Not often you get this close...

[Motu]

Nearly stood on this little girl on my walk around the lake this morning,I was actually about a metre away,but zoomed in for a close up.No damage I can see,and she can almost fly.They have rabbit bait out in this area,so she might have got poisoned somehow.No point bringing her home,nothing I can do....if she dies,then she can die at her own home.I took her off the path and put her safe and camouflaged under some trees.I'll check tomorrow.

[Katman]

I'll check tomorrow.

I think you should go and check now.

[Boob Johnson]

Garden variety sparrow?

[hayd3n]

I met this little girl, on my walk around the lake this morning,.

that chicks a bit young for you,
Dont ya think?

[Ms Piggy]

Is she a fledgling? Possibly a bit too early though eh.

A lot of fledgings have limited flying/flapping abilities but otherwise are okay. I chased 1 around for a good 15mins (made me late for work) cos I thought it was a sick bird, I rang the SPCA only to be told to let it go cos they normally die if the SPCA take them in...I lived in a flay with 1 cat upstairs and 2 cts downstairs...suffice it to say I didn't see the fledgling when I got home that evening!

[Motu]

I'm pretty sure it was a full grown bird,it's too early to have one at this stage so early in spring.She was just sitting with eyes closed like she was asleep.

[Maha]

Maybe someone had just read it a... 'Bird Time Story'.....

[McDuck]

Near any orchard or vineyards? One of the bird control measures is poisoned grain, if you see a native that has been poisoned wrap them in a towel and put them in a warm place, how the poison works is the poison affects the birds ability to keep itself warm and thus the bird dies, if kept warm the bird will be ok by the next day (after being in a warm environment)

[tri boy]

You old softy motu.
Sparrows are nice little birds.
Not like those bloody English rooks that have some how started to get a foothold in the Waikato.
Environment Waikato doesn't want anyone to try and shoot them, as if you f%%k up, they will up nest and establish in another area, and grow the population spread. Nasty big black feckers. Maggies are no match for them.

[Usarka]

I is close toose!

[Motu]

I had a look this morning,and can't find it,so hope that is good news.I found a rabbit bait trap behind the flax bush next to where I found the bird...maybe a rabbit pulled some bait to the ground....but then you would think it would happen more often.Maybe it does,and they just don't sit on the path.I put her in some leaf litter that was perfect camouflage for a sparrow - so good that when I took a photo,it was of a leaf,not the bird!

A couple of huge cats patrol the area,there are hawks,moreporks and stoats - but I think she got away ok.