1. I found a baby bird. It is feathered but can't fly. Please help me.
2. The baby bird I found is not fully feathered. What do I do?
3. I'm interested in volunteering for Pacific Wildlife Care. What volunteer opportunities do you have?
4. I'd like to care for the animals. How do I go about this?
5. Can I work at the Pacific Wildlife Care Facility?
6. Do you have any paid positions at Pacific Wildlife Care?
7. I am interested in helping but I don't have time. Is there any way I can help?
8. How can I make or where can I buy an owl nest box?
Q: I found a baby bird. It is feathered but can't fly. Please help me.
A: This is a fledgling. Fledglings leave the nest before they can fly, but they can walk, hop and flutter their wings. It is important that the bird stay with its parents so it can be taught everything it needs to survive. Typically the baby bird will begin to call to its parents. When the parents discover it, they coax it into a nearby bush, where the baby can hop from branch to branch and embed itself deep inside the bush. It is the parent's intention to teach them to camouflage themselves and keep quiet to prevent predators from discovering them. Within a couple hours to a couple days they will fly.
Here's what you can do to help:
- Put the bird in a bush (not a tree) near where it was found, away from the street.
- Keep dogs, cats and children away.
- Watch for two hours to see if the parents return.
Q: The baby bird I found is not fully feathered. What do I do?
A: This is a nestling bird that should not have come out of the nest. Unless the parents are known to be dead, an attempt should be made to renest baby birds that have fallen out of the nest and are not injured or infested. If the babies are cold, they need to be taken in and warmed with a heat source before returning to the nest. If the nest has been destroyed, try to repair it or replace it with a substitute nest. Here's how:
- The nest must have drainage or it will fill with water. Suggestions: Plastic plant pot with drainage holes (hanging basket is good); a wooden or straw basket; a craft store bird's nest. Another option is a plastic one gallon jug preferably with the cap on. It should have a hole cut in the side for the mother to get in and drainage holes in the bottom.
- Line it with nest debris or clean straw. Don't use grass or paper; they'll get wet and become mildewy.
- If the nest can't be replaced in the original spot, select a place as close as possible. Use wire or string to attach if necessary. (Make sure there are no loops or sharp ends that can injure or tangle the bird.) Be sure it has some protection from direct sun (filtered is okay), wind and rain, and is out of reach of cats and children.
After the nest is replaced, it should be carefully monitored for two hours for the return of the parents. If the parents do not return to feed and brood the nestlings in two hours, or by dusk, the babies will need to be taken to an animal rehabilitator.
Never leave a nestling in a nest alone unless you know a parent can brood it. Do not put a nestling in a container separate from the main nest, because the parents cannot keep both nests warm.
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Q: I'm interested in volunteering for Pacific Wildlife Care. What volunteer opportunities do you have?
A: First you need to become a member. When you apply for membership, express your desire to volunteer. You will then be placed on a notification list, from which you will be invited to attend our periodic Orientation Class. At the Orientation class you will be introduced to Pacific Wildlife Care and all the volunteer opportunities that are available. Some opportunities, for instance, are Phone Relay (responding to calls from the public and resolving problems), Transporter (transporting animals could involve capture), Education and Outreach (educating the public, usually involves the presentation of our live educational animals to schools, clubs and other events), Animal rehabilitator, Board positions (i.e. Fundraising Chair) and many more.
After you've completed the Orientation class, you can inform the instructor which activities you'd like to do. Depending on the activity, you will either work one-on-one with a Pacific Wildlife Care teacher and then you can immediately begin your duties, or you will be required to attend further training if it is a more intensive duty, such as animal rehabilitation.
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Q: I'd like to care for the animals. How do I go about this?
A: It is illegal to capture and keep wildlife unless you are a permitted animal rehabilitator or you have some other permit from California Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. To be allowed to care for animals through Pacific Wildlife Care's permit, first you need to become a member and attend the Pacific Wildlife Care Orientation Class. You will be required to attend classes specifically designed for animal rehabilitators. You will also work with an experienced Pacific Wildlife Care animal rehabilitator. When the animal rehabilitator determines that you are ready, you will then be allowed to care for the wildlife through Pacific Wildlife Care's permit.
Q: Can I work at the Pacific Wildlife Care Facility?
A: The Pacific Wildlife Care Center will be receiving wildlife in May 1, 2007. If you would like to work at the center please volunteer (if you aren't a member, you need to do that first)! We need volunteers to let us know if they would like to work a shift at the center. Please email us and let us know if you’re interested.
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Q: Do you have any paid positions at Pacific Wildlife Care?
A: Currently, Pacific Wildlife Care is ALL volunteer.
Q: I am interested in helping but I don't have time. Is there any way I can help?
A: Money donations are a big help. 39% of our budget goes towards food necessary to feed the animals during their rehabilitation. Pelican Rehabilitation reached 6% of our budget this year. 4% goes to paying our veterinarians for medical expenses. In addition, planning and developing the new wildlife facility is 22% of our budget. The care that we can provide to the wildlife is directly related to the donations we receive from the public. If you prefer to donate specifically to an animal species, fill out the "adopt-an-animal" form and mail it to our P.O. Box. We are currently in great need of funds to help us complete the building of our wildlife facility. If you would like your donation to specifically go towards the wildlife facility, fill out the Membership/Donation Form and circle the paragraph that begins with "I would like to contribute to the fund for a new center..."
Q. How can I make or where can I buy an owl nest box?
A: Several websites have information about these. Links are below. If you are local, you can also stop by Wild Birds Unlimited (805-547-0242), in San Luis Obispo to get building plans.
www.barnowltrust.org.uk - order from the UK
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/MCE/Publications/PDFs/FS795.pdf - plans, as well as fact sheet on barn owls.
http://www.owlpages.com/links.php?cat=Owls-Nest+Boxes - a whole pages of barn owl box sites
http://www.birdsofprey.org/Owl%20Research/boxplans.htm - another whole page of owl box sites
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