Wildlife Rescue

Would you like to volunteer to help with wildlife?

 

 Small Birds

Baby birds are one of the most labor-intensive wildlife projects you can take on. They require heat lamps and frequent feeding (every 15 to 30 minutes) in the first few weeks of life. Many species require live food such as mealworms. If you aren't able to be home most of the day in spring and summer this is not the project for you.

Depending upon the species sick or injured adult small birds often do not handle captivity well, especially if they are not with other birds. We usually consult with Veronica Bowers who operates the Songbird Hospital in Sebastopol. It is an amazing facility and you should visit them to see the thousands of baby birds they hand raise every season. Her book "Passerine Fundamentals" tells you everything you need to know about raising and caring for small birds. You are welcome to borrow one of our copies if you are thinking about baby bird rehabbing.

WATERBIRDS (Ducks, geese, herons, swans, gulls, grebes, etc.)

As previously mentioned, it is much easier to raise waterbirds if you have access to shoreline. Baby ducks, geese, swans, etc. should be raised In groups so they do not imprint on humans. They will need to be kept in a deep box/stock tank with a heat lamp. Later they can be put in a predator-safe outdoor pen and soft released on the lake.

Large adult predatory birds like herons can be dangerous to handle and are usually transferred to a facility like the IBRRC in Fairfield which specializes in water birds.

 

Vultures

Not pretty but fairly easy to rehab. Require a large outdoor cage (coop or aviary) during their recovery. Ideally should be released where they were found since they live in family units.

RAPTORS (Hawks,owls,eagles,ospreys,etc.)

Hand raised baby raptors may require long-term (one year or more) handling and training by qualified falconers to teach them to hunt. They also require large (100 feet long or more) flight cages to strengthen their wings. This is why we make every attempt to return fledgling raptors to their nest so the parents can do the work.

Sick and Injured adults can be temporarily re-habbed in "mews" (specially constructed outdoor pens) until they are healthy, then transferred to a facility that can do flight training to strengthen their wings. If you have a large aviary or chicken coop that can be converted into a mews you can do the Initial rehabbing, then we can transfer the bird to Santa Rosa Bird Rescue for flight rehabbing. A raptor who is housed inside a wire pen will destroy its tail and flight feathers trying to escape. A mews uses vertical slats of wood (1x2") with gaps in-between instead of wire. You can visit Santa Rosa Bird Rescue or look on line to see how a mews is constructed.

If you want to get really serious about raptor rehab and you have a large barn or warehouse that can be converted into a flight pen you can do the flight training yourself. You would need to visit the raptor centers in Santa Rosa to get an idea of what ls involved.

We try to release adult raptors in the area where they were found since they are very territorial.

 
 

 DEER

Adult sick or injured deer are almost never rehabbed since they are dangerous to handle and are too wild to be confined inside a pen. They will kill themselves trying to escape. Fish and Wildlife does not allow rehabbers to handle wild adult deer.

Fawns must be raised in a way that does not allow them to lose their fear of humans. A tame adult deer can jump most fences and will literally destroy a garden. They can also attack and seriously injure small dogs. Fawns must be bottle fed and raised in small groups. They require large pens with high fences which take a considerable amount of money and labor to construct. They must be out of sight and sound of human habitation, dogs, etc. Fawns must be released in small groups onto large acreage where they will not overwhelm the food supply for the existing deer population. This might entail loading them into a horse trailer for transport to a suitable forest or park (with approval from Fish & Wildlife). Properly raising and releasing deer is a huge undertaking.

 

THE "BAD BOYS" (Ravens, crows, jays)

 Many rescue groups refuse to accept these birds because of their nasty habit of eating the eggs and young of other, more "desirable" songbirds. They are smart, tough, and easy to raise. They can be soft released from outdoor pens but are at risk of being shot by people who don't like them so it would be best if you don't have close neighbors.

As always, injured adults are usually released close to where they were found so they can return to their family group.

 

 

THE "ILLEGALS" (Asian doves, turkeys, feral pigeons)

These birds are "non-natives" (they were artificially introduced) and California Fish & Wildlife would like to see them eradicated from the wild. I believe that the genie is out of the bottle with these species and they are here to stay. Many rehab groups will not accept them or will euthanize them on the spot. We are always looking for people who are willing to give these birds a home.

All you need is a chicken coop or pigeon loft. The pigeons and doves are gentle birds who do no harm. ''Technically" if a rehab group admits one of these birds they are not supposed to ever be released back to the wild. These birds are the only exceptions to my "no pets" rule.

RACCOONS

One of the most common species we are presented with. Babies are easy to raise but THEY MUST BE KEPT WILD or they will become a terrible nuisance. Tame raccoons will strip fruit from trees, raid garbage cans, kill chickens, steal cat food, and injure dogs if cornered.

Very young raccoons need to be bottle fed. They should always be raised in groups of two or more so they do not imprint on humans. Once they are off the bottle they require a large, secure outdoor cage away from human activity. They must be released before they reach sexual maturity or they can become very aggressive and pose a danger to humans and pets. If you are going to soft release them on your own property you must live miles away from any neighbors or you can be sure they will end up causing trouble.

As with all rabies vector species, if you intend to rehab raccoons you must be rabies vaccinated.

 COYOTES, FOXES, BOBCATS

Injured adults can sometimes be rehabbed at special facilities.

Just like raccoons, it is critical that orphaned predators be kept WILD so they can have a normal fife. That means they need to be raised with others of their own kind so they do not imprint on humans. They also need to be housed away from sight and sound of human activity. If we receive a single individual we will usually network with other rescue groups so we can pair it up with others. They have a much better chance of survival when released as a group away from human habitation.

Keep in mind that these animals naturally prey on chickens, ducks, rabbits, and other domestic animals. Coyotes and bobcats pose a threat to cats and small dogs. If you Intend to soft release them on your property you need to consider the other animals who depend upon you for food and safety and be sure you are not putting them at risk.

Rabies vaccination is required.

 

LARGE PREDATORS (Lions, bears, etc.)

California Fish & Wildlife does not allow permitted rehabbers to handle

big game species. All of these species must be dealt with by that agency.

 

Opossums

Not the smartest or the prettiest but fairly common in our facility. Very young (hairless) babies can be labor intensive in the first few weeks of life. Older babies that can self-feed are easy to raise and just need a safe cage until they are large enough to be released. Like raccoons, if you are going to do a soft release on your own property you should not have close neighbors.

 

SQUIRRELS AND OTHER RODENTS, RABBITS

Mice and rats can be housed in aquariums {with a lid!) until old enough to be released.

Baby squirrels and rabbits can be raised in cages and eventually released when old enough. They generally revert back to the wild fairly quickly.

 

 REPTILES {turtles, snakes, lizards)

If you are interested in rehabbing sick or injured reptiles you will need to be prepared to research the individual needs of the species you are presented with as they all have different requirements. Turtles with shell fractures are our most common reptile patient. They can require weeks or months of rehab before it is safe to release them. Generally a terrarium or children's wading pool will work for housing.

 

 BATS

We occasionally have bats brought to us. They are interesting animals but require a fabric covered cage (a reptarium) and live food (meal worms). They are also a rabies vector species so rabies vaccination is mandatory.