A few years ago I raised a starling from about a week old, I found it on the sidewalk while walking home with a bag of groceries. As a former vet-tech I had some ideas what to do, but was sure glad to find this site to confirm that I did indeed have a starling baby and that what I was feeding and how I was caring for it was what I should be doing!
The bird did not imprint on me, it started to when it was very young (loved to snuggle up against my neck just under my hairline) but once it had all its feathers and could stay outside I hung its cage up in a corner of our front porch right beside a starling nest and other than feeding, it was more associated with the wild birds comings and goings.
It rapidly grew and discovered its wings, I had a few close calls with it hap hazardously flying (flapping and flopping to start) further than it should and getting lost in the garden but it quickly developed its wings and at that point I started leaving the cage door open. One morning i lifted him out of the cage and off he went into the neighbours tree...he came back later that day for food, did the same for a few more days then off he went and did not return.
I did see him, or I thought it was him, pestering a momma starling for food, and I prefer to think that she gave him a handout and he survived along with her brood. I hope so!
My Mum raised a Robin in a similar fashion, altho she kept him in the house longer, once she let him outside he would come and go for food gradually tapering off her assistance. He would come and land on the grass in front of her porch and hop up and sit with her, then fly down and scrounge around the yard..and he did come back for a couple of years after as well, it had to be him because he would land right at the front step and not be put off by humans coming and going.
That's my "best bird" story. :-)
Joann
