Wild Rescue Finch/Store-Bought Finch

[MiaCarter]

I wrote this reply out yesterday in a document on my computer, while it was all fresh on my mind....


In terms of his species....
I think he's a house sparrow.
http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/bwdsi ... parrow.php

Not positive, but that's the closest one that I found. (Though now I'm more positive as that's the same species that Sheather mentioned)
There are literally dozens of sub-species of sparrow, each with slightly different markings. And they can hybridize with each other too.
But Peep is almost definitely a sparrow and not a finch. His long tail is the primary tell-tale of this.

Here's a couple lists of birds in your region.
http://www.whatbird.com/browse/objs/All ... /Louisiana

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/wildlife/birds-louisiana

As for why he was getting along with the society finch, it was likely due to his young age. Juveniles are easy to get along with but when they turn into adults, their temperament can change.

It's similar to the way you might see a baby tiger playing with a dog. They get along now, but once the tiger is grown up, he's going to be more aggressive.

Sparrows, especially males, are more independent than most finches, which are more social and more tightly bonded into a flock. Sparrow flocks tend to be more lose social structures. They're more dominant for sure. Though I have been able to get some to sparrows live with finches. But it was always a crapshoot as to whether it would be harmonious. Males were always more of a challenge than females.

Also, did you try to house them together when there was a nest in the cage? It's possible that put him into an aggressive breeding mode. So you might try removing any/all nests and nesting materials to see if they get on. But you'd still have Peck entering into Peep's established territory, which is a problem. Rearranging the cage is one option. Putting Peep into Peck's cage would be another option. The third option - and my favorite - is to let them interact outside of the cages.

You might try them outside the cage to see if they can interact in a larger environment. Some birds can't coexist in a cage, but they do well in a larger environment, like an aviary or a bird room or in a bird-safe home.

The fact that he's a sparrow (not a wren; they have pointier beaks and a slightly different body) is actually a good thing because as a rehabber, I saw many more sparrows than I did wild finches. They're a quite common bird to end up in the hands of a rehabber or good samaritan, so if you keep your eyes open, you should be able to find another one fairly easily.

I agree that Peep's chances of release are very remote. He might turn wild again if you put him in a transitional environment, but that would take time and some never fully "get it."

So I would keep handling him and loving him, as yours will likely be the only meaningful relationship he ever forms. Honestly, I'd give him lots of love; teach him to ride on your head or shoulder so he feels close to you, give him lots of good food and re-decorate his cage as I mentioned above. Keep Peck (and get him a couple finch friends) and put the cages side by side so they can see each other. Peep will feel more like he's part of a flock. When the weather is nice, put his cage in an open (screened) window or on an enclosed porch so he can experience the outdoors.

And keep your eye out for another sparrow in need of help. Post an ad on craigslist every once. (Though don't post any personal identifying information since you're technically not supposed to have him.) Just explain that you have a rescue and you're seeking a sparrow companion. I've seen lots of similar ads on there. So there are other people in your situation; it's just a matter of connecting with them. You never know when a friend of a friend will see the ad. I've made some incredible by-chance connects on Craigslist.

I think your school's rehab center will be a great resource. Access to a vet is essential, so it's good that you have this.

Have you treated Peep for parasites and protozoa? With wild birds, you always assume they're infected. So I might treat him if you haven't.

[Sheather]

Actually a house sparrow is legal to keep as a pet because it's introduced, so you don't need to hide it.

[MiaCarter]

Sheather - Ah, see I didn't know that! That makes life easier for them.
I used to have a reference great list of birds that were introduced and native. I've got to dig it up!

An addendum to my post above....
I might also chat with the folks at your rehab centre to find out which other local species may work well with Peep.

If you can't seem to find a local bird that will work, you could try another strategy.
There are some sites (e.g. BirdProducts.com) that let you buy birds, including some sparrow species, and while most are from other continents, there are some that may still be a good option for a companion. It would take a lot of research, though and it would be a crapshoot to a large degree. But worthwhile, in my opinion. (Though I'm the type of person who doesn't mind keeping the new birds, even if they're not great a companion for a particular bird. So that's a consideration. You could end up spending money on a new bird whom Peep hates. So you'll be left to re-home or get a new cage, plus a companion for the new bird so he/she isn't alone. So a lot of potential hassle to consider.)
The chances of him getting along with another sparrow -- even from another continent -- are much better than him getting along with a finch.

You have to remember that male sparrows spend a fair of time alone in the wild and when they do socialize, it's mostly with females. The males don't tend to bond with each other as you see in other species. So determining Peep's gender is important. I strongly suspect male, as his markings looks darker than a female would be (but the photos were quite dark, so it could be deceiving). You won't know for sure until he's fully matured. The telltale will be his vocalizations. Male are MUCH more vocal than females.
I would seek a female companion. That's more likely to be harmonious, regardless of whether Peep is male or female.

[Colt]

Definitely a male House Sparrow. Sparrows are fairly pushy. Just watch a flock in a parking lot for a few minutes. They are also larger than a Society.

@Sheather is right, they are an introduced species (much like the European Starlings) and do not require a permit as they are not an indigenous species and as such are not protected my federal law.

[MiaCarter]

Colt's post above made me think of something worth mentioning.

While House Finches are not protected federally via the MBTA, there are some state and even local laws that prohibit people from owning "wildlife." (In quotes because the definition of wildlife varies. I believe there are some areas where orphaned/injured creatures are exempt. In Florida, many common pet species are exempt if you're a private citizen.)

So it may be worth researching this in your area, just so you know the legalities.
Until you confirm that it's all good, I'd just be tight-lipped about it so you don't run into any troubles. (At worst, the Fish and Wildlife folks could show up to seize Peep and give you a fine. Though someone would have to tell them about your identity and the situation. But I don't know if you have a PO-d relative or neighbor or whatnot who could cause trouble.)

We had a situation with a baby skunk in our neighborhood who was orphaned when its mom was hit by a car. A well-intentioned neighbor adopted it and nursed it back to health, but didn't have the resources to get a license so he could get it de-scented so it could become a pet (They do make lovely pets. I've had a couple skunks, but the neighbor would have needed the right licensing or a vet that could perform the procedure and didn't care about licensing) and he didn't have the desire to make an outdoor enclosure for it. So this skunk was going to spend a life in a dog cage this guy's hot Florida garage.

I wasn't going to let that happen so I contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife folks and they showed up to seize the skunk. He was taken to a nice educational facility sanctuary that works to spread awareness about wildlife. A win-win for everyone.
I guess that situation was representative of the situation that could arise if someone has profoundly different views and views Peep more as a prisoner than a rescue. Just something to be aware of. For that reason, I still wouldn't be too forthcoming about Peep's origins.
Of course, you could get any necessary licensing. But it could be pricey and it subjects you to inspections. I honestly don't think it's necessary because his care requirements aren't super complex like some other species, so there's no need for check-ups to ensure you're providing specialized care and not posing a public safety hazard as would be necessary for something like a big cat. Owning Peep isn't much different from owning a bird ordered from a site like Paradise Earth. (Many of which are wild caught.)

For the record, I think that as long as you outfit his cage with some more natural elements like some stick perches, foliage and a nice foraging bin, and you provide him with lots of time outside of cage and give him lots of social attention, then I think it would be a nice situation for Peep. Certainly equal to or better than what he would have if he were at a sanctuary or rehab centre.

I looked up the Louisiana laws, but I couldn't seem to find anything on captive wildlife permits. The only thing I found were that you need a fishing license to possess certain reptiles, and you need a license to keep large quadrupeds and primates. But nothing on birds. Yet on one page (http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/wildlife/nuisance-wildlife) it explicitly says "Possessing wild animals without a permit is against state law." So go figure.
So I'm assuming that's because they don't exist, but I might chat with your friends at the Rehab centre at your work to double check on this. It looks like there's probably no local or state permits required, but it's just good to know for sure either way.

[flywhoaman]

For the record, we are encouraged by the state wildlife department to trap English or house sparrows (the one pictured is definitely a male) and "eliminate" them here in Texas since they frequently move into purple martin houses and keep them from breeding and nesting successfully. They will push eggs out of the nest box and chase off the purple martins to keep them from re-entering the houses. They will also take over titmouse boxes so, since they are an introduction, they are killed in large numbers. The state feels that reducing the population of these introductions will help repopulate native birds that are competing unsuccessfully.

I would be interested to see if there are any rules about trapping these birds and keeping them as domestic caged birds. I can't imagine anyone would complain unless these same birds were eventually released back into the environment.

[MiaCarter]

flywhoaman - That's interesting.

I remember a similar situation in the Boston area in the 1980s and 1990s with (Euro) starlings. (And I'm sure it was beyond Massachusetts too).
But they didn't encourage the general public to take any sort of action; it was more for trapping companies and hunters.

In fact, I think they would have (and maybe did -- I can't say it's something I followed closely) discourage the public from taking action, as you'd end up with one of three situations: animal cruelty, citizens getting hurt or you'd have people taking wild animals as pets (which I know is usually discouraged for invasive or potentially invasive species, since people inevitably release them. That's often how invasive species end up in a region - released pets.)

But then again, MA is a very political state where hunting is practically taboo and encouraging any sort of harm to animals would spell political death for a politician. Nothing at all like Texas or Louisiana or Florida!
So it's possible that owning a non-native species could be allowed. Perhaps it's not considered "wildlife." Certainly possible.

I know here in Florida, hunters are encouraged to target hogs.
And trapping companies are encouraged to trap invasive species like pythons.

The house sparrow is listed as a non-native species here in Florida too:
http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/birds/

As an aside, look how many parrot species are on that list! Shocking, especially because I've never seen a wild hookbill. I looked at some of the other lists and was shocked to see how many of the animals I see on a daily basis are non-native, like armadillos and lots of those birds.

ETA - I just remembered an interesting story from when I was a kid. My mum was really into nature and animals and animal rights. There was one spring and summer that was the year of the gypsy moth caterpillars. They were everywhere, stripping entire 100-year-old oak trees of their leaves. I remember I literally couldn't sit anywhere outdoors while waiting for the bus because the caterpillar droppings would stain your clothing. And I had to power wash my tree house before playing. It was disgusting. People even tried to save trees by putting strips of tin foil covered with vaseline around the tree trunks.
It was probably in the late 1980s, as I was in elementary school, around 3-4th grade. I remember around that time they were also very get-the-Starlings -- something that really bothered my mum as she was a bird lover.
But then, they backed off and rescinded the get-the-Starlings directives because they found the flocks of starlings were eating lots of the caterpillars! It must have worked because the caterpillars were never like that again.

[buckie74]

Thank you so much for all this information! We did bring Peep to an avian vet... She felt Peep had been pushed from the nest... He had an odd lump on his neck that has now gone away... I don't have a good pic of that. We now have 2 society finches in a cage above Peep's. This seems to be working well. Peep is pushy....! The society finches get along well. Peep "chitters" at them and cranes his neck to get a better look at them but is unable to hurt them. My cat keeps Peep on his toes and the dog as well so we now feel that no one is bored!

Peep

[Ginene]

Such a cutie-pa-tootie!!!

[buckie74]

Today is his birthday! We have had him a year!

[wildbird]

Congratulations! You could give him a couple of mini mealworms. My english sparrow, Sweetheart, lived 13 years.