Golden-crowned Kinglet

On October 29th, a pint sized little bird was brought to our hospital after his unfortunate encounter with a glass window in Huntington. The Golden-crowned Kinglet, weighing only 6 grams, was very alert but unable to stand on his small legs. Surprisingly, despite his inability to support his weight, his tiny yet powerful wings still allowed him to get around a bit. We set our patient up in a small mesh cage with some food to rest from his ordeal.

The next morning we came in to find the kinglet's food bowl was empty. He had eaten all of his food overnight although he was still not able to use his legs to perch or grip. A couple days later, the kinglet became harder and harder to catch from his enclosure. His flight was much improved and he started to slowly regain the use of his legs. On Wednesday, November 4th, we determined the kinglet had fully recovered from his ordeal and was ready for release. However a storm was coming through the following day so we decided to hold on his release until Friday. Early Friday afternoon the clouds parted, the rain moved out of the region and the Golden-crowned Kinglet returned to freedom.

Golden-crowned Kinglets spend their summers north of Long Island and make their way down to Long Island as they migrate south in the fall. They can be identified by their beautiful yellow or golden spot on the top of their head.

Fall Migration and Window Collisions - by Eileen Hagerman

This is the time of year in which we receive many telephone calls about small birds that have collided into people's windows. They are often confused with being a baby bird, but we can rule that out at this point, as "baby season" is over.

Often with window collisions, there is no visible injury: the bird is stunned and can often recover quickly. Other times, it can take longer. You may notice the bird appears puffed up or hunched over; in other cases, it looks like the bird has a broken neck (head is cocked upside down). It is actually not a broken neck, but a head injury where the symptoms are known as torticollisis, or "stargazing".(see photo below of Red-tailed Hawk). In any case, the bird can be gently placed into a cardboard box (such as a shoebox) with one or two small holes poked in the box for ventilation. Put the box in a dark, quiet place such a garage or a bathroom and allow it some time to recover. If after an hour or two the bird is still incapacitated, contact us or another rehabilitator for further assistance. Do not try to feed the bird, or give it water: a dark, quiet place, and some time are all it needs at this point.


Why does this happen? There are several reasons:

Vision: While it is fairly easy for most birds to avoid building and large objects, they can have difficulty perceiving transparent obstacles, such as windows and other panes of glass. Furthermore, when plants are displayed inside on a windowsill, this makes it look as if a safe flyway exists.

Migration (which is happening now): Adult birds, often mistaken as baby birds, are often found colliding into windows each fall. These birds are birds that have migrated back to our area. Tired after travelling perhaps a thousand miles, they are often confused by windows and/or lighted buildings. New York City is a major flyway for migrating birds, and in an attempt to reduce collisions at this time of year, NYC has instituted a "Lights Out" program to reduce the number of collisions.


Territory: While this situation usually happens in the spring, it is still worth mentioning.
Sometimes birds intentionally crash into windows (and side view mirrors of cars, glass doors, etc); this is usually territorial. There is either a nest nearby or the bird is seeing its reflection and defending its territory. Try to put something up to block his reflection, and they usually move onto something else.


What can you do to help? There are several steps you can take:
-Have bird feeders either far back in the yard, or within a few feet of the window. This leaves less room for the birds to fly; window strikes will occur at a slower speed and the bird is less likely to be hurt.
-Avoid placing plants on your windowsill, as this can be confusing to birds.
-Reduce window reflections by having screens or shades covering the window. Blinds are also helpful, as they can be moved to reduce reflections while still allowing you to see outside.
-Purchase items that help prevent window collisions>
*Collidescape: A thin transparent film that attached to the window. Visit this website for a demonstration on how it works.

Below are a few photos of birds that have come into our hospital after colliding with a window:

Top photo: This is a Red-tailed Hawk that collided through a picture window last Christmas Eve.
She shattered the window and took off half of her beak
(visible in the photo).
Unfortunately, after 4 months, due to damage
done to the bony core of her beak, structurally her
beak would not grow back and we had to make the
difficult decision to put her to sleep.

Second photo: Palm Warbler that collided into a window. This bird was released.



This is an example of "stargazing" - see how this bird is holding
his head cocked sideways?
This is a very young Red-tailed Hawk that came into our facility
after suffering head trauma. His recovery took a long time, and
at a crucial age developmentally, he became very accustomed to
people, growing up around them. He is one of our permanent
Education Animals (Baby) and can be seen any day in our outside aviary,
where he lives with his female friend, Lucky Lady.

A few weeks ago, we received a call from someone whose cat had caught a Mourning Dove, rendering it unable to fly. Even without an obvious injury, any animal that has been caught by a cat needs to be admitted for antibiotics, as cats have a bacteria in their saliva that can get into the bloodstream of their prey.

(See this PDF for more information)

When the bird arrived, I immediately noticed a tremendous amount of swelling in this little fledgling's left wing. After administering a dose of pain medication, I was even more concerned to see that this little guy had also suffered a crop tear. (The crop is the part of a bird where they store food, prior to digestion). However, it seemed that this injury was on its way to healing, which made me curious as to when this happened. I spoke further with the donor, and it turned out the cat had caught the bird about 4 days before. Since the crop was almost healed, and learning that the injury was almost a week old, I cleaned the area up and set the bird up for cage rest, but was still very guarded for this little patient.

Over the course of the next week, he grew stronger and feistier. Mourning doves are amazing birds; I have seen them overcome some very horrific injuries (hawk attacks, cat attacks, being hit by cars). For such a small bird, they certainly can overcome, so each day I grew more hopeful for this little guy.

On Monday, we came in to a bird that refused to be caged any longer. After giving him a few days in an outside aviary to strengthen his muscles, I am thrilled to say that he was released yesterday:

I wish I could have gotten a photo of him flying away, as he did so beautifully, but he was one wild bird that flew 60 feet into the air to the highest point, where no one or nothing could get him. The above photo is one I took inside the aviary, before he was released.

I couldn't have asked for a better moment.

The Tale of a Hobbly Heron

On July 13th, 2010 we received a call on our Wildlife Advisory Telephone regarding a young heron that appeared to have an injured leg. The young heron was brought to our hospital later that day. The heron turned out to be a nestling Green Heron!

As the caller described, the young bird did appear to have a leg injury. We observed for a moment as he stumbled across the floor, holding the leg straight behind him. Surprisingly, no fractures or dislocations were palpated on examination. We decided x-rays were in order and sent the heron for a quick visit with one of our wonderful cooperating veterinarians to determine the cause of the injury. Luckily, the veterinarian confirmed there were no fractures to the bird's thin legs. She suggested it was possible that it may be a congenital defect or infection but luckily for the heron, he did have sensation in his foot and leg and was able to grip. But, only time would tell if he would recover enough use of the leg to function in the wild.

We put the heron on a course of treatment including an antibiotic and homeopathy. Little by little, he gained more function in his leg and began to use it for short periods of time. After ten days of force feeding, the vivacious little heron began to eat small fish pieces on his own and was grasping branches for short periods of time. We began to offer him live killy fish and he quickly began cathing them one by one. After several days outside in a transitional aviary where he was able to test his flight and grip well onto branches, the Green Heron was ready for release!

On August 8th, accompanied by several staff members, the Heron was brought to the pond at Lloyd Harbor Village Park for release. The park was chosen as a release site because it hosts a large natural supply of fish and many low lying branches to act as a good vantage point for him to hunt. Clinic Assistant, Susan, held the heron to let him get his bearings and then in a flash he took off flying beautifully across the pond to a low Maple tree branch. We are thrilled that we were able to give this very young bird another chance at life in the wild!

5 Ducklings are Rescued

About a week ago, we got a telephone call from someone that had been trying to get 5 very small mallard ducklings out of a sewer drain. They were so small, they fell through the holes in the grating. After trying for several hours, they called us to help.

Eileen and her rescue helper/husband, Tom, appeared at the scene with a few nets and a carrier. Pretty quickly, we heard the peeping from below. Eileen checked it out and found 5 tiny ducklings, huddled in the corner.

Although not a very glamerous job, it turned out to not really be that complicated. Lying down with net in hand, Eileen scooped one by one out. The hose in the photo was used to keep the ducklings away from the tunnel in the sewar that ran throughout the sewar system; if the ducklings got in there, they would be out of reach, having access throughout the entire neighborhood.
Of course, as it went on, the latter ones were quicker at getting away.
Eventually, all 5 were safely out of the sewer. Unfortunately, their mom who dutifully stayed by their side for most of the day, had moved on with her other babies. We alerted the homeowner and neighbors to keep an eye out for her so that we could reunite them, but she wasn't spotted again.
So for now, they will grow up at our center. With a healthy fear of humans already instilled in them, once they grow up they will be released back to the
wild.

Release of the Cormorant

On June 21, we got in a young Double-crested Cormorant from a local veterinarian's office, where someone dropped him off due to an injured wing.

Upon examination, we did not find the bird to have any fractures, only some tenderness in his left wing. With supportive care and anti-inflammatory pain medication his injury resolved, and he was ready to be released back to the wild.
Below are photos of his release by Lauren Schulz, our Education Coordinator:



B'Bye!
========================================================
Double-crested Cormorants are a common sight on Long Island. You can often see them sunning themselves on buoys and docks, as they are not waterproof the way waterfowl and gulls are. They have a very strong beak that they use when they dive for fish; they do not spear the fish but grab it in their bill. Look closely at photo #1 above; see how it is almost like a hook?

For more information on Double-crested Cormorants, click here.

American Robins flying free!

Last week (July 5th), several of the baby American Robins that were brought to our hospital some weeks back were ready to go. Fully flighted, eating on their own, they no longer wanted to have anything to do with us, which is just what we want to see. Since it was Fourth of July weekend, we waited until the festivities were over to give them the best chance they can have.

Staff and volunteers gathered them up, and being that this group were all from close to where our facility is located, we released them in Caumsett State Historic Park, in the Walled Garden.

As you can see, these birds were ready to be free, as as soon as our hands were opened, they took right off!

(See if you can find them in the photo to the right- click on it to make it bigger if you need to.)

It was a wonderful thing to see them fly away and regain their freedom, and a Happy Independence Day for all!

Belted Kingfisher is released!

On June 25, 2010 we received an admission of an adult Belted Kingfisher that a local homeowner found on her driveway. Right above the bird were two big picture windows that were very reflective of the surrounding trees. It was clear that this little guy hit the window, not realizing it wasn't a throughway.

During the time he was with us, he was rather subdued. He perched well but showed no interest in eating, so he had to be handfed several times a day. (This is normal, as this type of bird dives into the water after fish). However, over the last few days he perked up and started showing more feistiness.
Wanting to wait until the 4th of July festivities were over, we came in today to find a very vocal and active bird.

We brought him back to the harbor where he lives and as you can see from the photos, he was ready to go and thrilled to be free!

Belted Kingfishers are common on Long Island (as well as across North America), often seen perching on electrical lines over water, checking out

what is going on underneath them. They hover above the water before plunging into the water after a fish.

Dining to Donate!

On Wednesday, June 23rd, You can help Volunteers for Wildlife out simply by grabbing a bite to eat! If you dine at/or take out from Applebee's in Miller Place between 12 pm and 10 pm, Ten percent of the proceeds from your order will be donated to Volunteers for Wildlife! You must present this flyer to your server/the take out counter when placing your order. All donated proceeds will go directly towards the care of hundreds of injured and orphaned wildlife patients!

The Release of a litter of White-footed Mice

A litter of six White-footed mice was admitted to the Wildlife Hospital earlier this month after being orphaned. Unfortunately, the mother mouse was found electrocuted after chewing through a power cord.

The mice weighed in at 4 grams the day they were admitted. Imagine holding 4 paper-clips in your hand, this was just about what one of these babies weighed.

Eileen Hagerman, one of our mammal experts, began to hand feed the litter a milk replacer appropriate for fast growing mammals like White-footed mice. They required 24 hour care for the first 2 weeks of their life, going everywhere with Eileen.

Once they began to eat formula out of a tiny dish, their care was turned over to the staff and volunteers at the clinic. After 3 weeks they weaned onto solid foods eating fruits, vegetables, seeds and grains.

On May 19, 2010 they were released back to the wild to live out their lives. A very special thank you to Eileen Hagerman, and the volunteers who cared for these tiny little patients.

Virginia Opossum Release

On May 1, 2010 a juvenile male Virginia Opossum was admitted to the wildlife hospital after being attacked by a dog, unfortunately a common injury to Long Island's native wildlife. Many of our family pets find, chase, or even hunt wildlife in our own backyards. One way to deter this from happening is to monitor your pet while it is in your yard. Additionally, walking your dog on a lead instead of allowing them free access to your backyard habitat can prevent wildlife injury.

This young male Opossum was successfully rehabilitated and released back to the wild.

Opossums are North America's only marsupials. Although opossums may look frightening, they are more afraid of people; their main defense is to "play possum" or play dead to trick their predators into thinking they are not alive. Seldom will an opossum bite as a means of defense.

If you find an injured or orphaned opossum, call our hotline (631)423-0982, or email our wildlife advisory for help.

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)

The American Kestrel is one of the true falcons being in the Genus Falco.  He is the smallest falcon found in North America weighing on average only 117g (4.1 oz)!  In the wild the Kestrel is seen perched on wires bobbing his tail.  The small stature of this bird is not to be taken as an indication of its might.  The American Kestrel is known to hunt small birds and mammals.  Kestrels can be found throughout North and South America. They are common in New York City, as they nest and watch for prey on the ledges of tall buildings.

Identifying F. sparverius can be easily done.  The blue-gray wings combined with the bold barred rufous back make for a striking appearance.  A distinct pattern on the head and face make the Kestrel a handsome creature.

Buster lives at Volunteers for Wildlife as a permanent resident.  He was brought to Volunteers for Wildlife in 2000.  He helps Lauren and the education volunteers in education programs like Raptors of Long Island.  The program is suitable for grades 2 through adult and can be anywhere from 45 minutes up to 1 hour.  Our education programs are your chance to meet some live hawks, owls, and falcons that live right in your own backyard. You can learn about their unique adaptations while getting to see them up-close!  Undoubtedly if you are involved with one of our education programs you will get to hear Busters call.  The American Kestrel has a screaming shrill described as kli kli kli kli kli kli kli or killy killy killy.

"Kidnapped" Cottontails Return to Wild

Wildlife rehabilitation is an ever changing field that affords those involved the opportunity to work closely with a number of different species of animals. The other, more often overlooked, side of the field is the opportunity to interact with the public regarding wildlife. Generally, most people are happy to see wildlife and learn about them. However, on a few rare instances, we have encountered Long Islanders who are sadly not very enthused about our wild neighbors.

On April 7th, while at a veterinary office with one of our permanent animals, we encountered one of these more difficult types. A woman, with a box of four juvenile Eastern Cottontail rabbits in hand, had brought the babies to the veterinarian as she did not want them in her yard. Despite encouragement to reunite the babies with their mother, she adamantly refused to return them. These babies were young, healthy and were "kidnapped" from their nest while the mother was away. We admitted the four cottontails to our clinic.

As an animal that spends its life on the run from hawks and other predators, Eastern cottontails can be very stressed in captivity. Their stress levels make them very difficult to raise. The cottontails were tube fed a milk replacer at our hospital multiple times a day. Before long, they began to eat grasses, clover and dandelion on their own. On April 23, our volunteers and staff set the cottontails free again in the beautiful Walled Garden at Caumsett State Historic Park. Within minutes, they were acclimated to their surroundings and enjoying the delicious weeds and plants. (Photos of the release are below.)

Eastern Cottontails are the only native rabbit indigenous to Long Island. They are a medium sized rabbit with brown fur and a white cotton tail. A single mother rabbit can give birth to as many as 36 babies in one year. The mother rabbit will pull fur from her body and make a nest in a shallow depression in the ground. The young are often mistaken for abandoned as the mother only visits the nest in the early morning and late evening to feed the babies. Young cottontails are independent by the time they reach about 5 weeks of age.

A Visitor from Quebec!

On Monday, March 8th, Volunteers for Wildlife received an injured Canada Goose from our neighbors at the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center in Oyster Bay, New York. The goose was found on the side of a road next to the Sanctuary.

Upon admission, the goose was given a complete physical exam by our staff. He was emaciated and dehydrated. In addition, he had a heavy parasite load of feather lice and intestinal parasites. The goose was unable to stand. His legs were stiff and his feet knuckled under his body weight. The exam also revealed that this goose had been banded with a band from the North American Bird Banding Lab and a foot tag. Bird bands allow individuals to be tracked over a period of time. We processed his band (Band#: 0988-09312) and learned the age, gender and origin of our patient!

0988-09312 had been initially banded in Boucherville, Quebec, Canada on July 6, 2006 as a young gosling before learning to fly. It seems this Canada Goose may have been a migratory one coming down to Long Island for just the winter months.

During his rehabilitation at our hospital, the goose received supportive care with tube feedings, deworming and a homeopathic course of treatment for joint stiffness. Over the days, he got stronger, developed a hearty appetite and put on a substantial two hundred and twenty five grams of body mass. We moved him to our yard for exercise and a more natural environment. On March 16th, the four year old goose had gained enough strength to fly again. Upon seeing a resident flock of Canada Geese, he took flight over our fence and joined the flock!

On Long Island, Canada Geese are found in large numbers. The ideal landscape on Long Island, with plentiful water sources and well manicured lawns and golf courses, encourages many of the native geese to stay on the Island year round. Although their numbers are plentiful, we were very glad we were able to help the goose recover so he can hopefully migrate North again!

Rehabilitation and Release of a Mallard Duck (Anas platyrhynchos)

We recently released a male Mallard,  Anas platyrhynchos, that was rehabilitated at the Wildlife Hospital of Volunteers for Wildlife.   The patient was rescued by a concerned citizen of Wantagh who observed the duck on his front lawn for an extended period of time.  The gentleman called the Wildlife Advisory Telephone (631) 423-0982 for help with the bird.

 

After an initial physical examination, the Mallard was found to be weak, dehydrated, obtunded (mentally dull) and thin.  Dr. Loudon at the Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island, was consulted to ensure that toxicity was not the cause of our patients symptoms.  Blood tests indicated that the duck was not suffering from lead poisoning and seemed to be overall inconclusive.  He remained at the wildlife hospital for supportive care and medical treatment.  It was noted that he had passed many adult Helminths while in the bath.  Parasites in the digestive tract are common in waterfowl.  This particular duck had a heavy parasite load.   Following the successful treatment of his "worms" the Mallard was released at Twin Lakes Preserve in Wantagh. 



Volunteers for Wildlife would like to thank the staff and Veterinarians at the Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island (VMCLI) for their generous support with this and many other cases. 

Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus asio) Released!

After being rescued from a chimney in Muttontown, this red morph Eastern Screech-Owl, Otus asio, was rehabilitated at the wildlife hospital at Volunteers for Wildlife.  Supportive care was provided for several days to nurse the bird back to a sustainable condition.  The Screech-Owl was released at the Muttontown Preserve late Saturday afternoon.



Otus asio are small owls commonly found in Long Islands forests.  The species has three phases the red phase, gray phase and an intermediate brown phase.  Volunteers for wildlife is home to each morph of Eastern Screech-Owl.  Therese, Orlando, and Duncanhttp://www.volunteersforwildlife.org/ are avian ambassadors for their species  and they can be seen on one of the many education programs provided by the education department at Volunteers for Wildlife.  For more information about our education programs, visit our webiste , or call 631-423-0982 and leave a message in mailbox #5.

Great Horned Owl Update

he Great Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus, featured in a previous post, was successfully released the other day.   After treatment for a swollen wing and some time in the Wildlife Hospital,  the owl was evaluated for her flight ability.  Her strength had returned and she was released in the very place she was rescued.



Thanks to the hard work of the Animal Care Volunteers at Volunteers for Wildlife, we successfully assisted this beautiful raptor.   The attentive and rapid response of the Krawitz family was an integral part of this birds healthy recovery.  Once they noticed that the owl was entangled in a soccer net, they called the Wildlife Advisory Telephone at Volunteers for Wildlife (631) 423-0982.  Their concern for the birds well being saved its life.   Thanks to Mr. Krawitz for documenting the rescue and release with his video recorder.

If you come across an animal in need, please call Volunteers for wildlife or contact the center through email at wildlifeadvisory "at" gmail "dot" com

Dovekies (Alle alle)

Dovekies belong to the family Alcidae which includes Guillemots, Murres, Razorbills, Murrelets, Auklets and Puffins. Alcids are pelagic birds (birds that spend most of their time out at sea). They come ashore only to nest or when they are exhausted, or ill. Birds belonging to Alcidae have black feathers on their backs and white feathers on their bellies. This coloration helps to camouflage them from their prey. Recently a series of storms have blown a large number of Dovekies, Alle alle, to the southern part of their winter range and inshore.

There have been many reports of stranded, starving birds, most likely the result of sustained, easterly gale-force winds. These winds have pushed the birds toward the coast. These small (average about 160 grams) auks are driven to exhaustion and emaciation.

Compromised individuals have been found on the streets of Eastern Long Island, West Islip, and even as far inland as Deer Park! The largest wreck of Dovekies to date was during a severe weather event in 1933. Reports of Dovekies were noted from the streets of Manhattan. Unfortunately the efforts of our rehabilitation team were unsuccessful in nursing these severely emaciated birds back to health.

Great Horned Owl Rescue!

On a beautiful Saturday morning, Volunteers for Wildlife received a call regarding a large distressed owl tangled in a soccer net at a home in Cold Spring Harbor. VW Director, Eileen Hagerman, and her husband Tom loaded up their car with the necessary supplies and rushed to the owl's aid. Upon arriving at the scene, Eileen and Tom discovered the owl was a Great Horned Owl that had become entangled while in pursuit of a rat. After several minutes spent untangling the owl and cutting the soccer net, the owl was finally free of the net. He was brought to Volunteers for Wildlife's Wildlife Hospital for further evaluation. Stay tuned for updates in the coming days on his story!

Here is the homeowner's video of the rescue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=098Cwxf0Gys

Brant (Branta bernicla)

Recently a concerned gentleman and his son brought a Brant, Branta bernicla, into the wildlife clinic for admission after obtaining advice from the Wildlife Advisory Telephone line (631-423-0982). The bird was found in their yard unable to fly.

Upon examination by the wildlife rehabilitation department of Volunteers for Wildlife, the bird was found to be emaciated, weak, dehydrated, and afflicted with feather lice. Additionally the Brant had a nasty "cough"; the increased respiratory sounds were most likely an indication of a respiratory infection. An intriguing part of this patient's history was the band on its right leg. Lauren Schulz, the education coordinator at Volunteers for Wildlife reported the band information to learn more about our patient. Apparently this bird was in fact a female Brant banded in Point Lookout, New York on 2/20/2003!

Antibiotics, fluids, and rest were prescribed for this winter visitor. After being deloused, the Brant swam in a warm bath. Unfortunately, several days of supportive care and medication were not enough to bring this beautiful bird back from her severe level of emaciation. Our migrating visitor did not survive. Emaciation and exhaustion afflict many migrating species. Several elements factor into a successful migration, one of those is nutrition. Before heading out on their journey migrating birds must increase their weight to sustain their bodies higher demands. Long flights and poor weather can lead to a dangerous situation for many birds. If the bird can rest and find a sufficient food source before it is too late they can survive. The death of the banded Brant was reported to the bander. Hopefully the information gathered by this bird and others like her will lead researchers and rehabilitators to a better understanding of migration, population, and the ecology of the world's migratory birds.

Branta bernicla, are separated into three distinct winter populations who intermingle throughout the breeding range. The Pale-bellied population can be found nesting in the eastern part of the breeding range and will winter on the Atlantic coast of North America and Ireland.