10,000 Birds

APRIL 25, 2014

“We had a call one morning about a snake and a hawk,” says Tom Sweets, the executive director and chief rescuer of the Key West Wildlife Center , located at the very tip of Florida. The snake was wrapped firmly around the hawk’s tail, neck, and wings, and had enough strength to immobilize the bird but not to kill him.

Reptiles 215

Reptiles Chickens Sea Turtles Wildlife Rehabilitation 215

10,000 Birds

JULY 26, 2013

Even as a veteran wildlife rehabilitator, I could scarcely believe the sight before me. In mammals, maggots eat only dead tissue and are occasionally used to debride wounds. But in birds they eat living tissue, and once they are internal will kill the patient. If there is an entrance wound, there is an exit wound.

Eagles 246

Eagles Wounded Bald Eagle Wisconsin 246

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 14, 2015

Mites will eventually kill the bird. Even if you do not see an obvious wound, cat or dog saliva, which is full of nasty bacteria, can still get into a bird’s eyes/orifices and will eventually kill the bird; it will just die more slowly and painfully. *Baby bird found on ground, something is wrong, seems injured.

Wounded 256

Wounded Rescue Medical Cats 256

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 7, 2016

Years ago, I became a wildlife volunteer and advocate because of a cat who caught a bird. The wildlife center was an hour away if I was lucky. That was my first trip to California Wildlife Center. I’d rescued birds before, but this time I had to face the wildlife center with a personal connection to the carnage.

Cats 218

Cats Stray Cat Stray Wildlife Rehabilitation 218