“It was raining heavily”: bird unable to fly rescued in Almaty

Tengrinews.kz — An Almaty resident made an unusual discovery after an overnight downpour. Near a residential complex, she found a motionless magpie. The woman did not leave the bird without help: she took it home and consulted an ornithologist.
Rescue story
Anara Zholzhaksynova shared the bird’s rescue story on her social media. According to her, she found the magpie on the morning of November 11 near a residential complex not far from the Bolshaya Almatinka River.

“It had been raining heavily all night, and it seems the bird had been sitting out in it the whole time. I was walking my puppy Yuki — she is only four months old. She was the one who noticed the motionless magpie. It was the first time I had seen a bird not even try to move away from a dog or a person. I ran to get a box and a blanket, brought it home, started warming it up and looking for an ornithologist,” Anara said.

Screenshot: Threads
According to the woman, she managed to warm the bird up a little at home, but the magpie still refused to eat.

That evening, the bird was taken to an ornithologist. An examination revealed growths on its legs, while some symptoms could indicate tuberculosis.
Screenshot: Instagram
The magpie is now under the supervision of a specialist. It has been prescribed a course of antibiotics, along with treatment and cleaning of the affected legs. Once the treatment is completed and the bird has fully recovered, Anara plans to release it back into the wild.
Where magpies live in Almaty
We also contacted ornithologist Viktoria Kovshar for comment. According to her, magpies live throughout most of Almaty, but because of their cautious nature, they are rarely seen.
Note: In 1986, the specialist conducted a separate study on the distribution of these birds in the city.

“Magpies build spherical nests in tall trees, sometimes directly above busy roads. This bird has its own ecological niche, and its omnivorous diet plays a major role in helping it adapt to the urban environment,” Viktoria Kovshar said.

The ornithologist also noted that picking up birds from the street can be unsafe. If a bird has already been taken in, there is no need to try to warm it up deliberately. According to the specialist, if a bird is cold or wet, it should be placed in a dry box and left in a warm room. Once it has dried off, it can be offered food, and a specialist should be contacted immediately for advice.