What do you feed a baby magpie that has fallen out of it's nest?

[Hamzybob]

My next door nieghbour has found a baby magpie and it won't eat or do anything besides just lie down, what does she do?

[ireneo]

First I'm surprised that you still have baby birds in your area. Usually by this time of year most birds (except pigeons) have finished their breeding and are getting ready for migration. Any idea how old the bird is? That is - does it have feathers or down? Does it have any tail feathers yet - stubby or long? If it has feathers over most of its body and some stubby tail feathers, then it's a fledgling. The behavior is not good. It could have some injuries that you haven't found yet. A small puncture wound from a cat or internal injuries from a fall. Call around to your local Humane Society or Dept. of Fish and Wildlife to locate a wildlife rehab center near you.

Another thing to consider is the fact that the Magpies are part of the Corvid family and are being hardest hit by West Nile Virus. So this bird may be sick. Don't worry about touching the bird since WNV is typically passed by way of mosquitoes. I handle thousands of wild birds every year and haven't picked up WNV yet.

One last note: Magpies are omnivores and eat most anything. So soaked cat chow, hard boiled eggs, fruit and insects would provide a decent diet in the meantime. Still, the bird sounds sick or injured and needs professional help. Good luck.