Ridiculous pathetic Q: there's a bird dying outside my house, should I kill it?

[Myrddraal]

Well I can't say the moment I realised the bird wasn't dead after the first blow was the nicest feeling ever, but I think that ultimately it was a mercy. With this second bird I don't think so. I'm inclined to agree with you though, nature will take its course and a cat probably will get the chick, but for now I think the best I can do is leave it be.

[Fragony]

Hmmm my last post didn't make it. If its on the ground it was ready to fly off but was too weak. Put it in a box with some straw, and put a lamp on it to keep it warm. Dig up some worms, if it eats it's 50/50.

[rajpoot]

^^^
What he said.
If the second chick isn't wounded, and you're ready to make an effort, might as well make it a small nest in a box insted of killing it.

[caravel]

Hand rearing of wild birds is next to impossible - avoid it at all costs.

It depends on the maturity of the chick, but if it's reasonably matured (i.e. eyes eyes open and downed or feathered) then it's parents may come down to feed it so long as you leave it be. If you touch it, they will definitely abandon it for good. If it's a newborn chick, then it will probably die on the ground.

[Fragony]

Nah done it lotsa times, there are always one or two who are underfed because they are less agressive. Birds that young was a few months ago, this one should be pretty much adult but just too weak. Feed it for two days and it should be fine, once it starts getting more lively gently throw them up and instinct takes over.

[Myrddraal]

Well it's gone. I don't know if it gathered the energy to hop into the hedge, or perhaps it was eaten, or perhaps it was a fledgling, I'm not sure. It looked pretty mature (not new born at all) and had feathers on its wing and everything.