Uno was only a pet for five weeks but we loved him dearly. Uno was a Long-Tail Grassfinch whose parents tossed him and his clutch mates from the nest. Of the four chicks to be tossed only Uno survived and he was near dead when I found him.

I could tell from the start that this little finch was going to have serious problems. The right side of his tiny head was badly bruised and swollen. After warming him up slowly he began to move and his color improved. I debated giving him to another finch to raise but none of my foster birds were ready for a hatching, especially one this weak.

I took it upon myself to feed the baby for the first five days of his life. After the five days I knew he would be strong enough to be placed with a foster family. The swelling and bruising subsided rather quickly and he improved greatly in the first 3 days. On the fifth day I found I had grown quite attached to the little baby and decide to finish the hand feeding myself.

By now I could see that his ear and eye on the right side were not forming at all. I knew the eye was going to be a problem but the ear was a surprise. If that much was damaged I knew there could be more damage I couldn't see. Only time would tell.

It was about this time I posted my first article/story about him on my website and asked for name ideas to be submitted. Many of you submitted some wonderful and very creative names and after a few weeks Uno was chosen for the little babies name. Uno was suggested by Christine K. (for privacy reasons I wont post her last name). Thanks Christine!

Uno, now with a name, started growing into a lovely young bird. Feathers came in as thick and healthy as they should. His missing eye was so covered in feathers you almost couldn't tell where the eye was supposed to be. All in all, he looks very good. Then another problem popped up. His right leg. He seemed to have little or no muscle coordination with his right leg. It just flopped around behind him most of the time. I built up his little nest to help bring his leg under his body into a more normal position but he fought me every step of the way.

Now not only will he have only one eye and one ear, he'll also never walk correctly. Again I was thinking, ok I can deal with his. I've taken in other one legged finches, this one will be no different. Uno continued to grow, was healthy and very active. I spent a great deal of time picking him up and putting him back into the little nest only to have him flop out (rather ungracefully, but it got the job done) again. He worked on his flight muscles which I great encouraged. If he could fly he would be just fine. He was still to heavy to fly just yet.

He was eating very (still hand feeding) well and even attempting to sing every time I held him. Now that he had a fully body of feathers I wasn't worried about him getting chilled so I could hold him more often. I really thought we were doing well and I would start weaning him in another week. I gave him a quick feeding before I ran a few quick errands one afternoon, when I got back I checked on him an found him belly up and dead. I really don't know what happened. I was heart broken. I can only guess he had more profound internal injuries that I couldn't detect which finally did him in.

For several nights after his death I found myself back out in the kitchen, where his brooder sat, to check on him. I'll miss little Uno.

Learn more about Handraising a Finch.

Article © Myra Markley 2002