It was sort of a mixed week, which is—if I’m quite honest—the norm for most wildlife rehabbers. We rarely have a week of all good news; it’s more likely a mix of tragedy and celebration. Yeah, and people wonder why we seem slightly bipolar—you try celebrating a successful release and then finding a bird with no apparent injuries dead in its box within the same 12 hours and see how YOUR moods swing.
Let’s start with Coop the Ripper, the psychotic Cooper’s hawk who tried to keep both my hands as souvenirs of his encounter with me last week. Look at the photo below—see all that blood? It’s mine…
Let’s start with Coop the Ripper, the psychotic Cooper’s hawk who tried to keep both my hands as souvenirs of his encounter with me last week. Look at the photo below—see all that blood? It’s mine…
Sadly for both of us (I’ve never been a big fan of Coops because they ARE psychotic), the vicious little snot does have a small fracture just behind his left wrist, so we’re stuck with each other until he heals or drops dead from stress, which is not an uncommon occurrence for Coops in captivity. His eating is spotty, so I’m honestly not sure if we’ll celebrate an eventual release or report an eventual death.
On a lighter note, remember the photo last week with what appeared to be part of his last meal in the wild hung on his tongue? It was still there Monday, and when I pointed it out to vet Richie Hatcher of Smalley’s Animal Hospital, after he stopped laughing at me because I was laughing at the fact that my blood was still on the Coop’s leg and feathers, he got forceps and removed it. Turns out it was the toe and leg skin from a bird that had wrapped around his tongue and he couldn’t get it loose!
The x-ray on the paralyzed red-tailed hawk showed no fracture, so we opted to continue the steroids and hope for the best. Unfortunately, within 24 hours she began having respiratory issues and died. When I asked Richie what could have caused her death, he said what I described sounded like myelomalacia, basically “spinal cord death.” The damaged spinal cord begins dying, usually from the trauma site in the direction of the affected limbs, but it can die in the opposite direction, toward the unaffected limbs. If it does this, once it reaches the respiratory system, it will kill the bird. Sadly, there was nothing more we could have done for this lady.
Monday, however, another paralyzed first-year red-tail arrived, which I found a bit odd. Her paralysis wasn’t as severe and again, the x-rays showed no fractures. The outlook is grim for this girl; despite daily steroid injections she remains unable to stand and her feet stay balled.
Also on Monday a cat-attacked juvenile female Eastern bluebird came in, and grab yer hats, ‘cause I’m fixin’ to rant big time.
The caller said the cat had attacked the bluebird the previous night; she chased the cat down and retrieved the bird. “But he didn’t die overnight…” so she called LWR the next morning. People, when a cat attacks ANY wildlife, time is of the essence. Don’t by-God wait to see if the wildlife dies before seeking help; doing so virtually assures it will die.
THEN, she actually asked, “If she’s releasable, do you want me to pick her back up and release her at my house?” How about HELL NO?? Why in the name of all that’s holy would I knowingly and willingly return a bird that I’ve just nursed back to health from a cat attack to a yard filled with outdoor cats???
And when I tried to point out the illogic of even asking that question, all I got was, “Yeah, the neighbors keep moving away and leaving behind cats.” When I suggested a humane trap and taking the trapped cats to the shelter, she said she was trapping them and having them spayed or neutered…and then PUTTING THEM RIGHT BACK OUT to kill birds—as well as to die early deaths from disease, predator attacks, poisoning, being hit by cars, exposure to the elements…
Folks, the much-vaunted Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) method for stray/feral cats DOES NOT WORK. I will grant that they can’t reproduce, but just dumping the cats back out to fend for themselves is unutterably cruel. You’re NOT doing the cats themselves any favors by leaving them to their fate, and you’re damn sure not helping our native wildlife by loosing a nonnative predator on it.
Bottom line—keep YOUR cats indoors; trap strays and ferals humanely and TAKE THEM TO A SHELTER where they can be adopted or humanely euthanized—and yes, humane euthanasia is a much kinder option than death from starvation, predation or disease. Indoor cats, in addition to being healthier, live up to 18-20 years; the average lifespan of an outdoor cat is 4-5 disease- and injury-filled years.
Even though I began antibiotics as soon as I got the bluebird, she died two hours after intake. She was just beginning to get faint traces of her adult color. She never had a chance to choose a mate or raise a clutch of babies herself. She never had a chance at life because someone let their cats roam freely outside, with no thought for the consequences. She died because someone couldn’t be bothered to scoop a litterbox for an indoor cat.
If you can’t be a responsible cat owner, don’t get a cat. I thank you, the cat—whose life will be much longer and healthier with an owner who keeps him indoors—thanks you, and our native wildlife thanks you.
The caller said the cat had attacked the bluebird the previous night; she chased the cat down and retrieved the bird. “But he didn’t die overnight…” so she called LWR the next morning. People, when a cat attacks ANY wildlife, time is of the essence. Don’t by-God wait to see if the wildlife dies before seeking help; doing so virtually assures it will die.
THEN, she actually asked, “If she’s releasable, do you want me to pick her back up and release her at my house?” How about HELL NO?? Why in the name of all that’s holy would I knowingly and willingly return a bird that I’ve just nursed back to health from a cat attack to a yard filled with outdoor cats???
And when I tried to point out the illogic of even asking that question, all I got was, “Yeah, the neighbors keep moving away and leaving behind cats.” When I suggested a humane trap and taking the trapped cats to the shelter, she said she was trapping them and having them spayed or neutered…and then PUTTING THEM RIGHT BACK OUT to kill birds—as well as to die early deaths from disease, predator attacks, poisoning, being hit by cars, exposure to the elements…
Folks, the much-vaunted Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) method for stray/feral cats DOES NOT WORK. I will grant that they can’t reproduce, but just dumping the cats back out to fend for themselves is unutterably cruel. You’re NOT doing the cats themselves any favors by leaving them to their fate, and you’re damn sure not helping our native wildlife by loosing a nonnative predator on it.
Bottom line—keep YOUR cats indoors; trap strays and ferals humanely and TAKE THEM TO A SHELTER where they can be adopted or humanely euthanized—and yes, humane euthanasia is a much kinder option than death from starvation, predation or disease. Indoor cats, in addition to being healthier, live up to 18-20 years; the average lifespan of an outdoor cat is 4-5 disease- and injury-filled years.
Even though I began antibiotics as soon as I got the bluebird, she died two hours after intake. She was just beginning to get faint traces of her adult color. She never had a chance to choose a mate or raise a clutch of babies herself. She never had a chance at life because someone let their cats roam freely outside, with no thought for the consequences. She died because someone couldn’t be bothered to scoop a litterbox for an indoor cat.
If you can’t be a responsible cat owner, don’t get a cat. I thank you, the cat—whose life will be much longer and healthier with an owner who keeps him indoors—thanks you, and our native wildlife thanks you.
LWR also received a broadwing hawk last week—and here again, people, when a rehabber asks you NOT to use a bird cage for wild birds, THERE ARE LEGITIMATE REASONS. First, the wire bars can damage feathers, so that the bird must remain in rehab until it molts. Second, an injured bird flailing around in a wire cage can do further damage, potentially worsening a minor injury to the point that it becomes a major, euthanasia-requiring injury. Third, when you cram a damn adult hawk in a canary cage, THE REHABBER is the one who must then struggle to get the bird out of a door designed for a much smaller bird, without doing further damage to the hawk. Fair warning: I’m going to get heavy wire cutters and start cutting the bars on cages when people bring me a wild bird in a cage.
Cardboard boxes are ideal for transporting wild birds, as the darkness keeps them calmer and there’s nothing in a cardboard box they can do further damage to themselves on. If you, for some inexplicable reason, have no cardboard boxes, a laundry basket with a towel or blanket secured over the top will work. NO WIRE CAGES, EVER!!!
Fortunately, I was able to extricate the broadwing from the cage and while an intake exam revealed no injuries, he did seem to be favoring his left wing a bit, so off we headed to Smalley’s the next morning. We have a finely-honed routine: the vet, in this case Peggy Hobby, opens the box while I reach in with the gloves on and pull out the bird for an exam. This time, however, when Peggy opened the box just enough for me to stick my hands in, the bird shot out like a rocket and headed straight for the receptionist’s desk. While the receptionist shot out of her area like a rocket, as well, and Peggy doubled over laughing, I chased down and retrieved our errant erstwhile patient, laughing hysterically myself. We need those moments of levity…
Once we stopped laughing, Peggy and I agreed that if the bird could fly that well and that fast, he obviously needed release ASAP.
Cardboard boxes are ideal for transporting wild birds, as the darkness keeps them calmer and there’s nothing in a cardboard box they can do further damage to themselves on. If you, for some inexplicable reason, have no cardboard boxes, a laundry basket with a towel or blanket secured over the top will work. NO WIRE CAGES, EVER!!!
Fortunately, I was able to extricate the broadwing from the cage and while an intake exam revealed no injuries, he did seem to be favoring his left wing a bit, so off we headed to Smalley’s the next morning. We have a finely-honed routine: the vet, in this case Peggy Hobby, opens the box while I reach in with the gloves on and pull out the bird for an exam. This time, however, when Peggy opened the box just enough for me to stick my hands in, the bird shot out like a rocket and headed straight for the receptionist’s desk. While the receptionist shot out of her area like a rocket, as well, and Peggy doubled over laughing, I chased down and retrieved our errant erstwhile patient, laughing hysterically myself. We need those moments of levity…
Once we stopped laughing, Peggy and I agreed that if the bird could fly that well and that fast, he obviously needed release ASAP.
A 4AM call from the local police department alerted me to an owl that had been rescued from the road and placed in a box behind Smalley’s for me to pick up later that morning. And yet again, a word of advice—if you put the bird in a box, CLOSE THE BOX. Cardboard “breathes”; the bird won’t suffocate. I promise. If you absolutely must, punch a few small airholes in the box, although it’s really not necessary.
This barred owl, however, was placed IN AN OPEN BOX behind the vet clinic, which faces a busy street. Had the bird not been so concussed, he could easily have clambered right out of the box and staggered away, to his death. As it was—and still is—he’s got some major head trauma going on and is still not feeling 100% almost a week later. We’re fairly sure he’ll be releasable once he gets his horizontal and vertical holds adjusted properly.
This barred owl, however, was placed IN AN OPEN BOX behind the vet clinic, which faces a busy street. Had the bird not been so concussed, he could easily have clambered right out of the box and staggered away, to his death. As it was—and still is—he’s got some major head trauma going on and is still not feeling 100% almost a week later. We’re fairly sure he’ll be releasable once he gets his horizontal and vertical holds adjusted properly.
Taken today; no real change in attitude since intake on Tuesday...
In other updates, the male Eastern bluebird took advantage of the opened escape hatch on the songbird flight, as did one of the mourning doves, and the nighthawk goes back in this week for follow-up x-rays to see how/if his wing is mending. I’m hopeful but not optimistic, as the muscle on that wing just looks…odd, not right. We’ll see…
And the screech almost flew the coop last night. I opened the raptor flight door and offered him the option; he flew down to the threshold and sat there for the longest, looking around and debating, then he turned around and flew back into the flight. Physically, he’s ready; psychologically, apparently not yet!
And the screech almost flew the coop last night. I opened the raptor flight door and offered him the option; he flew down to the threshold and sat there for the longest, looking around and debating, then he turned around and flew back into the flight. Physically, he’s ready; psychologically, apparently not yet!
One final note—next week’s update will be Monday, the 26th, later in the night, mostly likely.
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