So it was somewhat of a surprise for a passerby to come across this tiny bird lying on the sidewalk in Midtown Manhattan.  The Creeper had left the safety of his forest habitat, where he “creeps” up trees in a spiraling motion looking for hidden insects, and had collided with a glass building.

Because his feet are so well suited for hanging on trees, his cage at the Wild Bird Fund was lined with a drape, so he could hang comfortably and avoid touching the ground.  Once Creepers have found a safe place to hold on to, they are hesitant to leave it: one Creeper was even brought in clinging to the front of a woman’s business suit. He had landed on her lapel and had rode along for two hours while she researched where to take him.

Our little patient had thankfully not sustained any breaks from his collision, and after some cage-rest to monitor his condition and exercise in the flyway he was ready for release into a wooded area of Central Park.

He sat for a few seconds after we opened the carrier, eyeing his surroundings, and then flew right to the biggest, tallest tree he could find.  We watched as he crept up, higher and higher, until we could no longer make him out from the background of the tree.

So we tried the Ringneck Doves.  Ringneck Doves (Streptopelia risoria) are domesticated birds bred for the pet trade, and cannot be released into the wild because they are unable to find food for themselves.   They mate for life and are known to be caring, devoted parents.

When we first placed the wee bird in their nest, the male seemed uncertain, pacing back and forth and cooing.  But after the female tucked the baby under her to keep it warm, accepting it as hers, the male came on board and became a most devoted caregiver.

Both parents provided crop milk for the pigeon, producing it in their crops and regurgitating into the baby’s mouth, which helped keep the baby full between feedings from rehabilitators.  Crop milk is high in protein and fat, containing antioxidants and immune-enhancing factors that helped the little baby thrive during this critical stage.

But pigeons are twice as large as Ringneck Doves, and as their adopted baby got bigger, they were unable to cover or lay on her,  so she was moved to an incubator with other pigeons like her.

The little baby is now a nestling, growing up and learning how to fly thanks to two very special adoptive parents.

Most people would probably run the other way if they heard a strange noise coming from a dumpster.  But we are so grateful to a caring member of the public who looked inside and discovered 5 baby opossums still alive inside the pouch of their dead mother, who had been hit by a car.

Opossums (Didelphis virginiana) are native to New York and are America’s only marsupial, raising their young in a perfectly designed pouch: it is warm and so well protected that even if the mother dies, the babies may not be harmed.

But once they are removed from their pouch they are very vulnerable.  Baby opossums have almost a non-existent immune system, and can catch infections very easily.  Our rehabilitators must sterilize every piece of equipment between each feeding, and they never handle the babies without gloves.

Photo: Charles Chessler

Also baby opossums, unlike baby squirrels, must be fed very carefully by tube, to simulate the mother’s nipple, which remains inside their throat and attached for more than two months of their lives.

Our 5 babies have all been gaining weight, grown in their fur, and have begun to explore their world in readiness for release in a rural area in Pennsylvania.  While it’s a myth that adults sleep hanging by their tail, babies do swing with them, and they can grasp and climb almost anything with their Velcro-like paws and rear opposable thumbs.

“I know that they will eventually grow in 50 teeth, the most of any mammal,” says a Wild Bird Fund rehabilitator, “but right now they’re more like part monkey and part mouse.”

Photo: Charles Chessler

The Wild Bird Fund’s 2013 Gala at the “Birdie” Vanderbilt Mansion was a knock-your-socks-off, elegant, and entertaining event. Guests heard stimulating and informative talks by our honoree Helen Hays of the Great Gull Island project, and by Jonathan Balcombe, animal sentience expert.

Attendees were riveted by Dzul Dance (above) and charmed by the Waxwing Trio, harpist Erin Hill, and our animal ambassadors. These included a barred owl and red-tailed hawk (below) from Tenafly Nature Center, turtles courtesy of Lorri Cramer, and a family of ring-necked doves from the Wild Bird Fund.

The event provided an exciting introduction to the work and the people of the Wild Bird Fund. Most of all, our guests spoke of the welcoming atmosphere, and the pleasure of mingling with so many caring people who work to Keep New York City Wild.

We offer heartfelt thanks to our volunteers, who made this very successful evening possible; cheers to our fabulous gala chairs: Ruth Hart, Rochelle Thomas, and Elizabeth Hodes; and a toast to our generous hosts, Stefanie Rinza and Carlton Hobbs, who bravely let the wild into their beautiful and fragile space.

Thank you to our 2013 WBF Gala sponsors: Montesquieu Winery, G&G Printing, Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, Jerry & Debbie Zygmunt, Paul & Amy Impelluso, Village Print, Brooklyn Brewery

Read our full newsletter here>

Spring is coming, which means scores of well-meaning people will be bringing in healthy fledgling birds to the Wild Bird Fund. A fledgling is a fully feathered young bird getting ready to live in the wild. Fledglings flutter down from their nest and stay on the ground for three to seven days as they learn from their parents how to forage for food, keep out of trouble, and fly up. They have no fear of people and are easily picked up. When such birds are brought in, their people speak of having “rescued” the bird; in fact, they have kidnapped the little creature from its parents. Remember: if the youngster is fully feathered and seems uninjured as it hops around, leave the little one. Its parents are far better at teaching it survival skills than we are. Or if your child brings home a healthy fledgling, return it as quickly as possible to the place it was found. Then step back thirty feet or so and wait for up to 45 minutes to see if an adult bird flies down to feed the youngster. It can be quite a battle to get the ”rescuer” to bring the young bird back to its parents, but when accomplished, the reunion can be a joy to watch.

For more information read “I Found a Baby Bird. Now what? (pdf)”

Help us raise the baby birds that arrive at the WBF: become a member or make a donation today.

The hardy souls who joined us on the walk Saturday, February 16th, had a great birding day. The Iceland Gull was a “life bird” (a person’s first observation of a given species), for all members of the party, the leader included. And it was a beautiful first year bird. It flew past closely several times, then landing nearby on the ice at Hearnshead on the lake, giving us wonderful views of its lovely soft and subtle markings. Charles Chessler captured some great photos. Another surprise was the European Goldfinch seen at the feeders. These birds when seen in America are considered escaped or released birds; beautiful nonetheless.
—Artist Illustrator, Alan Messer

To view Charles Chessler’s photos of the Iceland Gull, and Fred Cohen’s photos of the European Goldfinch, visit the Wild Bird Fund Facebook page.

The birds sighted: Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Gadwall, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Bufflehead, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Red-tailed Hawk, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Iceland Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, European Starling, White-throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, House Finch, Common Redpoll, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow, European Goldfinch

Join Alan Messer for Another Walk on Saturday, March 23, 9:00 – 11 am. Rain date March 24th $15 per person; $10 for Members. Reservations required. Email Events at WBF.

Avian Wound Healing and Management Techniques with Karen Heidgerd
Thursday, March 7, 6:30 pm
Suggested donation: $20
Reservations required
Preference is given to rehabbers, WBF volunteers, and members. 
Email the rehabbers for a reservation.
Rehabber Karen Heidgerd will provide instruction on avian wound management.

Injured Bird Transporter Training Session
Wednesday, March 20, 6:30 – 7:30pm
Reservations required
Email NYC Audubon.
Volunteers are needed during migration and breeding seasons to respond to bird emergencies. Join NYC Audubon and the WBF to find out how you can help.

Avian Wound Healing and Management Techniques with Karen Heidgerd
Thursday, March 21, 6:30 pm
Suggested donation: $20
Reservations required
Preference is given to rehabbers, WBF volunteers, and members. 
Email the rehabbers for a reservation.
Rehabber Karen Heidgerd will provide instruction on avian wound management.

The 2^nd Annual Wild Bird Fund Gala
Thursday, April 4th, 6:30 – 9:30pm
Email Events
The “Birdie” Vanderbilt Mansion,
60 East 93^rd Street, NY, NY 10128
Don’t miss your chance to take part in this spectacular event. All proceeds from the gala go directly to work at our Center.
Purchase tickets to the Gala.

Cooper’s hawk

Raptors are birds of prey, the beautiful, lethal apex of the bird kingdom, who hunt and eat other birds and small animals. Here in NYC, the most abundant raptors are red-tailed hawks and kestrels; other local raptors include peregrine falcons, Cooper’s hawks, and saw-whet owls. They all show up repeatedly at the Wild Bird Fund.

It can be an emotional tug-of-war to see them in action: the raptors have to eat, and the prey wants to live. One heartbreaking example: the WBF released a woodcock, after three weeks of recovery from a concussion and torn scalp, in the North Woods of Central Park. We saw it fly off beautifully, only to be spotted by a Cooper’s hawk, which swooped down, caught it, and carried it away.

The most common injuries for raptors in NYC are collisions with buildings, and the most common victims are the young ones. The first-years haven’t yet got the hang of maneuvering through the maze of skyscrapers we’ve erected along their ancient flyways.

One week this January saw red-tail hawks (above) arrive five days in a row. They were first-year birds, still with brown tails, who had collided with buildings or cars. One had smashed his head and broken the orbital bone around his left eye, which was hugely swollen and nearly out of the socket. After successful nursing at the WBF Center, he is recuperating in an outdoor cage at the Raptor Trust. It looks as if he will regain his sight completely and has excellent prospects for release back into the wild.

Another young red-tail with a head bang was found recently at 65th and Amsterdam. She was knocked out, dehydrated, and dangerously chilled. At the Center she was warmed up, given fluids, and gradually fed. In three days’ time she was feisty again and released in Central Park, much to the joy of second graders from P.S. 87 who joined the WBF to witness her release.

So far this new year, three Cooper’s hawks (1st image) have come to the WBF for emergency care, one per week in January. The Cooper’s hawk is the cheetah of raptors. They are smaller than red-tails but gram for gram more muscular—on x-rays, they look like body builders. They are difficult challenges for rehabilitation because they are the most aggressive patients. Even sedated and with eyes closed, a Cooper will pull a leg out of restraints lightning-fast and grab the rehabber with its talons. (By contrast, a red-tail’s reflexes are slower and more compatible with human reaction time.) A recent Cooper’s hawk who grabbed the rehabber while being x-rayed had been shot with a pellet gun. The pellet smashed through the carpal bones and lodged in the bird’s shoulder. It was determined that he would never fly again. Most often after initial treatment, we send the Coopers to Raptor Trust for outdoor recuperation. (Another reason we send them to Raptor Trust as soon as possible is that unlike other raptor patients which eat frozen dead mice, they will only eat live birds.)

Another exciting, yet charming raptor patient is the saw-whet owl (above). Happily, most of these cute little guys make it. Saw-whets are so light and tiny that collisions do less damage than those of larger raptors. We had three recently, two with eye injuries and one with a fractured wing—all released back to the wild.

Our most recent kestrel (right) was found on Hunts Point Avenue in the Bronx. Also the victim of collision, she came in with a concussion, a blood-filled eye, and limited vision. She soon ruled the Center, zooming around as though we weren’t there, and perching brazenly on the delighted, albeit wary staff and volunteers. Even with her tail-guard, which is applied so they don’t injure their tails while caged, this young female had excellent flight. After two weeks of rehabilitation and feeding (she loved her mealworms, in addition to frozen mice), she was released to the wild at a park near where she was found. New York City is home to one of the largest urban peregrine falcon (right) populations in the world (NYTimes, Feb. 12, 2009). Our bridges and skyscrapers, which resemble the cliffs of their natural habitat, are perfect nesting sites. Every spring the DEC tags all nestlings in known roosts. Although no longer listed as an endangered species, peregrines are still closely monitored. Two young birds whose maiden flights landed them on corporate terraces at lunchtime were brought in by Animal Care & Control of NYC. The Department of Environmental Conservation was called. Using the birds’ band ID numbers, they were returned to their home nests to try again. One of the lady fledglings, AX 36, came back to the WBF a month later after suffering a wing fracture. It is big news when an untagged peregrine fledgling arrives at the WBF, because this means it came from a nest unknown to the DEC, a new nest for New Yorkers to be proud of.

 Read more stories in our current newsletter.  Subscribe to our mailing list and newsletter here.

Caspar, the Duck with Slippers, had triple good luck the day he was rescued in Central Park’s Harlem Meer.

First, he was found before dogs could take advantage of his inability to fly due to severely clipped wings. (He was literally a sitting duck!) Second, the person who found him knew just what to do, because Patty Adjamine, founder of New Yorkers for Companion Animals, is always on the lookout for animals in trouble. Caspar isn’t the first creature that she’s brought to the Wild Bird Fund; in fact, she brought two other ducks from Harlem Meer, an injured mallard and a Peking duck that had been attacked by a dog.

Caspar—who appears to be a cross between Muscovy and Peking ducks—was unusual in that he was approaching people to beg for food. Clearly, at some point in his life he had depended upon humans; his bill was also clipped.

Whether he escaped or was dumped at the park, he was a domesticated duck on his own and in imminent danger when Patty found him. Many domesticated birds (chickens, quails, chukkars, guinea hens, and fancy pigeons as well as ducks) are brought to the WBF. Usually, being utterly unprepared to exist in the wild, they need a great deal of care. Although caring for them is not part of our mission, there is no other facility in the city available to treat or place them, so we do our best to help.

In addition to being unable to fly, Caspar had a condition called bumblefoot, which results from a duck’s spending too little time in the water. Bumblefoot makes it painful to walk or stand and can be life-threatening if feet become severely infected. Caspar’s third helping of good luck was that, by an amazing coincidence, another volunteer owned a pair of “slippers” she’d once had custom-made for her own duck with bumblefoot…and they fit Caspar to a T. Between the slippers, antibiotics, and twice-daily Epsom salt foot soaks, Caspar recovered completely and was taken to a wonderful sanctuary on an upstate farm, where he can grow back his flight feathers and live a true duck life among other ducks.

Read more stories in the Wild Bird Fund Newsletter

We need just $1,500 more to make our match.

While we love all the holiday attention, (“A Place for Healing Broken Wings“, The New York Times, November 20, 2012) we are in need of your contributions. If you have already made your year-end gift to the Wild Bird Fund, we thank you for your support.
If not, please help us meet our generous matching grant of $15,000 by December 31, 2012.

There are three days left for 2012 tax benefits. Send your year-end, tax-deductible contribution to:

The Wild Bird Fund
565 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10024

Or make your donation online.

Your gift will help us heal and release even more New York City wildlife in 2013. (Over 1500 injured animals were cared for this year.)

All of us at the Wild Bird Fund wish all of you a wild and happy new year. We thank you for your ongoing support.