And An Owl In A Pear Tree

Once upon a time we received a phone call from a woman who had an Owl in her pear tree. This owl, she claimed, “must have been injured,” because she had seen it in nearly the same place both the day before as well as today and she was afraid to go outside because of it. We did our best to explain that even if there was something wrong with the owl it wouldn’t pose a threat to a grown adult while it was in a tree and we tried to gather more information from her as to what more was going on to give us an idea if there really could be something wrong with it.

After a short time it was obvious that the caller was coming at the situation from a much different place than we were and was unwilling to provide us with anymore of the information we needed.

The following day, the adult children of this same woman called and tried to tell us the same story of the owl in the pear tree. When I encouraged them to approach the tree to gather more information the same as I had suggested the previous day however, the owl flew away just fine!

The reason I share this story is just an excuse to talk about the fact that baby season is just around the corner and the earliest babies are already being prepared for by their Great Horned Owl parents!

Each year we admit as many as half a dozen or more “owlets” because of strong spring storms and poorly built nests. This is the situation that Dakota was faced with when he was a youngster. As much as he has become a part of the Wildlife In Need Center and who we are over his 11 years with us, his true and ideal place would have been the freedom of living as a wild owl. Because he was taken from his family that blustery spring day rather than brought to a rehabilitator who could’ve reunited him with his family like we do with the owlets we admit, he will never live that life.

Just a reminder that when you find an animal you think needs help, make your first step a positive one and contact your local wildlife rehabilitator before you do anything else!

This puff-ball can't get back up into his parents' nest without a little assistance. This is not a safe place for someone like him to be so if you see this situation, give us a call

An experienced volunteer is gently gathering up the owlet to bring to the Center for evaluation. Once we've determined that there are no injuries we will send out re-nesting volunteers and staff to reunite the babies with their family.

Owlets that are a little larger and more feathered like this one are called "branchers." These little guys may be capable of hoping and gliding enough that if found on the ground they could get back up into the lower branches on their own. If they can't do so in a reasonable amount of time however, always call a rehabilitator for advice 

An Owl Re-nesting Volunteer climbs the tree armed with a new "nest" to install for the owl family

Thank you for caring!

Plan ahead if tree trimming is in your future

Springtime may seem like a long way off, but for those homeowners whose spring clean-up activities will include cutting down unwanted or dead trees there is good reason to make those plans now rather than later. Even though spring means that the weather starts to cooperate and trees may still be dormant, it is the worst time of year to cut or remove them, at least for your wild neighbors. Right now squirrels and some birds, raccoons and a few other species are still nesting in Wisconsin trees, but soon, as the days become shorter and the nights cooler, they will have begun the transition into adulthood. Early-mid fall is not only after the nesting season is done but it is also before most mammals begin using trees for winter dens making it the ideal time for removing trees while having the least negative impact.

Great Horned Owls start nesting as early as January, often in old hawk or crow nests built in numerous types of trees. As the spring progresses, tree squirrels, raccoons, and many bird species build their nests and raise their young in trees. Cutting down trees in the spring and summer can destroy nests and animals can be displaced, injured, or even killed in the process. We get a number of babies like squirrels, raccoons and a wide variety of birds whose nests or families have been destroyed from tree removal and trimming throughout these seasons.



Thanks to Volunteer and Photographer, Katie Pfaff for this photo of a playful raccoon being rehabilitated after his nest tree was cut down killing his mother and several of his siblings.



If a dead tree is not posing a threat to your home or other buildings, you could even consider leaving it, or only cutting off the most dangerous branches. There are a number of good reasons to keep them around for the sake of your wild neighbors. Dead trees (called snags) provide important habitat for many species of wildlife. Woodpeckers often use snags as a source of their insect diet. They also drill holes (cavities) in live and dead trees which they use for nesting. These cavities are important nest sites for a number of other cavity-nesting species that don’t have the ability to make holes in trees themselves; these include chickadees, bluebirds, and kestrels. Snags also provide den sites (both nesting and wintering) for many mammal species including squirrels, raccoons, and even bears.

So, whether you are still relishing the summer sun or looking forward to the first crisp fall day, look up the next time you are outside and if tree removal is in your future, plan accordingly.

New Nest, Same Story

So you think you’ve found a baby bird…



photo by LMB

The first question to ask is this really a baby bird or is it a small adult bird?

The second question is what was the bird doing before you discovered it and what has it been doing since? Also note whether or not any injuries are obvious.

It may seem like baby birds are a product of spring, but here in Wisconsin we have several species of songbirds that nest later in the season and also some that nest several times throughout the season. Just because it’s July doesn’t mean baby bird season has stopped here at the Wildlife In Need Center!

So, what do you do now that you’ve found a baby bird?

Baby birds that still have lots of pink skin showing and whose feathers are soft and fuzzy or nonexistent are called nestlings. Nestlings are babies that should be in the nest but may fall out due to weather, predators, or other forces. Baby birds that don’t have any obvious injuries should first be warmed up to body temperature under a lamp, on a heating pad, or in your hand before being renested. Those that can be replaced in their original nest should be. In cases where the nest has been destroyed or is too high to reach the baby can be replaced in a substitute nest. A substitute nest can be made of a wicker basket, hanging plant basket or any plastic container with drainage holes poked into it. If using a plastic container be sure to line it with dried grasses, sticks or leaves so that it isn’t slippery. Hang your substitute nest at least 4-6 feet off the ground so it is out of easy reach of neighborhood pets and kids and within hearing distance (less than 12 feet) of the original nest. Don’t feed the baby; it should be hungry and peep because of it – that noise alerts the parents to where it is and they will feed it as well as any siblings in the nest.

Fledglings are babies that are old enough to leave the nest. They spend a couple of days hopping around the ground and making buzz flights an inch or two above the ground a foot or two at a time. That is how they learn to fly and build up their strength; activities they can’t do in a nest. Their parents continue to feed them on the ground but don’t stay with the baby at all times. Fledglings are mostly feathered, with wing feathers and at least a start of tail feathers, but may still have a bit of baby fluff here and there. Babies at this stage should be left alone and monitored from a distance.

If you have any further questions or you feel that the baby bird you’ve found may be injured please contact your nearest wildlife rehabilitator as soon as possible.

Sand Hill Crane Phenomenon!

As many of you know we recently have moved to a new location.  One thing you might not know is that the Wildlife in Need Center has an ongoing tradition with the majestic bird, the sand hill crane.  Our first patient ever was an injured sand hill crane.  And from then our center began to flourish every year with helping wildlife.  It was a happy coincidence that we chose this image as the center piece to our memorable logo.  

On Monday June 27, our new center officially opened, and we were greeted once again with non other than another sand hill crane.  What a coincidence.  This little fellow had his parents scared away by a dog and was thus left alone.  The people who found the crane then were told to make sure to leave the baby out, but sadly the parents never came back.  When brought into the center, it was clear that there were significant injuries to the bird.  Chelsea Matson, one of our Animal Rehabilitators, thought that when she first saw him it was in critical condition, (labored breathing, cold, and skinny) almost dead at that point.  After examining the bird, it appeared to have a spinal injury and was also very dehydrated.    

Our little baby sand hill crane is doing better and eating many worms a day. 

Luckily by the end of the day with some TLC it had appeared to perk up a bit.  By next morning he was standing all on his own!  The baby sand hill crane proved to be a great phenomenon and let’s us believe that our future is bright at our new location.   

For those of you who want to visit the Wildlife In Need Center our office hours are 9am-5pm, seven days a week.  The new Wildlife In Need Center is located at W349 S1480 S. Waterville Rd. Suite B, Oconomowoc, WI. Our new phone number is 262-965-3090.

Guest Blogger  JH    

The unexpected consequences of being unemployed

The other day we received a call from a gentleman regarding a nest of baby birds. It’s not an uncommon call this time of year. This nest was different however, because it was inside of the engine compartment of his truck! Squirrels and other small animals will build nests from time to time in a vehicle that gets left out while the owner is on vacation for example, and they can build a nest and move their babies into it from another nest in a matter of hours or days. A bird however, needs time to build it’s nest, lay its eggs, and then incubate those eggs before there’s even a prospect of finding baby birds in a place like this.

So, how long has this truck been sitting that it can’t sit for another week and a half until these baby birds fledge the nest? His response was that being out of work for the past 18 months hasn’t given him very many reasons to drive it! The couple of times he had driven it, he hadn’t realized they were even there! Thankfully, they were tucked safely right above the wheel well and hadn’t made a peep until they were hatched and big enough to realize that they were away from their parents!

Because he now had a reason to drive the truck and didn’t want to be taking the babies away from their parents I advised him to attach the nest onto a mid-sized ladder, place it in a flower basket hanging from a shepherds hook, or another object that would keep it up off the ground. This way the nest would be safe from kids and pets in the neighborhood and if he placed this object directly near the side of the truck that it was originally, the parents shouldn’t have too much trouble finding them to continue their care. Because these birds had their nest in a covered area to begin with he could’ve also placed the nest within a box for protection, either on its side or with a hole cut in it for a doorway.

We raise hundreds of orphaned songbirds each year with the help of our adult and junior volunteers. If you are 12 or 13 with an interested parent or guardian or 14 and up and interested in helping us help them contact us today!

We’re getting lots of calls about baby birds now, especially ones that are on the ground. If you find baby birds that have blown out of the nest the best thing to do is to try to return them to their nest. If that’s not possible then you can easily provide them with a replacement nest. To do this take a small plastic container – if it doesn’t already have holes in it, like a strawberry basket for example, then poke some in the bottom to prevent it from filling up with water. Fill the container with dried grasses, small twigs or other dried natural materials that won’t hold in moisture like green materials would. Then you can tie it, hang it, or attach it to the tree, bush or structure they fell from at a level which you can reach. Six to 8 feet is best, but even 3 or 4 feet will be safer than being on the ground. For more information contact your local rehabilitator or the Wildlife In Need Center at 262-968-5075

NWRA: Albany, NY

I was the lucky, chosen one of us rehabbers to go to this year’s National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association Symposium in Albany, New York this year. It was also my first NWRA conference so I was very excited. My excitement grew when I received information on the lectures that were being given each day. Turtle Tidbits, Caring for the “Elder” Squirrel, Parvovirus in Raccoons, and Take Two Worms and Call me in the Morning were at the top of my list to attend. But there were so many to choose from and when they are offered at the same times, “how do I pick?” I thought to myself. And, it being my first conference I was eager to see and hear everything I could squeeze into those 4 days. Luckily, I found out I had a travel buddy, a fellow rehabber from the Wisconsin Humane Society Rehabilitation Center. With two of us, we decided we could “divide and conquer” and share notes on all of our new, juicy wildlife secrets! So we did just that, and everyday we went from 7:30 AM to 9:00 PM! Then we would grab a quick bite to eat and go to our room and discuss all the great, new things we learned that day while organizing our notes. Crystal (my travel buddy) described us as “power nerds.”

Day 4 came way too quickly and before we knew it, it was time to go back home and share all of our new ideas with our centers. Now that I’m back, I’m finally finishing up organizing my notes and starting to share some of the things I learned with other WINC staff and volunteers. The conference was tons of fun, a great learning experience and reminder of how many people there are who truly care about wildlife and improving the way we care for them.

Guest Blogger C. M.

Don't forget to mark your calendars for this year's Pancake Breakfast and Baby Shower on Sunday, March 27th from 8 AM to 1 PM!

Here Comes Spring!

Spring is on its way! It’s been 5 days since the first Red-winged Blackbirds were seen visiting the front feeder. This morning they were joined by a multitude of others, singing up a storm in the treetops all across the property! Several staff and volunteers in this area and as far south as Mukwonago have heard Cranes calling as they return to Wisconsin and their breeding grounds!

With the signs of spring increasing daily that means it is the time of year for our Annual Pancake Breakfast and Baby Shower. This event features visits from several of our animal ambassadors, cool WINC merchandise you can purchase to help fund our care of orphaned wildlife this spring. And, most importantly, pancakes, sausage, eggs, corned beef hash, juice, coffee, and homemade baked goods!

Join us Sunday, March 27th between 8AM and 1PM!

The Dousman/Ottawa Lions Club is located at 235 Main Street Dousman, Wisconsin

Tickets are $6; $3 for children 2-12

and children under 2 eat free!

Because this event is to bring awareness to the baby season soon to come we will have educational materials as well as staff and volunteers to answer your wildlife questions. The funds we raise at this event will help us care for literally hundreds of baby raccoons, ducklings, squirrels, songbirds, cottontails, owlets and more! If you want to help even more, consider bringing in an item or two from our baby shower wish list:

Paper towels

Bleach

Simple Green (regular or concentrated)

Bungee Cords

Cloth Diapers

Fleece and Pillowcases

Fresh and frozen berries

Innova Evo Dry Cat and Kitten Food

High Efficiency Laundry Detergent (HE)

Earthworms, Waxworms, and Mealworms

Baby Song Birds will constitute nearly 200 or more of the patients we will care for this season!



Caller Says: #1, All A-Flutter

A small bird was in the backyard, not flying.

First question is always is this a small adult bird or baby bird?

Second question is what was the bird doing before you discovered it and what has it been doing since?

In the spring, summer and early fall you can occasionally find nestling babies that should be in the nest but that have fallen out due to the weather or other forces. These babies will have some naked pink spots yet. Those can be replaced in their nest should be, but only when warmed under a lamp or in your hand before doing so. In cases where the nest has been destroyed or is too high to reach the baby can be replaced in a substitute nest. A substitute nest can be made of a wicker basket, hanging plant basket or any plastic container with drainage holes in it. If using plastic be sure to line it with dried grasses, sticks or leaves so that it isn’t slippery. Hang a substitute nest at least 5-6 feet off the ground so it is out of easy reach of neighborhood pets and kids and within hearing distance of the original nest. Don’t feed the baby; it should be hungry and peep because of it – that noise alerts the parents to where it is and they will feed it as well as the siblings back in the original nest.

Fledglings are babies that are old enough to leave the nest. They spend a couple of days hopping around the ground and making buzz flights an inch or two above the ground a foot or two at a time. That is how they learn to fly and build up their strength; activities they can’t do in a nest. Their parents continue to feed them on the ground but don’t stay with the baby at all times. Fledglings are mostly feathered, with wing feathers and a start of tail feathers, but may still have a bit of baby fluff. Babies at this stage should be left alone and monitored from a distance.

In this case, the bird in question was an adult who had flown into the window. Most of the time window strikes cause a bird to be temporarily stunned. We suggest putting them in a covered box, or in a pinch a paper bag with a couple of air holes, and letting them rest someplace quiet for an hour. This protects them from predators and the quiet darkness also helps to reduce their shock. After an hour, take the box outside and open it. If the bird can fly out, fine. If not, it is more seriously injured and should come to a rehabilitator for evaluation. This bird was destined to have a better day and flew away after a short rest.

Thanks for caring!

PS. Don't forget that Tazino's Pizza and Salad Bistro in Menomonee Falls is hosting a 10% event for the Wildlife In Need Center this evening! Download a flyer [here] and 10% of your order will be donated to help us care for our wild neighbors! Tell all your friends and we'll see you there!

What’s that Bird?

“My granddaughter came over to visit and she has found a baby bird in the backyard,” says the caller on the other line. Then she says “I think it’s a baby hawk.” Sure, well, the first questions we ask are the same regardless of the type of bird: Are there obvious injuries; does it have feathers or is it still fuzzy; do you know where the nest is; have you seen the parents; how long has it been there… This bird wasn’t too far from us so we recommended bringing it to us so we could evaluate it, especially if it was a young raptor that may need to be re-nested by a trained volunteer.


The granddaughter was a bit older than we had envisioned and she was able to pick the bird up in a shirt; bringing him into the Center in a canvas shopping bag. The most surprising thing about this story however, is that it actually was a juvenile Cooper’s hawk!


Yes, that is what she said it was, but it’s a common occurrence to receive calls about “baby hawks” that turn into infant Mourning Doves when they arrive at the Center. We also get a lot of American Robins - while it’s true we do actually admit numerous robins, many other small birds ranging from European Starlings to Song Sparrows to House Finches come in claiming to be a member of the proud red-breasts as well. We never make people feel bad for not knowing the difference; the truth is there are always patients coming in that even we don’t know at first glance, especially baby birds! By working as a team and with a network; talking to other staff and volunteers, attending conferences, reading journals, posting blogs, and partnering with other rehabilitators however, we find the answers we don’t know and also try our best to share that information. And that’s a good thing because for many of the people we do talk to, there aren’t a lot of other resources for them to get the answers they’re looking for. We love to hear from people that know about and care about our wild neighbors as much as we do, but we love to help people learn about our wild neighbors just as much.


It isn’t something we’re often known for, but we are more than “just an animal charity.” An article in our recent newsletter examined the ways in which we help the people in our communities as well. While we are here for the animals (whatever they may turn out to be) it is the volunteers, members, staff, supporters and community who have always been the heart of the Wildlife In Need Center.

Do you know what to do when...

• you find a cottontail nest in your yard?
• your cat brings you an injured bird?
• you see an owl get hit by a passing car?
• you find a small raccoon near the side of the road?

These are some of the more common situations our wild neighbors find themselves in every day and they need your help! By preventing the situations that may lead to an animal becoming one of our patients, we save just as many lives over the phone as we do in our clinic.

Did you know that the Wildlife In Need Center has recently received a generous grant to fund and enhance our unique internship programs? The generous donation given by the James E. Dutton Foundation has allowed the Center to make more positions available in animal care this summer. Those of you who’ve been around WINC throughout the years know how important animal care interns are during our busy summer months. Their help allows us to increase the quality of care we can provide our patients. The funding will also allow us to offer animal care positions during our off-season as well which will help launch a whole new aspect of research and allow for the best care of all of our future patients.

As our Center grows and our need to educate the communities we serve grows with it, we also plan to expand our internship programs accordingly. Our new partnership with UW-Waukesha means that we are not only enhancing the experiences and learning opportunities provided for the valuable team members to our animal care staff and volunteers, we are also adding new team member positions including marketing and community outreach as well as an education intern.

Most importantly, we are looking for someone to help us launch our environmental education internship program. If you or someone you know is interested in:

• Learning how to assist the public with wildlife questions
• Designing educational brochures for children’s programs
• Creating educational displays for the new educational wing
• Helping to present educational programs to the public
• Create and publish educational videos
• and more...

Learning to live peacefully with wildlife as well as knowing when a wild animal may need our help are just some of the lessons you could share if you were an education intern at the Wildlife In Need Center. Interns should have experience with various computer programs, working with people and reliable transportation. For a complete description of the qualifications for becoming an intern visit our website. If you want to help inspire people both young and old about the wonderful world around us then we want to hear from you!

To apply send a cover letter describing your interest and previous experience as well as a current resume to sacummings@helpingwildlife.org

For more information about what it’s like to be a WINC intern read this weeks Lake Country Reporter or visit our website. And thank you for caring about the animals.

Thank You for Helping Wildlife

Do you know how to rescue a Bald Eagle with your finger or and orphaned Gray Squirrel with your wireless mouse? We say it a lot around here at the Wildlife In Need Center and it may sound cliché, but our members and supporters really are saving lives with each donation. Whether it’s an hour of their time, a bottle of green cleaner or a dollar, they all add up to what we need to get the job done.

In-kind donations are a way that we get a tremendous amount of the materials and supplies we need.

In a shameless attempt to win you over with cuteness please review the following photographs:

The following items are things we urgently need due to the large number of patients being admitted daily:

• Paper Towels
• Newspapers
• EVO-Premium Cat Food – (found at Friends of Nature)
• Plastic Storage Tubs – 10, 18 or 35 gallon sizes
• Dry erase EXPO markers – black (or any color)
• Simple Green - (or other similar cleaners like Green Works for example)
• And of course - Greens - Any type

Whether it’s one donation or 100 we can accept them in our office between 9AM and 5PM seven days a week. Thank you for caring.

You can donate online to support our efforts to help our wild neighbors in need too.

Memorial Day Weekend Marks the Beginning of Summer

Memorial Day Weekend marks the beginning of summer. People are picnicking in parks, grilling out with friends and family in their backyard, boating on the local lakes. What goes on at Wildlife In Need on Memorial Day weekend? I had so many phone calls Saturday that when I was talking to one person, the machine took 2-3 more calls.

Saturday we admitted:
1 infant Raccoon
2 infant Mink
4 infant Eastern Cottontail
1 infant bird
1 infant bird
1 Goldfinch
1 infant Raccoon
2 infant Mallard
2 infant Mallard
1 infant Raccoon
1 infant Raccoon
1 juvenile starling
1 infant bird
1 infant bird
1 infant Common Grackle

Sunday we admitted:
1 infant Raccoon
1 infant bird
4 infant Raccoon
1 adult Baltimore oriole
2 infant Woodchuck
1 infant Eastern Cottontail
1 infant American Robin
1 adult Eastern Chipmunk
2 infant Woodchuck
1 juvenile Mourning Dove
1 juvenile European Starling
1 infant bird
12 infant Virginia Opossum
2 infant Virginia Opossum
1 infant Raccoon
1 adult Eastern Cottontail
1 infant Blue Jay

Monday we admitted:
1 adult Common Grackle
1 infant bird
1 infant Blue Jay
1 infant Woodchuck
2 infant Woodchuck
2 infant Woodchuck
4 infant Mallard

* Infant birds are songbird babies I can’t identify in the office. Don’t be alarmed, Animal Care staff can identify these UFOs (unidentified flying objects) but I haven’t gotten those updates yet.

And a special thank you to Officer Pavlovich from the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department for rescuing the 4 Mallard ducklings from the median of I-94 near Grandview Boulevard in Waukesha. He even transported them in the back of his squad car to the Center. They were so cute sitting on his back seat I wish I had brought my camera! Law enforcement officials usually deal with human emergencies and the ducklings were a traffic hazard. But we often get calls from law enforcement agencies on wildlife issues as they too care about wildlife. It’s June, here’s to a Wild Summer!

Guest Blogger L.R.

Hooos Out There!

In 2009, the Wildlife in Need Center was involved in eleven rescues of baby Great Horned owls, or owlets as they are called. Owlets often have to be rescued when the strong winds of late March and early April blow. Great Horned owls do not build their own nests, but take over old crow and squirrel nests and if those nests are in disrepair, it is very easy for an owlet to tumble out, especially when it is windy. An owlet on the ground is especially vulnerable to predators as they are unable to fly. Crows can often be heard “cawing” when there is an owl in the neighborhood. There is nothing they would like better than to pick on an unsuspecting grounded owlet. Usually if someone from the public is aware of owls in their yard and if a tragedy like this would occur, they will call and notify the Center.

To satisfy my curiosity about owl activity in the area this year, I called many of the rescue locations from the previous year. I’m happy to report, that over half of the contacts to date are reporting a lot of hooting. Several individuals have seen adult owls in trees in their yards. Great Horned owlets have even hatched at some locations. Follow this link to the WE-Energies website http://www.we-energies.com/environmental/protect_wildlife.htm. There you can see two owlets snuggling under the feathers of its mother at 3PM today. At the Center last year, we rescued owlets from late March to late April. In my next blog, I’ll write more about the renesting process. I’ll leave you with this picture, courtesy of a homeowner from one of last year’s re-nesting sites. These two owls are nest mates shown shortly after they fledged last year.

-KF (aka CBL)

The Only Chimney Swift Spending the Winter in Wisconsin

As many of you know, we are over-wintering a Chimney Swift this year at WINC. He (or she, there’s no real way to tell) came in as an orphan on August 20th. This is considered very late in the season for Chimney Swifts. But just like other baby birds, we fed our little Chimney Swift every 30 minutes for the first couple months to keep him going.

Eventually, as his weight reached a plateau at a healthy 20 grams, we put him on hourly feedings. Typically, as birds grow older they begin to self-feed and you can feed them less and less frequently until they no longer need any hand-feeding. However, Chimney Swifts are different. In the wild, they catch insects in the air as they fly which is very difficult to replicate in captivity. Because they will not self-feed in captivity, we knew we would have to feed him. He was the first patient we cared for in the morning and the last one at night.

Once he developed sufficient flying skills, we decided it was time to start looking for flocks of other Chimney Swifts to release him into. We had heard of flock sightings in Madison so a staff member took him there in hopes that she would find the flock. Unfortunately, it was a cold day so the flock was nowhere to be found. After a few more weeks with no signs of the flock, we had to face the facts: the Chimney Swifts had already migrated to the only place they go in the winter months, Peru! So we knew our 70 degree indoor aviary and hourly hand- feedings were his only hope for survival. Of course we were willing to do whatever we needed to do for him to someday be released.

It’s now the end of January and we’re still feeding our Chimney Swift whenever he desires which is back to almost every half-hour, time permitting. Having to keep any animal over the entire winter is not ideal for us or for them, but one you have to care for so many times a day can start to drive a rehabber a little crazy. It got me thinking about how much of our time this little guy demands. We’ve fed him approximately 15 times per day for the last three months and an average of 25 times per day for the two months prior to that. After a little math, I came up with an approximation of roughly 2,850 feedings since August 20th! So that’s where all of our mealworms are going!

As the days slowly grow longer, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel for the Chimney Swift and hopefully he will be released into a flock once the summer months return. Until then, he has a safe and warm place to live where he will never have to worry about going hungry.

Guest Blogger, C.M.