53 baby birds seized from Colo. teen’s bedroom

updated 2:49 p.m. ET June 24, 2009

LONGMONT, Colo. - Police in Colorado have confiscated 53 baby birds from a 15-year-old boy who apparently took them from neighborhood nests and stored them in his bedroom.

Police believe the boy had the birds for at least 24 hours. Authorities confiscated them on June 16 after his mother realized he had them and called animal control.

"He and some other children in the neighborhood had been trying to feed them with little success," Longmont police Sgt. Dave Orr said.

The birds included barn swallows, sparrows and a bluebird. Forty died, but the other 13 are recuperating at the Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in nearby Boulder and are expected to survive.

The boy had no explanation for raiding the nests, Orr said. He was ticketed for cruelty to animals and interference with wild birds.

Rehabilitators said the tiny birds have to be fed every 45 minutes and must be kept warm so their digestive systems don't shut down. The birds will be taught to eat and allowed to fly in enclosures so they can eventually be released back into the wild.

Colorado law allows people to transport injured or sick wildlife to a veterinarian or rehabilitation center, but it's illegal to try to care for wild animals.

"Every once in a while, we get animals from people who mean well," Greenwood operations manager Gabriele Paul said. "They don't know it is illegal to do it themselves."

More from msnbc.com In slump-hit areas, suicide rates on the rise Brokaw:  The night the wall came down Germany still coping with ‘wall in the mind’ Is the swine flu shot as safe as regular vaccine? Signs of the sacrifices of military life On Twitter: Breaking news updates | Weird and wild

MORE FROM WEIRD NEWS

Weird news Section Front

Woman passes driver's test on 950th try Vanished Persian army said found in desert Man provides photo for his own wanted poster World’s scariest foods Airplane part falls onto N.Y. home’s front lawn Miss. gov’s son gets 2 holes-in-one in one round SUV sideswipes elephant in Oklahoma Giant snake capture in Florida was a hoax Brazilian makes surprise visit at own funeral Want to own more than 3 cats? Get a license Weird news Section Front   Add Weird news headlines to your news reader: