Even the very best rehabilitators can’t care for baby birds as well as the their natural parents, so we always make it a priority to keep baby animals with their families whenever possible. Unfortunately, some baby birds end up in rehabilitation because well-meaning people kidnap them. It’s not uncommon for someone to find a deadContinue reading ““I found a dead bird. Should I save the babies?””
Tag Archives: birds
Fledglings Aren’t Orphans
Have you ever seen a human toddler in their first days on their feet? They stumble, waddle, and often fall… but it doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong or that they don’t have parents looking out for them. The awkward first days of toddling are just part of how humans learn and grow. That’s how itContinue reading “Fledglings Aren’t Orphans”
Avoid Drunk Hummingbirds: Clean Your Feeders
If you’re near For Fox Sake, this is the perfect time of year to hang hummingbird feeders! Hummingbird feeders can give you an opportunity to enjoy these beautiful little jewels during their long annual migration. If you’re not careful, though, your feeders may do much more harm than good. Nectars— whether homemade or store-bought— fermentContinue reading “Avoid Drunk Hummingbirds: Clean Your Feeders”
Raccoons Eating Birdseed: What to Do
We’ve heard people give a lot of crazy and cruel excuses for killing wild animals, but perhaps the most upsetting reason we’ve heard is, “It was eating my birdseed.” Several of our patients last year were orphans who came to us because the mothers had inconvenienced someone by nibbling some sunflower seeds. Folks, this simplyContinue reading “Raccoons Eating Birdseed: What to Do”
“Mean,” “Crazy” Bird Parents
Wildlife rehabilitators get a lot of calls in the late spring and early summer about birds described with words like “mean,” “crazy,” and “dangerous.” Blue jays, mockingbirds, geese, and robins are the ones most commonly considered aggressive— and it’s no coincidence that they’re the ones most likely to be nesting near our homes and businesses.Continue reading ““Mean,” “Crazy” Bird Parents”
Crows Deserve Love, Not Superstition
I have to admit: before I started working with wildlife, I had no idea that there were still people who had superstitious beliefs and fears about crows. It turns out these ideas didn’t get left behind in the Victorian Era where they belong. Even in 2020, a lot of people fear crows and some willContinue reading “Crows Deserve Love, Not Superstition”
Crusty-Eyed Birds? Take Down Your Feeder!
If you see birds with goopy, crusty eyes, that’s a sign to take down your feeders immediately.
The Smoke-Phase Turkey
These beauties occur throughout the United States, including right here in Tennessee! Smoke-phase turkeys are distinctly different from albinos and can range from solid white, to pale grey, to— like this fellow here— white with handsome black markings. These gorgeous patterns are a natural occurrence in wild turkeys and do not mean that the turkeyContinue reading “The Smoke-Phase Turkey”
Fledglings Don’t Need Help
Especially in the spring and summer, you’re likely to see a baby bird awkwardly hobbling on the ground, barely able to fly, possibly crying for its mother. It’s understandable that many well-meaning people mistake these babies for orphans. They are actually doing just fine and are under their parents’ care! If a bird has feathersContinue reading “Fledglings Don’t Need Help”
To Fake a Broken Wing
It’s certainly understandable if you mistake this for a bird with a broken wing. This superb acting has been fooling would-be predators for millennia, and humans are no exception. But there’s no need to rush to call a wildlife rehabilitator. Chances are, this bird is actually just fine. This is a mother killdeer. Killdeers liveContinue reading “To Fake a Broken Wing”
