s also a lot on the history of the starling in Europe, with Mozart and others. Since they’re native there, they don’t face the same level of despisedness.
He is growing so fast, I will need to start figuring out next steps. Cage. Grown up food. Etc.
He is still being hand-fed every 20 minutes during the day, which has left me no other choice except to take him on the road with us everywhere. He’s been to my mom’s house, a baseball game, my son’s house, and several places in between.
He enjoys hearing me practice the flute next to him. I’m hoping that as a song bird he will decide to learn one or two for himself.
Here he is today. I am so glad he’s not bigger. He looks like a mini-velociraptor.
One word: Incredible!!! In other words: The video's say it all.
ReplyDeleteThis little bird sure has taken you/yours on an altering journey, filled with learning. No doubt you have checked, but one would think a Wildlife Rehab organization/person in your general area would be able to help transitioning your lil' bird to the wild. Most have big flight cages, where birds can safely learn to fly etc. I suppose they have limited resources, but still...what are you going to do when Gulliver starts flapping around? All things I am sure you've thought about. Gosh, you have a big heart!
That, unfortunately, is the problem with rehabbing a starling. They’re invasive, so our wildlife rehabs either don’t take them or will euthanize them. They cannot release them. I could release him under the radar, but the rescue group says he won’t be prepared to live in the wild. I don’t know if I totally believe that because he does still seem wild. If there was a place I could take him for a rehab, I’d have him there in a second. I’d even drive a long ways if I needed to. I truly do not want to keep him as a pet, although that seems where this is leading and I will soon have to decide about buying a large cage. They begin to fly at 21 days and he is approximately 16 days. There is a two week transition where the parents teach them to forage as they hop around on the ground and practice their flying. So, full release would be 5 weeks or so.
DeleteI do have a large cat enclosure that I could probably repurpose for him and even place it outside in the shade during the day to get him used to other birds during that 3-5 week period.
DeleteThe cat enclosure might be your/his best choice for survival? Tough decisions ahead. Just know whatever happens you have gone above and beyond, in his best interest.
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ReplyDeleteWe have a wildlife center here that specializes in rehabbing orphan wildlife. Medicine River Wildlife Center. If you want to contact them for info, their # is 403 728-3467
ReplyDeleteI don’t think I can take him out of the country, or even state. I made a few calls yesterday and left messages, but they haven’t returned them.
DeleteI also ordered a large bird cage because he began flying out of his box and coming to find me.
I think I have a pet now. There’s no way I can release him now that he’s this bonded.