Need Help With Purple Finch

This little guy has been hopping around and on my front porch for the past 2 days. He has been puffed up this whole time and flies just high enough to get away from me. It has been warm for the past 2 days so the puffed up look concerns me. I don't know if he is sick, or stunned from an accident or something else. DH said he wouldn't make it through the night as the temps have fallen from 70 degrees earlier today to a low of 13 degrees tonight. The winds are very bad too and possible snow.

Anyway...I couldn't stand the thought of the cold or a cat killing him so now I have him in a bird cage with some water, suet and sunflower chips. He has been eating all along and I also just put a twig from a cedar tree in the cage. The cage is coverer up in the garage about 5 feet up. It will get cold in there tonight and I'm not sure what else I should do. I keep a small heater going for the 2 big dogs that sleep there but they are used to it.

Can anyone give me some advise...who to call...bring him indoors and put in a "cold" room...any help appreciated.

Here are 3 pics I took earlier today.

Thanks,
Rose

Here is his other side.

Here is a close up!

Oh, dear, I wish I could help out--he looks like he isn't very healthy and does need some help... I hope you get some good advice soon.

If you have an Audubon Society or local birding club (google on the 'net for contact info) they can send a licensed bird helper out to assist you...

Yes do that Rose, they should be able to give you the number of a wildlife rehabilitator.
Maybe check for numbers of nature centers near you.

Maybe even a local vet would know some information about that.

Good Luck! The fact that he's eating is a great sign.

Pelle

Thank you for your suggestion Tab. I just emailed the Audubon Society in SW Mo. I hope it doesn't take too long to get an answer. I am checking the net for other info but if anyone has any websites please feel free to post a link here. I read where sick birds should be kept warm so I have brought him inside the house as he is still puffed up in the corner of the cage. I have his cage covered up for the night. I will call the Conservation Dept. tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Rose

We crossed posts Pelle. He has been eating all along but just whatever has dropped on the ground. He really ate well when I put the sunflower chips in his cage so I know from working with the cows that if they eat it is always a good sign.

Thank you,
Rose

Here Rose.

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm

Pelle, that wild life re-hab link is really good to know about. That would be a good one for a sticky--or is it already on it?

Thanks for posting it. t.

Thank you for that link Pelle...unfortunately the little guy didn't make it. I looked him over very carefully this am and couldn't see any visible signs as to what his problem was. I know he was having respiratory problems...could be he was just plain sick.

Thanks again,
Rose

Here is a link to bird diseases. http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/DiseasedBirds.htm

I'll put it in a little later tab.

Oh dear! I am less than a hundred miles east of you and killed a mosquito yesterday. They carry the west nile virus that devestated my local bird population. Could you baggie him up and freeze him for the conservation agent or the local health department to test for avian diseases?