If you’ve ever broken a bone you’ll know how traumatizing the experience can be. When birds break their wings they feel traumatized as well. Wings are necessary for flight and for the survival of the bird so breaking it would be a pretty big deal. If you’ve found a bird with a broken wing and would like to know if the bird can survive then read on

A bird with a broken wing can survive but whether or not it survives depends on how severe the damage to the wing is. Best-case scenario, if the bird isn’t injured too badly, the bird can survive, if the bird is badly injured then it won’t be able to survive unless you take it to a vet for treatment.

Can a bird with a broken wing survive?

The bird’s healing process is somewhat similar to our own, though it may have a stronger immune system in some ways. Some birds heal on their own with just some little home care. However, it is important to get the bird to a vet as soon as possible for treatment.

A bird with a broken wing will survive depending on the severity of the injury. The most important thing to do is to ensure proper handling of the bird to avoid pecks and scratches. You could wear gloves or use a towel to cover the bird and safely transport it.

Apart from protecting yourself from being hurt by the bird, you will also be protected from the bird’s injury infections.

Can a bird’s broken wing heal on its own?

A bird’s severely broken wing cannot heal on its own, it would need some home care or vet care.

The broken wing should not be moved frequently, an immobilized wing will heal better. If you have such a situation, examine the bird to find out the extent of the injury.

If the injury is minimal then the bird will not need surgery, you can clean the wing with disinfectant and then wrap it with tape to keep it in position.

After this, take it to the vet to confirm everything is just right, as well as to get any medication needed to fight off any infection.

How long does it take for a bird with a broken wing to heal?

The size of the broken wing will determine the length of time it takes to heal. Larger birds take longer to heal.

Typically, it takes anywhere from one to three weeks for a bird’s wing to heal. During this time, you should consult your local vet, they will advise on the proper care to give to the bird.

You might love the bird, but you may need to hand it over if required to do so by the vet. It will have better care in their hands. If you’re allowed to keep it, follow the instructions provided by the specialist to give the bird the best homecare.

Not all birds heal at the same rate, so you will have to monitor the bird to determine when it can use its wing again. The vet will give you more specific advice on your bird’s healing rate.

Will a bird die if its wing is broken?

Unfortunately, some bird injuries are too great to be treated. Keep such a bird under care hoping that it will recover would be torturous. Especially for birds that fly long distances and flock together.

Some flocking birds will automatically evict an injured bird to avoid attracting predators.

Keeping a bird with a life-threatening injury will not help it recover.

Consult with your local veterinarian to find the best course of action for the animal. It helps if you let go of a bird that cannot be saved.

Happily, some birds survive in captivity with healed injuries.

Can birds fly with one wing?

Birds cannot fly with one wing if the other is completely injured. In this case, the bird will have to live in captivity in an animal sanctuary. You need to identify the extent of injury to gauge whether the bird will, or will not, survive back in the wild.

On a positive note, this injured bird will help bird specialists learn more about it and this may result in more specialized bird care for its kind.

Conclusion

In conclusion, yes a bird can survive with a broken wing, depending on how severe the broken wing is. If the bird is severely injured then it will not survive on its own and will eventually become prey to a prey animal unless it’s taken to a vet.

Different birds take a different amount of time to heal, for a more accurate range you would need to speak to your local vet. But as a general rule of thumb, larger birds take more time to heal and smaller birds take a shorter amount of time.

Birds cannot fly with only one wing, if they don’t heal the broken wing the bird will die if it’s injured severally enough and let out into the wild.

If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Baby bird breathing with mouth open, why and how to help, Bird bleeding from the foot, why and what to do, Bird bleeding from its beak, what to do, Do birds smell bad?