Chickadee Soars Free Again Despite "Expert" Advice to Squeeze Him to Death

Written by Sharon Nussbaumer (Alberta, Canada)

A chickadee had been hit by a car near our home and was lying in the street. My husband scooped him up and brought him home. He called the local wildlife rescue group and was told to put him in his hand and squeeze him hard, ending his life as there were lots of chickadees around. Well there weren’t a lot around our neighborhood and that was not an option anyway.

My husband then called the Ottawa wildlife rescue group we were familiar with and they gave us instructions on what to feed him. It was a kind of porridge and meal worms. Well, we made the porridge which he didn’t really care for but we went and bought him some mealworms, which he was delighted with. We also fed him sunflower seeds.

We kept him in the computer room in a wide barred cage. He soon felt well enough to depart the cage and fly around the room and liked to perch on top of a mobile we had. After a few days, he seemed back to normal and we let him loose in the backyard. That chickadee never said a word in the house but as soon as he was free, he flew from tree to tree and sang his chick-a-dee-dee for a few minutes to say thank you before leaving to resume his life.

Don’t miss the charming photos of the chickadee in the Nussbaumer’s home.

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Photo Credit: © Fromac | Dreamstime.com

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David N.

1:43PM PDT on Mar 13, 2012

Thanks for the article.

send a green star

Julia T.

3:22AM PST on Mar 1, 2012

The person who they talked to that told them to murder this baby should be squeezed to death themselves..

Debbie C.

7:21AM PST on Feb 10, 2012

Thank you Sharon and your husband for saving this sweet little Chickadee. He was sure lucky that your husband found him and not the so called expert at the local wildlife rescue group.
He knew you guys were the good guys and that's why he sang to you when he got outside.

Teresa W.

11:13AM PST on Feb 4, 2012

thank you

11:12AM PST on Feb 4, 2012

great story

Carolyn S.

2:56PM PST on Feb 2, 2012

What kind of rescue group is that? Thanks for saving him.

Carrie Anne B.

9:44AM PST on Feb 1, 2012

thanks for sharing :)

John H.

7:12AM PST on Feb 1, 2012

I find it very hard to believe that an wildlife rescue group would give that advice.

Silvia W.

5:08AM PST on Feb 1, 2012

Wonderful! I'm so glad you knew the right rescue group in Ottawa! That first group isn't any kind of "rescue" outfit!

Debbie L.

9:25PM PST on Jan 31, 2012

Nice story! I can't believe the local wildlife rescue group told you to squeeze him to death just because there are other out there. It's so cruel and unjust for the chickadee.