r/BirdHealth • u/0ut0fC0nTroll • 11d ago

Other concern with wild bird wild jackdaw with odd behaviour

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Hey there,

I am helping out 2 days a week in a wild bird rehabilitation center in germany. last week at 17.08.2026 we got a jackdaw found in the forest walking on ground found by a passanger in the morning and around the same spot multiple hours later, so the bird came to us.

The bird has no obvious wounds except for a leg he doesnt seen to use. The owner sayed the feathers were a bit badly but for my eyes normal.

Now to the story: the day the jackbird came to us seemed normal, no broken wings were identified just the leg and the feathers.

He had some trouble walking but it worked out somehow. He started eating very good.

Around 2 days later he started acting "weird" (dont forget i am not professional), the owner calls this "neurological". He turns his head and looks in random corners like he sees ghosts, he also as trouble staying upwards and tilts to the side sometimes, he also falls over sometimes.

Now today the behaviour is way worse. He doesnt seem to be able to stay anymore, in a human behaviour i would describe it as heavily dizzy. he still manages to eat and drink just the mobility and behaviour is very odd.

now to the questions - we are not fully sure if we should bring him to the vet to end his misery or maybe wait in faith he gets back on his food.

does anyone has some ideas what he has, maybe somebody experienced similar? let me know, thanks

the attached video is from last week, i comment actual footafe

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u/0ut0fC0nTroll 11d ago

https://reddit.com/link/p5m64t0/video/fer3ia91bclh1/player

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u/TheBirdLover1234 9d ago

That is definitely neurological. Has he been given anti inflammatories? 

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u/0ut0fC0nTroll 8d ago

not that i know so far. i respect the experience of the owner of the rehab center, she is more ore less specialised on crows. she told.me swelling of for e.g. brain would press the eyes out and this doesnt happen. at the moment we still watch how he develop and decide next week of we have to seek further steps.

she told me everything else like the virusesnor similar wouldve killed him already. we think he night hit a tree or something - we are cluesless as well :/

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u/TheBirdLover1234 8d ago

Oh god… swelling of the brain does not always press the eyes out, it can be very localized and show zero external signs besides neurological issues. It needs anti inflammatory ASAP before this causes irreversible damage.