My Little Sparrow
Animal Stories from All-Creatures.org

By Lory Isabelly
May 2013

It’s not uncommon for us to find dead baby sparrows that fall from the rooftop, so when I saw one lying there on the hot pavement one afternoon, I was ready to dispose of it.

To my surprise, it was still breathing. I quickly wrapped it in a towel and took it inside before reading up on the proper care of these little birds. At only 10 days old, it opened its eyes and saw me. From that moment on, she was no longer just a bird…she became my little friend.
 
Every morning I woke up in delight to find her alive and well. Everyday she looked different. Every day we became closer. Everyday, I would bring her outside for some fresh air. One day when she was 3 weeks old, she flew out of my hand unexpectedly and onto the neighbor’s tree. It was evening time and I thought she wanted to leave. The night was chilly and I prayed for my little friend.
 
The next morning, I kept calling out for her. Suddenly, I heard loud chirping on the balcony. I ran upstairs and saw her. It was like a miracle. She made several attempts to land on me but was too nervous. Then she got spooked and flew back to the neighbor’s yard. I sat there and waited. That smart bird came back with a new strategy. She decided to land a few feet from me and hop all the way to her food dish.
 
The following week she didn’t want to go outside and choose to explore the rooms where she could fly around. Knowing I will be leaving soon, I had no choice but to set her free when she was one month old. After saying my tearful farewell, I let her go on the balcony. She looked at me and understood. She left. I cried.

By late afternoon the temperatures were soaring. I kept thinking about her. Four hours after she left, she was calling me on the balcony again. Another miracle. Then I realized this was a form of soft release. In the following days, I let her decide if she wanted to go outside or not. Some days she did but other days she refused to bulge. Usually, she would be back by late afternoon.
 
This continued until she became twp months old. One evening, she refused to go inside. She perched on my shoulders for a while and flew off. My little bird finally found a roosting place. I was happy and sad at the same time.

Since then, she has not spent the night inside but only stops by to feed several times a day. She would hang out with me after eating and perch on my shoulders for a while before flying off. Before dawn, she would be at her favorite spot waiting for breakfast.

I will be leaving in two weeks and I’ve asked someone to leave her food dish out. There will be no one there to chase the other sparrows away from eating her share. I was told this behavior is normal for released sparrow - they will keep coming back until they become fully independent.

I will miss her terribly and that makes me pray more, “Dear Lord, please watch over little bird, please.”

A little sparrow that has no worth in this world found a place in my heart. I will pray for you my little friend…I am sorry that I cannot stay longer.

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