Tagged: “nature”

First Baby Bird of the Season! Great Horned Owl

First Baby Bird of the Season! Great Horned Owl

We told y’all it is baby season. We took in this little guy on Tuesday. Baby great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) approx 7-9 days old in this picture. All charts say this is the point they open their eyes. You can still see the egg tooth that is used to break open the egg when they hatch. Home owner found it Saturday and tried getting it back to mom, but unfortunately that did not work out. Was dehydrated and a touch thin when we got it. Recovering well and devouring food. These owls eat a ton of food as they grow. You can also see the pin feathers starting to come in around the beak and the wing edges.

I Found a Baby Bird, Now What?

I Found a Baby Bird, Now What?

Baby season is starting up. We cover this with people every season. Please do not try and give food nor water to babies. They do not drink water.

Please feel free to share this.

Cooper’s Hawk Release

Cooper’s Hawk Release

Took in this adult female Cooper’s hawk 6 weeks ago. She came in with a broken wing. After giving her time to heal and some physical therapy, she was ready to go back home.

https://youtu.be/u80djDtmYyA

Red-tailed Hawk Released After Being Shot

Red-tailed Hawk Released After Being Shot

We were notified January 7, 2018, of a hawk that was shot. We drove over an hour, late at night, in the rain to meet Hunt County Scanner to pick up the hawk. The bird suffered a broken wing and some tissue and muscle damage. After almost two months of care which included resting the wing so it could heal and physical therapy to get the wing strong again, she was finally ready for release. We drove 90 miles to return the hawk to where she came from so she could be reunited with her mate. This is why we do what we do!

https://youtu.be/U4CVn0qMMPc

 

Eastern Screech Owl – Red Phase

A male eastern screech owl (Megascops asio) that came in to the rescue after being found in the road.

https://youtu.be/290oMew3t0E

Baby Season is Here!

Baby Season is Here!

Took in some baby fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) 2 weeks ago. Growing like weeds. Feedings every 2 hours when they first came in. Up to every 3 hours now, including during the night.
Baby season has begun!

Cooper’s Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk

Cooper’s hawk (Accipiter cooperii) that came in the other day. Broken wing and very thin. Cooper’s hawks are normally the hawks that come feed at people’s bird feeders. They have really adapted to city life.

 

Red-tailed Hawk Release

Was a happy release this morning. Got to return this adult male red-tailed hawk back where he came from. The homeowners found this guy in their yard and brought him to us on December 8th. He had an injured wing and was thin. The homeowners have been watching this guy and his mate for a few years. At the end of the video you can see the tree he heads to. After we stopped recording, we noticed the female was already in the tree he landed in. A happy reunion!

https://youtu.be/LD3fSL6RgX8

Great Horned Owl Release

A quick video on the release of a great-horned owl that came in December 30th, very thin and dehydrated.

https://youtu.be/Be8MEoPziLY

Imprinted Opossums

Imprinted Opossums

Took in a brother/sister pair of Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) that somebody tried to rehab after their mother was killed. Not sure how big they were when the person got them, but it was very early spring. Now these two are morbidly obese (male weighed in at 14 pounds, female at 11) , very imprinted to people, have never been outdoors, never learned how to hunt or forage for themselves, and they were fed a very poor diet.

For size reference, Brandi is 5’4″ and holding them against her body in the pictures.
They have also been kept together the entire time so there is the possibility that the female may be pregnant as opossums reach sexual maturity at an early age due to their short lifespan.
These two will NOT be able to be rehabbed and released to the wild.


Situations such as this are why permits are needed to rehab wildlife. It ensures proper training in care and medical needs to return wildlife back to the wild.