Starving baby crow ‘Frank Sinatra’ nursed back to health by surrogate bird in Nottingham

Nottingham: A starving baby jackdaw with barely any feathers is being nursed back to health at a rescue centre — with help from an older bird who has taken him under his wing.

The tiny English crow was found in a “sorry state” and close to death in a field in Nottingham earlier this month. Volunteers at Brinsley Animal Rescue took him in and nicknamed him Frank Sinatra because of his piercing blue eyes.

“He was around six weeks old but was small due to malnutrition,” said Jon Beresford, who co-founded Brinsley Animal Rescue. “As soon as he arrived with us he stole all our hearts. It’s not usual that we name the animals that come to us but his piercing eyes led us to call him Frank Sinatra — and it’s stuck ever since.”

Frank was placed in a recovery unit with another fledgling crow who was a little older and wiser. To the team’s “amazement,” the older bird took on the role of surrogate parent and began feeding Frank his daily meals of worms and seeds.

Videos show the pair perched together as the black jackdaw helps his pupil swallow food. Frank watches the older bird’s every move and copies him.

“At this stage of his growth, Frank would still be reliant on his parents for food,” Beresford said. “Being placed together is really helping his development.”While quarantined for treatment, Frank was also heard calling out to his new friend.

Staff at Brinsley Animal Rescue say both birds are doing well and hope to release them back into the wild once Frank is strong enough.