2 dead birds in a week :(

[TheresaW]

Weekend before last, there was a crow sheltering by the horses water buckets and bath. When I went to fill up, it did fly away, but quite close to the ground, and not very far. It was there the whole time I was at the field, and kept going back to shade by the water. I assumed it could be a fledgling a bit lost. Didn’t see it again, but poo picking last week, I found a dead crow in the field. (Am thinking could be the same one). There were no obvious marks on it, so don’t think fox or badger, as unlikely to be much if anything of it left.

Tonight, I found a dead kestral floating in the bath. Have found rats and mice in the past, but never birds. Talking to my friend, and she mentioned I may need to report because of bird flu. Does anyone know, think I should, or could it just be the heat?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

It sounds like dehydration to me, or simple drowning because the birds were trying to get a drink. We are filling our birdbaths regularly but I was very pleased to see that the spring in our neighbours field is still running well and making puddles, so the wildlife can drink from that. We haven't (touch wood) had any drowned birds this year but we certainly have in the past.

 

[Clodagh]

I would guess they are desperate for water and drowning as they are drinking from unsuitable containers. How sad - not the crow, but the kestel especially. Could you leave a low water container handy for them?

 

[TheresaW]

I was a little sad for the crow, but very sad for the kestral tonight.

I have one of the dogs bowls I keep up there for when the dogs are with me. I could fill it and put it by the horses water for the birds.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I suspect drowning-either leave a shallow trug or rubber skip out with water for them or could you put a breeze block or large rock in the bath for them?

 

[TheresaW]

I’ve got the bath, a massive bucket with rope handles, and 1 large and 1 medium trug, so plenty of choices for the birds. I will look at putting a block in the bath. Got loads here.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I’ve got the bath, a massive bucket with rope handles, and 1 large and 1 medium trug, so plenty of choices for the birds. I will look at putting a block in the bath. Got loads here.

The problem is that any of those would be deep enough to drown even a big bird. I am not convinced that a breeze block is big enough to stick up out of the water in a bath. We have even in past years had small birds drown in the trugs in the stable. Land birds don't seem to understand water.

 

[TheresaW]

I just posted it in our group with the other horse owners around me. Apparently one of the owners had one in their bath earlier in the week. They got there in time and managed to get it out. They are thinking about rope ladders like you see in parrot cages?

Even with the dogs bowls around, they may still try and use the horses.

 

[jgmbng]

I found a dead magpie in a water tub last week and have noticed crows drinking from another one. I think they are desperate and trying to get water from wherever they can even if it is risky.

 

[Louby]

Tbh I hadnt given it a thought until your post, but we had a dead crow in the water trough a couple of weeks ago

 

[irishdraft]

The birds are very thirsty here in the south east we haven't had any rain since not sure when 😨 I fill my bird bath everyday and have a huge variety of birds coming in so please provide water in shallow containers for them

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I’ve got the bath, a massive bucket with rope handles, and 1 large and 1 medium trug, so plenty of choices for the birds. I will look at putting a block in the bath. Got loads here.

even sticking a branch/log in it that pokes out of the top will help. I leave a large kangaroo skip out for our housemartins and swallows in the summer but all my troughs, even the ones for ducks have rocks in to help wild birds (and ducklings and chickens!) out.

 

[texas]

Every year I go through a phase of several dead birds in the water buckets at the height of summer, mostly crows The pidgeons seem to manage to drink and poo in the buckets without drowning themselves, so it must be because crows usually get water from other sources so buckets are an unknown.

 

[JillA]

An upturned plastic dustbin lid works well for mine, for my free ranging hens too. And don't forget the garden birds and the bees at home - I have an old poultry drinker and one of those enamelled poppy dishes. HAve to keep filling them every day in this weather

 

[crabbymare]

If you can leave a log or short plank of wood in the troughs, trugs or buckets them birds that fall in can get onto them and then fly away from them instead of drowning. Horses can still drink round them so its win win

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I've had to fish out dead birds from the water tanks recently, but since I've put small feed trugs full of water next to each tank, it's stopped. I'm refilling the trugs each evening and can see they are bring used for drinking and paddling as feathers floating in them.
Have also got a couple of old water buckets dotted about in the yard too.

 

[skint1]

Had a crow drown in the time it took me to turn on the hose, walk down to the bottom of the field and poo pick my way back up to the trough, poor soul, I felt terrible. Since then I've put a piece of wood in the trough that doesn't interfere with the horse's drinking area but could provide a safe platform for a bird to perch on for a drink, haven't had any more drownings yet.

 

[AmyMay]

Yep, thirst but also a lack of food.

I have bird baths in the garden, but have still found dead birds. More this year in particular. Swallows, bullfinch, blackbirds to name but a few.

I've started feeding again as some of the fledgelings are struggling.

 

[JillA]

I have only recently stopped feeding, and then mainly because the magpies steal all the food before the small garden birds can get it. There will be berries before long now