My grandchildren discovered a baby birdie lying at the base of our ash tree today. We can't see a nest, so don't know what to do with it. He is alive (pooped on my leg), but not lively.

It is 4" long and has yellow and gray markings similar to a lesser goldfinch, but the beak is gray and thinner like a robin's. He has feathers, but still a little bit of baby fluff too.

Should I try to feed it? I offered a spoonful of water, but it refused.

Does it want a worm or birdseed or what?
.

If it has a pointy beak, as opposed to a thick beak like a sparrow, that means it eats bugs.

I raised a robin once back when I was in college..I fed him
dog food, offered on a toothpick.

It might be a warbler.

I'd try to give it water with a eye dropper.

Will it perch on your finger? If you put it in a box, with some
sticks will it sit on one? If it is too weak to do that, you
cannot let him loose,safely.

Warblers take their babies with them while they hunt.
We have them up North. They bring them to our makeshift
bird bath. I have a picture somewhere...let me see.....

I'll be back.

I forgot it does not have the RAM this one does!

Anyway here is a pic from 2007.... a mother warbler with her
baby--at the bird bath we made...it is just a saucer from a large plastic planter...with a stick.

Does it look like this?

The youngster is on the left, the adult on the right.

It is a little blurry, because I had to really zoom it, and some
vibration is hard to control (I am getting old)...

What I do when I find a youngster like this is put it back on a branch where I found it. (so the cats can't get him). He will cheep and call the parent. But if yours is too weak, that would be a problem.

Well, it looks more like your warbler than it does any of the 25 birds pictured in my copy of "Backyard Birds of Utah."

So, what do they eat?

I will watch for the parents in the morning. He can sleep in his little flannel-lined box tonight.

BTW, very nice photography, mrsd! Thanks for your help!

If you have ground turkey/hamburger, or dog food in a can,
try giving him that. Just a little bit on the end of a toothpick. You might have to nudge him a bit,
but don't force him. Babies open the beak pretty easily and quickly. I've done baby birds twice in my life.

See if he will perch.

If you put a drop of water on his beak (at the tip) and do not
cover his nostrils, see if he will open and drink.

Once he is used to that, try the food. I'd really try to feed and water him tonight. He may not last til morning if not fed. They eat alot at this stage.

I have ground beef. Raw is what you're talking about, right?