Lindsay Wildlife Museum (California)

[beans]

Turkey Vulture Goes Back to School

At the end of October, Lindsay Wildlife Museum's hospital received a phone call about a turkey vulture that flew into the side of a building at Antioch Charter Academy. It was brought to the wildlife hospital suffering a concussion and a sprained wrist joint. After pain medications and rest it was ready for release in early December. Staff drove the vulture back to the school where it was found, and all of the children and teachers from the school came out to watch the release!
A great big thank you to the teachers and the children at Antioch Charter Academy for caring enough to help a turkey vulture in need!
Read the full story Here

[emc]

Super that the kids and the school cared enough about a turkey vulture. So glad it was able to be rehabilitated.

Very interesting that other turkey vultures gathered as he was carried out to be released. So much we don't undertand about the communication involved between the birds. 

[Faerie Gardener]

What a nice story.  I remember how cute the baby turkey vulture chicks were in an earlier post!

[Tigerlady105]

That's a heart-warming story, Beans.  I hope the teachers who are part of our chatters/viewers/forum members' family will share it with their students!   

[Cawatcher]

Thank You Beans needed this wonderful story

[beans]

The hospital received 32 animals last week, bringing the total for this year to 144.

Two of the patients--a black-crowned night heron and a mallard--were brought to us because they were tangled in fishing line. It's important to pick up discarded fishing line and hooks and dispose of it safely. Over the years many animals have come to the hospital because of fishing line or fish hooks, including turtles and many species of aquatic birds. Even if you are not a fisherman yourself, watch for and pick up discarded line when around bodies of water.

We all know this --  but most people don't understand the problems caused by leftover fishing line and hooks.

From WildCare:

CLICK HERE

[Tigerlady105]

Yes , Beans.  And here is the link to our forum thread about fishing line and wildlife:

http://www.ournaturezone.com/index.php?topic=808.0

[beans]

Release of Golden Eagle Newspaper Article

I knew something was up last Thursday when I arrived for my shift at the hospital.  Most of the staff were gone --  they were releasing a three year old Golden Eagle.  He was found in October dragging his wing in a shopping center.  He was probably hit by a car.  Dr. Shannon Riggs, out chief veterinarian, surgically pinned three fractured bone wings. 

I remember him in his large aviary, standing on a low perch.  My task (with another volunteer) was to give him clean water and deliver 4 or 5 euthanized dead mice.  He slightly raised his wings when I entered and kept an eye on me the whole time.

He was banded and successfully released.  As stated in the article, such a golden eagle release is rate in this area because those brought to the animal hospital usually have been injured at the Altamont wind farm and never fully recover…..

I also uploaded a copy of the video to YouTube, just in case the video disappears from the web site:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQBPOuIF_To" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQBPOuIF_To</a>

[Rajame]

Priceless is correct! Sending hugs to all at Lindsay.

[emc]

Fantastic that he could be released after wing fracture and pinning. I don't know if this can be a teaching example of what can be done with some fractured wings. It would be fabulous if more could be pinned, rehabbed and released. 

Jean, why was the Golden Eagle tossed up for release instead of put on the ground? It still was a gentle release.

[beans]

Trish was already holding him for half an hour while he was being banded, measured, and having a blood test.  He was anxious to go.  He arrived in a carrier, of course, but had to be held for all of the above.  In that case, she needed to release him directly from her arms.  In that case, I think a launch must be done, for the safety of both the releaser and releasee.

I've seen raptors, including eagles, simply walk out of their carriers.  As for me, the only birds I've personally released are seabirds and songbirds.

[emc]

Thanks for explaining. She did well launching him at a comfortable speed for him.

[beans]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NjZ8bwjuwk" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NjZ8bwjuwk</a>

Here's another video of the Golden Eagle's release.  The volunteer with the camera did an excellent job of filming his long flight after release.  Bravo!

[emc]

Wow! The long flight is fabulous to see! Checking out the area, exercising his wings.  Jean, do you know what the other bird is who flew over?

[beans]

The hospital received 98 animals last week, bringing the total for this year to 704.

Twenty-one of the patients last week were caught and injured by cats. Even though there are many other hazards for wildlife in our neighborhoods, free-roaming house cats cause a high percentage of the damage. Keep cats indoors as much as possible. For information on how to make an outdoor cat a happy indoor cat, check the American Bird Conservancy's website: http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/cats/index.html