Crow with broken wing hopping down the sidewalk.

[Nekhebet]

Quote:
I've rescued large angry seagulls, and bear the scars to show it

I take them to the WILDLIFE RESCUE.

The one in San Diego was Project Wildlife (there was another as well, can't recall the name). I imagine there are similar organizations elsewhere.

I think the other one is called Wildlife Assist and they work with Project Wildlife. I talked to them about a heron with fishing line all over it's leg. They told me how to capture him and take the line off.

I can't remember if that's it,but you're probably right. I do remember talking to one of their rescuers once, and she told me how busy they were. I mainly stuck to Project Wildlife since a) I knew where they were and could drive right down there and b) they send you a little post card to let you know what happened to the animal you assisted....if you wanted to know.

 

[desertdarlene]

I thought about volunteering for PW, once, but to get certified to be a rehabber, you have to put in a lot of volunteer hours there. Plus, if you wanted to work with the birds, you had to work in the same area as the mammals and I have allergies to just about anything furred (I, think, also, I may have allergies to birds, but have never had a serious reaction to them like I do with mammals, so far). They said I could work the phone banks, but that's just not really my thing, especially for the amount of hours they require.

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

I rescued a baby barn swallow this spring. Some kids had taken it out of the nest somewhere near their apartment building and one of the mothers called me. They "couldn't remember" where they found it. There were many feedings per day, but it was a lot of fun. I also let him fly away. He left one day, came back the next and got fed. Then he flew away and I never saw him again. Hope the little guy made it. Either way, it was a good learning experience for my kids. The learned not to mess with bird nests and how to raise a baby bird.

I also rescued a flying squirrel once. I had to bottle that thing for like 3 weeks and then work up to seeds. Very cute little guy.

And someone brought me a freshly hatched Canada goose once. She was all alone, he found her when he was fishing. I've raised a raccoon and gray squirrels. The only animal that is sure to die in my care is a cottontail rabbit. Those things are impossible to keep alive.


Edited to add: These were all illegal! Probably should get my rehaber's license.

 

[Moabite]

Here's my bud enjoying "Punkin".

Our cat and dogs liked 'em too.

 

[Weedchick]

Moabite said "...what would you have done?"
Well, I probably would have disregarded my dw, or in my case my dh!

. We had a pet crow for about a year when my boys were small. We got him at a garage sale. The people didn't know where he came from, they said he just showed up,but they were afraid their cats would get him. He was so funny, hopping around, pulling things out of boxes, untying shoe laces, how could I resist? We brought him home and kept him in an outdoor aviary for a few days, and when we let him out he just hung around. My guess is that he was raised or rehabbed by someone, then turned loose. But we loved him

! When the boys and I would weed the garden we would call him over and poke at the weed and he would pull it out. He hung around the neighborhood and most people knew he was "ours", but some people thought his friendliness was creepy ( shades of Hitchcock). He would visit a neighbor down the road who had boys my kids age and she told me when he saw our Jeep go by he would fly off for home, even if he was getting his favorite treats! He would always be there , sitting in the tree outside the door when we pulled up.

We loved on him for about a year and one day he didn't come home.

I like to think of him as finding a cute girl crow and moving on with a separate life, but I'll never know.
We also raised a couple of dovesthat fell out of a palm tree by my moms office. they were naked and their eyes hadn't opened yet so they must have been brand new. They successfully moved on when we released them. But I will always have a warm spot for our crow.
I too am holding out for a raven!

 

[crtrlovr]

I have a good friend just across the river in Southern Illinois who is a licensed wildlife rehabber. I'd love to do the same thing here in KY, but unfortunately it's downright impossible to get licensed here in KY. The last time I inquired about it I was told (unofficially, of course, off the record so no accountability) that the state DWF / Conservation Dept. would just as soon not have anybody even try to do rescues/rehabbing, so the state just won't issue a license. That stinks... I know I'm not alone in doing whatever I can FOR whatever I can, even if it has to be done on the sly.