Paraplegic Robin

June 11, 2009 8:50 AM

One of our resident robins has a broken leg. He can still fly, and appears to be taking care of his baby. I was wondering-- if his leg heals, can this robin make it on its own?

Please do not give me resources for helping him, as he seems to be functioning and we're not really animal rescuers, besides which he just flies away. Just wondering what the prospects are for a severely injured animal, and what percentage of them just heal and go on. I have pictures in flickr, but wasn't sure of the etiquette of linking them.

posted by nax to Pets & Animals (8 answers total)

I see one-legged pigeons in NYC regularly. They seem to make do.
posted by crickets at 8:56 AM on June 11, 2009

Leg and foot injuries in birds are really common. Provided that they can remain mobile -- and can therefore keep themselves fed -- they seem to adapt pretty well to it.

Note: This is information gleaned from lots of observation, not from any ornithological or veterinary expertise.
posted by mudpuppie at 10:00 AM on June 11, 2009

He flies? He'll be fine. Well as fine as any wild animal.

A single broken leg isn't really a severe injury to that kind of bird. A broken wing or an internal injury tends to be fatal.
posted by Ookseer at 11:23 AM on June 11, 2009

Small birds like robins generally live only a couple of years anyway. They make two or three nests a year and attempt to raise two or three hatchlings each time. If they all survived we would be knee deep in robins in just a few years. So less than a quarter of hatchlings survive to adulthood and their parents only a few years, to be replaced by the few survivors. Maybe this one will be lucky. I also have seen quite a few one-legged pigeons and seagulls.
posted by JackFlash at 2:47 PM on June 11, 2009

Robins mostly feed on the ground. They are not flycatchers, raptors, or scavengers who feed in the air. Flight offers no feeding advantage other than for escape and migration. A one legged robin will have problems feeding. It's true that many birds do hop on one leg and seem to get around but the fact that you see so few should tell you something. I work in a banding station that has caught and banded thousands of birds over the past 8 years and we rarely ever see one legged birds. Parasites, ticks, deformities - yes. But almost always both legs. I would not give a one legged robin much of a chance of survival.
posted by birdwatcher at 2:53 PM on June 11, 2009

My mother rehabilitates birds. You would not believe some of the things they can survive. Many not only survive but live full bird lives.
posted by sporaticgenius at 3:48 PM on June 11, 2009

Response by poster: We're still seeing him with his leg sticking out at a weird angle. The short lives of robins are one of the reasons we didn't even consider trying to capture and splint him. Sporaticgenius, don't tell your wonderful mother about my cold heart! Thanks everyone.
posted by nax at 8:43 AM on June 13, 2009

Response by poster: We just saw him this morning! Leg still sticking out at a weird angle, but moving well, flying fast if awkwardly. This made me feel really good.
posted by nax at 5:57 AM on July 23, 2009