This is a CROW not a magpie!
This is one very poorly bird that has a severe malnutrition of minerals and calcium. It can take well over a year of a rich diet and supplements until it has had at least one full moult into full black feathers.
Crows are super intelligent and need company of their own kind. They do not mentally cope well with being caged up for long periods of time. Some go insane, die of stress, become depressed beyond help, or hurt themselves by throwing their already weak bodies against the cage bars causing life long injuries preventing them from EVER being released.
Sometimes, a rescue may suggest that putting to sleep a severely white winged crow is the kindest thing. These birds have very little strength as their bones are too weak to be able to fly properly and prone to breaking them, and will succumb to an awful death being ripped apart by other crows, or a predator, while still alive because it cannot fly properly!
Humans are compassionate beings when it comes to animals but put yourself in the birds body, not knowing what is happening and tell me what YOU think the kindest thing to do is?
Luckily this crow will not be put down. She is one very fortunate young bird who will go into rehab with other white winged crows in a massive 20 foot aviary and eventually released outside the breeding season. However, please know that this kind of set up is rare to find.
So what’s the verdict now you know the full facts? What is the kindest thing to do if there is no 20 foot plus aviary and same species friends? Or all rescues are full up? It is a very hard call to make but we have to do what is right for the birds mental, emotional and physical welfare.
The photo here depicts a very poorly crow. This was taken many years ago. We now wear gloves when handling wildlife as standard protocol. Gloves protect the bird from being covered in our natural skin oils which can affect the waterproofing of feathers.
