This is the stomach churning moment a newborn baby bird has maggots – pulled from its head.
The Rufous-bellied Thrush was rescued after falling from its nest last Saturday on the Governador Island in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Dr. Tatiane Ferreira took the fragile young bird just a few days old to the local vets to be treated.
Colleague Dr Matheus Marcal donned latex gloves and gently felt under the birds skin for the wriggling larvae which were infesting its body.
The bird squawked in pain as Dr Marcal gently squeezed and pulled four maggots from the bird’s head, one from under its beak and three from its wing.
It is now being cared for at the Ilha Animal clinic until it is strong enough to recover and be released into the wild.
”This is a Rufous-bellied Thrush that fell from the nest on Saturday and was rescued and brought to the hospital. At this point the gender is undefined, only with DNA examinations could we check.
”Many wild birds that are rescued may have some larvae under their skin.
”Generally they are taken out by the parents, making so a rich fountain of proteins and other essential nutrients for the health of the young bird.
”The removal should always be done carefully and preferably by a specialized veterinarian.
‘’It is important to remember that the maggots bother the bird very much and depending on where they are, they can compromise the health of the bird.’’
