If a bird breaks it's wing, can it ever fly again?

[choicepick]

I saw a pigean with a broken wing a couple of days ago, and saw him again today so I took it to the local S.P.C.A and they told me that if the wing is broken they will have to euthanize it becuase a birds bones are hollow, so the wing will never properly heal and it will never fly again. But that if it's just a sprained wing or something else they'll rehabilitate him and set him free. I didn't want to take him as a pet, because I though it would be cruel to keep an animal that is used to flying free locked up in a cage for 8+ hours at a time while I work, with no other birds, and I already have 3 small dogs and a cat. I feel so sad! Is it true the wing really can't be fixed? And would a wild bird ever feel happy flighless at a house? I'm TOO emotional....althouht he's probably already been euthanized I want to make sure I made the right choice.. T-T

he was alone,hungry, and hiding from the wind under cars when I found him...he ate everything I gave him....
note: the SPCA is the only animal welfare association in my city that would take him, all the other places would not even accept the pigeon( I phoned the wildlife rehabilitation centre and they told me they don't take common street animals like pigeons).

[Boomhowwer]

Think of it this way; If you had not come along, the bird would have died either of starvation or it would have been killed by some outside force...(a larger animal, hit by a car, a mean kid...). I would say you made the right decision, and if it had to be euthanized, at least it died in a nicer, less painful way than any of the above.

I seriously doubt that he would have been happy in a cage at your house, or any other house. Feel good for hat you've done and know you couldn't do any better.

[bison223]

awwwwww thats so sweet i have 4 birds of my own and i saw eggs hatch too and wen there a baby ya the wings or real fragile so ya if it is like broken or ripped it can nvr fly again but if it just got sprained it mite so sry thats sweet tho ur awesome dude! XD

[daytoday]

I agree with the other girls. You did the best you could. and that's really sweet and great of you to do that!! It's great to know there's still people that care in this world like you.
Life is life no matter how small. =]

[Cuchi]

A broken wing CAN be fixed...IF it is a clean break, and IF the break is not too old by the time you try to set the wing. The problem with the pigeon is you don't know how long the wing had been broken before you took him to the SPCA.

I would caution you, though, do NOT take a wild animal to the SPCA or the humane society, or animal control, or even to a veterinarian. These people deal primarily with domestic animals - pets - and do not have the expertise to care for wild animals. Nor do they have the licenses that allow them to keep wild animals while they recouperate (although, in this case, the bird was a pigeon, which is not a protected species, and no license is needed.)

Any time you find a sick, injured or orphaned wild animal, you should contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. These people have special training to deal with wild animals, and they also have the required state and federal licenses that allow them to keep wild animals until they are healthy enough to be released back into the wild.

You can find a licensed wildlife rehabilitator here: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm

I am not suggesting that a rehabber would have been able to save this bird - I did not see it, so I do not know how bad the break was, or how old the injury was - but it would have had a better chance with a rehabber than with the SPCA or any other person or organization that deals with domestic animals.