Tiny Patient Takes Flight, Thanks to Wash. Firefighter

Aug. 27, 2014
Andy Reilly fed the hummingbird with a dropper.

This was one of those unique saves. 

It started early Tuesday in a Seattle-area firehouse when Andy Reilly saw what he first thought was a giant moth. Upon closer examination, he realized it was a hummingbird.

“The doors of the bay had been closed for hours,” he relayed to a q13Fox reporter.  “It must have gotten exhausted flying around inside.”

When he got back from the call, he made a little nest out of a clean rag, and tried to feed it some sugar water. But, there was no interest. -

“I took it home this morning and picked up some hummingbird food on the way. I’d read on the internet that if they get that tired and cold they will almost hibernate.”

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He put the tiny, stunned bird on the dash of his pickup truck where it was already warm from the sun.

“After about 10 minutes of being in the sun it started breathing normally and waking up,” he said. “ I fed it some food from a dropper.”

After three little feedings over 15 minutes, the little guy suddenly flew to the top of the door jam.

After breakfast and a nap, the tiny patient headed for nearby apple trees.

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