Internship Opportunities at WBS

The World Bird Sanctuary provides internship opportunities for applicants over the age of 18. 

This program runs year round, and can offer unique work experience to its applicants, along with possibly receiving college credit if you are enrolled at a college.  Interns are given the chance to work full time in all different areas of the sanctuary including the animal hospital, propagation department, and education department and with our various field studies teams when they are active.

Interns are involved in all aspects of daily life at the World Bird Sanctuary.  Responsibilities include managing the resident animals at the sanctuary, husbandry and maintenance of the facilities, field study work, wildlife rehabilitation, and more!

Through working in all different areas of the sanctuary, interns are given the opportunity to discover which aspects fit their career goals best.  This can be helpful when choosing a career in which you work with animals.  Some people may find that they enjoy working in the animal hospital, helping to nurse sick and injured birds back to health.  Others may find that they prefer working in education, presenting programs for the public.  This internship opportunity gives interns the chance to find out what they are passionate about.

A WBS intern about to release this rehabilitated Red-tailed Hawk back to the wild. (photo: Paige Davis)

While working side by side with WBS staff, interns are taught numerous important skills for working with birds (and other species).  For example, interns will learn how to prepare diets for all of the animals they care for.  The World Bird Sanctuary is home to over 200 animals, and each animal needs care on a daily basis.  Interns will get hands on experience working with many of these species, from eagles to snakes.  They will also get the chance to help present educational bird and other animal programs for the public!  Flying live birds over an audience is a unique experience opportunity at WBS.

Bald eagles are one of many species that interns get to work with here at the sanctuary. (photo: Paige Davis)

For receiving college credits for your internship, you must speak with your college advisor about the internship to make sure credits can be received.  If you are thinking about a career in the field of wildlife, an internship at the World Bird Sanctuary is a great way to gain experience and see what the job is really like.  Not only will you get hands on experience with numerous different species, but you will also find out what working in each area of the sanctuary is like.  It is a unique opportunity to get firsthand experience with rare species from all across the globe.

For more information or an application form, click here.

Submitted by Paige Davis, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

GoFundMe: New Washer & Dryer Needed for Hospital

The World Bird Sanctuary is sorely in need of a heavy duty washer & dryer for the Wildlife Hospital.  It will cost $1,500.

Our old washer has died due to constant use and WBS staff members are having to drive off-site to keep up with the laundry.  The dryer also is on its last legs, barely hanging on by a string.

Baby Red-shouldered Hawk (photo: Catherine Redfern)

It’s now baby season and it is of vast importance to keep their areas clean in order to keep them healthy. Because these babies cannot yet stand, they spend a great deal of time lying down and need soft, clean towels and blankets to keep them warm.  Because this requires daily loads of laundry, a new heavy duty washer & dryer is a very important necessity for the WBS Wildlife Hospital.

Making a donation through GoFundMe is a safe and easy way to support World Bird Sanctuary.  GoFundMe guarantees a secure payment through encryption technology.  The site only allows Certified Charities like WBS to utilize its site.  GoFundMe has been recognized in Forbes, CNN, NPR, Time and many more.  Can you help us reach our goal?  Making a donation is not only safe, but quick and easy.

Baby Barred Owl with broken leg (photo: Catherine Redfern)

Please help us reach our goal to provide the World Bird Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital with a new washer & dryer for our new babies by clicking on the link!

http://www.gofundme.com/Help-the-Raptor-Hospital

Be sure to share the World Bird Sanctuary GoFundMe link with your friends and family. We appreciate your support!

Submitted by Alisha Cole, World Bird Sanctuary  Social Media and 

Rehab Releases

One of the hardest jobs at World Bird Sanctuary is working in the Rehabilitation Department.  I don’t mean in terms of physical labor, although keeping the Wildlife Hospital clean is by no means easy.   Each department at World Bird Sanctuary has quite a lot to maintain.

A Great Horned Owl recuperating in our wildlife hospital

When we receive a bird into our hospital, we immediately check it over to determine any injuries.  Any treatable injuries are immediately addressed, and if no physical injuries are apparent we, along with our vet, attempt to determine the problem with tests and x-rays.  Sometimes all a bird needs is supportive therapy until it is old enough or strong enough to hunt on its own. 

A Red-tailed Hawk well on his way to recovery

Once a diagnosis is made we prepare an enclosure where it can recover.  We then feed it, to make sure it gets the nutrients it needs to heal.  We admit between 300 and 400 injured birds of prey every year, and we generally have a 44% release rate.  This is one of the best release rates in the wildlife rehab industry.  It means that 44 out of every 100 birds we see in the hospital are released back into the wild without a problem.

It is hard to see birds struggle with illness and injury, and succumb to these maladies every day.  We do everything we can to help these birds recover, but  even with our best efforts it sometimes isn’t enough.

An Osprey spending time in a flight mew to build up his flight muscles

Working in the Wildlife Hospital is a paradox.  Dealing with those patients who don’t survive is one of the saddest parts of WBS.  At the same time, those who do survive, and are able to be released, is one of the most rewarding experiences at WBS.

In my time with WBS, I have released two birds from the Rehabilitation Department: a Cooper’s Hawk and a Great Horned Owl.  The Cooper’s Hawk was a female, and she had been injured after she flew into a window.  Her shoulder was dislocated, and she recovered at the hospital for a few weeks before she was ready to be released.

It was the very last day of my internship in 2010, and I was very excited to be able to release a rehabbed bird.  I picked the hawk up on a Saturday morning, and drove with her to Busch Wildlife Conservation Area in Weldon Spring, MO.   My parents came along, happy to be part of the occasion… and happy to take a gazillion pictures as well.

My very first release - a rehabilitated Cooper's Hawk

We picked a spot near one of the numerous lakes at Busch Wildlife, as there was certain to be a large concentration of small songbirds, the Cooper’s Hawk’s favorite prey.  I pulled the hawk out of the crate and prepared to release her.  The release went off without a hitch.  My parents and I watched the hawk soar over the lake, into the trees and out of sight.

My second release was just this summer.  This time, it was a Great Horned Owl.  This bird had been an orphan, brought into the hospital because its parents weren’t feeding it anymore.  She was fostered at the lower site by our experienced Great Horned Owl mother, Genie, for a few weeks before her release.

I drove this owl all the way to Cuba, MO to release her.  I could have gone somewhere closer to home, but this release was special to me.  My grandfather lives in Cuba, and I wanted to be able to share something special with him.  He is a bird lover like me (I come by it honestly, I guess), and I knew that he would be thrilled to witness the release of this owl.

My most special Return To The Wild because I got to share it with my Grandpa

My grandpa owns land in Cuba, and one part of this land has a small pond.  We chose that spot to give the owl some flying room.  At dusk, we walked down to the edge of the pond--my grandpa, my parents and me. I  pulled the owl from her crate, and, with a much smoother movement than with the Cooper’s Hawk so long ago, tossed her into the air.  She winged her way silently over the pond to begin a new life.  My grandfather stood in awe as she flew away.  I was so happy to be able to experience the thrill of release with him.

Though working with the sick and injured birds in the Wildlife Hospital can be disheartening at times, you remember the reason you do it when you see a rehabbed bird soaring away from you toward freedom.

If you or a member of your family would like to experience the thrill of releasing one of our rehabbed patients Click Here for information about our Return To The Wild program.

Submitted by Emily Hall, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist/Trainer

Animal Noises

We pulled the pin on a Barred Owl recently – the one that was hit by the Wentzville Fire Truck .  The pin held the bones of its broken wing together while it healed.  The time had come for the pin to be removed.  The owl (named “Maltese”) whined a little as the pin was unscrewed out of the bone.

We hear the sick, wild birds vocalize in rehab every day – experience has taught us that each of these noises has different meanings.  Sometimes it is a quiet whimper as the bird weakly resists being handled or medicated when it first comes into the hospital.   Sometimes it is an aggressive, ear-piercing yell – like the sound of an eagle that does not want to be restrained for its daily medication for the eighth day in a row!

Many birds are so weak when first admitted they cannot even hold themselves up, let alone make any sounds

We also hear the sounds of success.  When a young or injured bird’s whimper changes over time as it gets stronger, and it finds its voice to hiss and squawk – almost as if to say, “Leave me alone, I’m better now!”  At least that’s what I think they are saying to me.

“Maltese” in the physical therapy flight cage, displaying a defensive posture and hissing – a positive sign of recovery.

Please be the voice of those who are seldom heard – tell your friends, family and politicians that you care about wildlife and the environment.  When we all become the voice of those who cannot speak we can make a difference – we can’t help but be heard!

Submitted by Joe Hoffmann, Sanctuary Manager, World Bird Sanctuary.

Wildlife Hospital Crisis Averted

Kathryn G. Favre Foundation for the Betterment of Animals sponsors World Bird Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital.

Following recent appeals to our community for support for our Wildlife Hospital, the Kathryn G. Favre Foundation has generously stepped up with a gift of $40,000 to the World Bird Sanctuary wildlife hospital.

  Representatives of the Kathryn G. Favre Foundation present a $40,000 donation to World Bird Sanctuary wildlife hospital.  From L-R: Bobby Zitzmann (Kathryn G. Favre Foundation), Jerry Zitzmann (Kathryn G. Favre Foundation), Joe Hoffmann (WBS Sanctuary Manager), Walter Crawford (WBS Founder & Executive Director), Roger Holloway (WBS Director of Interpretive Services and Facilities), Charlie Amen (Kathryn G. Favre Foundation), Mary Haislip (Kathryn G. Favre Foundation), Jeff Meshach (WBS Assistant Director)

“We are very appreciative of the investment that the Kathryn G. Favre Foundation is making in the World Bird Sanctuary, and our Wildlife Hospital specifically.  The Wildlife Hospital will be named the Kathryn G. Favre Wildlife Hospital in an expression of our appreciation for this gift,” said Walter Crawford, Founder Executive Director of World Bird Sanctuary.

Jerry Zitzmann, Trustee of the Kathryn G. Favre Foundation explains Katy’s commitment to animals, “The Foundation was started by Katy Favre who had a great love for animals.  She wanted to ensure that her legacy would fund causes dear to her heart – animal welfare.”  In explaining the decision to help the Wildlife Hospital, Jerry said, “Katy had a soft spot for birds and the majesty of Birds of Prey.  We thought that this would be a wonderful way to honor Katy.  Nothing broke her heart more than to see an injured animal – I know she would be proud of what we are doing today.”

“The Missouri Community has inspired us with their support.”

At the beginning of March Mr. Crawford issued an appeal in the media for support for the wildlife hospital.  “If we did not receive the $40,000 needed to keep our hospital doors open, we would have to close the wildlife hospital on June 1^st,” said Mr. Crawford.

“The Missouri Community has inspired us with their support,” explained Mr. Crawford.  “We have had children as young as 6 years old giving us their life savings of $6, and children giving us $1 bills – which was to be their ‘treat’ money when they visited the Sanctuary gift shop.  Scout troops, preschools and individuals have engaged in personal campaigns to help us raise the money that we needed to continue our important rehabilitation work.” 

The World Bird Sanctuary focuses on sustainable funding.

The Wildlife Hospital admits and treats approximately 300 sick, injured or orphaned birds of prey per year, and has released more than 4,000 birds back to the wild!  We do not charge for hospital admissions.  We have been able to achieve this over the last 35 years with no state or federal funding, instead relying entirely on donations from members of the public to keep its doors open.

“With the recent economic recession and other humanitarian disasters requiring funding, we have seen a reduced capacity to give within our regular support base.  However, as a result of our appeal, we have received just under $25,000 in individual donations, ranging from $1 to $500 each.  This money will be held for use by the wildlife hospital to ensure that should the national financial crisis continue, we will have a reserve to help get us through.  It will be used to secure sustainable funding for the hospital,” said a grateful Mr. Crawford.

Corporate Challenge

Would you like your company to support the environment and be publicly recognized for this commitment?

An injured Barred Owl being tube fed as supportive therapy until he is strong enough to eat on his own.

The World Bird Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital Corporate Challenge

The World Bird Sanctuary has launched a Corporate Challenge to help fund the Wildlife Hospital.  The Hospital has been serving the wider Missouri community for over 30 years, providing medical care and rehabilitation services to approximately 250-350 sick and injured birds of prey each year.    Most of the cases that are admitted to the Wildlife Hospital have received an injury or are poisoned as a consequence of direct or indirect human encounter – collisions with buildings or vehicles, entrapment in sports nets, traps or fishing line, and being accidentally or purposefully shot.

A very young Red-tailed hawk who's nest was blown down in a storm being treated for an injured wing.

The World Bird Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital does not charge for admissions and receives no state or federal funding.  The hospital relies entirely on donations from individuals and organizations to keep its doors open.  This is where your corporate gift can earn you goodwill. 
  

A Great Blue Heron being treated for a wing injury.

Your customers and employees pay attention to what you’re doing in the community.

Corporate support is critical to the success of the World Bird Sanctuary, but sponsoring the World Bird Sanctuary is a great business decision for your company.

·      84% of Americans say they are likely to switch brands, when price and quality are equal, to help support a cause.

·      75% of Americans say a company’s commitment to causes is important when they decide which products and services to recommend to others.

·      Employees whose companies support causes are 40% more likely to say that they are proud of their company’s values and nearly 25% more likely to be loyal to their employers.

(Source: 2002 Cone Corporate Citizenship Study)

A family watching through our viewing window as a bird is treated for it's injuries.

Your Corporate Membership to World Bird Sanctuary makes a difference! 
You can help World Bird Sanctuary to continue to successfully treat and release sick, injured and orphaned birds back to the wild.  We are a credible organization with 30 years experience of creating successful environmental protection and education strategies.  Your corporate membership will help us continue serving the communities of Missouri and beyond by providing high-quality and successful raptor rehabilitation services that will help us to better determine and understand the problems facing wildlife in our modern world.  Raptor rehabilitation allows us to learn more about and understand the importance of ecosystems and our obligations to the next generation.  It also affords us the opportunity to use the information in the continual improvement and development of our successful environmental education programs that encourage students to improve the quality of the wildlife habitat that surrounds them and to take accountability for managing the earths’ resources in a sustainable manner.

A pelican being examined by our volunteer vet who gives so generously of her time.

Your Corporate Membership in support of our Wildlife Hospital shows the St. Louis community that you care.

Benefits	Gold Membership $1,000/year
Brick with company name and sponsorship year engraved on brick to be laid in our amphitheater steps.	8”x8” brick
Certificate of Membership indicating membership tier to be displayed at organization.	Yes
Listing on corporate membership page of Mews News newsletter.  Printed 3 times per year with distribution of 6,000.	Yes
Listing on corporate membership page of WBS website.	Yes - with logo
Number of issues of each issue of Mews News per year.	6 per issue 18 issues per year
Electronic issue of Mews News that can be uploaded to company’s internal staff website for viewing.	Yes
Organization name and logo displayed at annual on-site public events.	Open House (3rd Sat  & Sun in October) World Eagle Day (3rd  Sun in March)
Use of World Bird Sanctuary logo on your organization’s website, annual report and press releases for one year.	Yes

If you would like to register your company as a World Bird Sanctuary Corporate Sponsor, or if you would like World Bird Sanctuary to contact your employer about becoming a Corporate Sponsor, contact Catherine Redfern at credfern@worldbirdsanctuary.org or at 636-225-43901 ext. 102.

Bald and Beautiful

This blog post is reproduced with kind permission of Carson and Martha Bauer, who brought a Bald Eagle into our wildlife hospital over the winter.  This blog was first published here on 19 March, 2010, just before World Eagle Day.

"Sunday, March 21st was World Eagle Day. This special day really hit home for us this year. On a snowy January day we found a wounded Bald Eagle-one of his talons was deeply severed. Lovingly named “Feathers” by our daughters, he was in great need of medical attention. In St. Louis we are lucky to have the wonderfulWorld Bird Sanctuary, whose mission is to secure the future of threatened bird species in their natural environments. Staffed by 25 professionals and many dedicated volunteers, they took great care of Feathers during his rehabilitation. Everyday we looked forward to the updates of Feathers’ progress and were reassured that he was receiving the best support possible. Unfortunately, gangrene set in and even with all of the top of the line help he received, Feathers wasn’t strong enough for the fight. After five days of hospitalization, we got the dreaded phone call, and then and there our daughters learned a life lesson.

Interestingly, Feathers’ remains were sent to a Native American tribe to use in tribal ceremonies. There are lots of adjectives to describe a bald eagle but none more fitting than majestic. Watch our video of Feathers, and you’ll see for yourself.

"Be sure to visit the World Bird Sanctuary on the third Sunday of March each year and help celebrate eagles from around the world. There will be fun, educational activities for the whole family."

Casa Gallardo Fundraiser

Our sincere thanks to all of the World Bird Sanctuary supporters who took part in our fundraiser yesterday by dining out at Casa Gallardo.

A special thanks goes out to the Casa Gallardo restaurant chain who so generously made this event possible in support of our Wildlife Hospital.

Smarter Than the Average Bird

A few days ago, as I arrived at the World Bird Sanctuary to catch up on some paperwork,  I noticed a couple headed toward the hospital carrying a large cardboard box securely bound with rope.  

Staff member, Roger Holloway, unwrapping  the mystery package while Mr. & Mrs. Iven look on

For most people, at this time of year, this would mean someone was getting a belated Christmas present.  However, at the World Bird Sanctuary, that usually indicates one thing--an injured bird being brought in for treatment!  Since I never go to the Sanctuary without a camera, I decided to tag along and see what sort of surprise was in the box.

The couple carefully carrying the large box were a Mr. and Mrs. Iven from Sullivan, MO.  They had been startled by a loud banging at their front door, but when they went to see what all the commotion was about, there was no one there.  There was, however, a large dark bird in the front yard who seemed to be dragging one of it's wings.  It was a turkey vulture.  They then noticed that there were large bird footprints in the snow in front of their door.  Now, anyone who works with birds of prey will tell you that turkey vultures are VERY smart--BUT REALLY!!  KNOCKING AT THE DOOR?

After they got over their surprise, they managed to capture the bird by throwing a large towel or blanket over him, and then proceeded to try to find out what to do with him now that they had him.  They contacted the World Bird Sanctuary's Office of Wildlife Learning who put them in contact with Roger Holloway who manages our Wildlife Hospital.

By the time Mr. and Mrs. Iven arrived with their Special Delivery, our staff was waiting for them.  The Iven's thought that the bird may have been shot, since they had heard the sound of gunfire in their rural area a couple of days before their discovery.

However, upon an initial examination by staff member, Roger Holloway, and our vet, Dr. Stacey Siebel-Spath, it appears that this was a young bird, who at some time in the past had sustained an injury to it's elbow.  The injury seems to have healed on it's own; however, it had not healed correctly and the bird was unable to achieve full extension of the injured wing, inhibiting it's ability to fly.  Since we have had such a mild fall and early winter it was probably subsisting on carrion that it was able to find in the fields, or on roadkill; but now that winter is upon us and snow is covering the ground it would probably not have survived much longer on it's own since it was already in a weakened condition.

The bird was admitted to our Wildlife Hospital for further evaluation.  Mr. and Mrs. Iven were given a case number for the bird so that they could call and check on his progress if they so desired.  It may be quite a while before we know the prognosis for this (apparently) very intelligent bird.

This is how a great many of the more than 300 birds we receive at our hospital each year arrive.  Our thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Iven for caring enough to drive in from Sullivan so that this amazing creature could have a second chance at life.

Stories such as this one are all too common in our wildlife hospital.  The World Bird Sanctuary's Wildlife Hospital has an amazing success rate.  This past year we released over 50% of the 300 plus birds that were admitted.  That's 12% higher than the national average.  We couldn't do it without the generous support of our sponsors and donors.  On average it costs up to $1,000 to treat a bird admitted to our hospital, depending on the severity of their injuries and the time necessary for rehabilitation.   Some, such as the Tundra Swans recently admitted, will cost much more.  Please consider making a donation to help treat these and many more patients in the coming year by clicking on the Donate button.

Submitted by Gay Schroer, Volunteer/Photographer for the World Bird Sanctuary

Old Birds

In recent years the World Bird Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital has received numerous hawks, owls and eagles from the wild that appear to be very old. 

It is next to impossible to tell the true age of these wild birds.  However, with our many years of experience, we think we know what to look for to approximate the age of the bird.  Older birds have feathers which have a dusty, grey sheen to them.  The scales on their legs and feet appear worn and not as smooth as a young bird, and the beak and face show signs of age and wear.  In some cases the bird may have advanced arthritis in its toes and legs.

I guess this is a sign of success.  If more birds are living longer lives, then our environmental education programs and habitat restoration efforts have started to work.  Drastic weather changes, such as we’ve had recently (rapid changes from warm to cold, extreme cold, or extreme heat) have an adverse effect on the elderly – just as with human beings.  We do our best to care for them and get them through their exhaustion by fattening them up, and care for them as best we can.  Some of them don’t make it, but for those that do, we release them in a place where we feel they will have access to bountiful food sources and water, so that they can live out the rest of their long lives in the wild.

Submitted by Joe Hoffmann, Sanctuary Manager, World Bird Sanctuary

A Great-Horned Owl is admitted to our Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital

This Great-Horned Owl is currently in our rehabilitation hospital. She was found on the roadside in Bellefontaine and admitted to the hospital on 11 July 2009.

She has a broken wing from a collision with a car - one of the most common types of injury for birds admitted to our rehabilitation hospital, which receives approximately 300 sick, injured or orphaned birds per year.

The owl's broken wing is now wrapped. A break like this usually takes four to six weeks to heal - as the bones calcify. His wing will be unwrapped on August 20th, and after assessment, she will begin physical therapy to regain strength.

If all goes well, she will be moved outside to a small free-flight mew (large wooden cage) where she will exercise on her own. The mew is small enough so that the owl doesn't injure her wing through over exertion. Once she has undergone sufficient physical therapy to build up her strength she will be moved to a larger free-flight mew.

The last step is the magnificent release. She will be banded with a federal band (an identifiable metal band which can be tracked if the owl is found again), and then released back into the wild.

World Bird Sanctuary presents a "Return to the Wild" program, where you can sponsor and participate in a release. Click here to find out more.

You can see this Great-Horned Owl, and other birds currently receiving treatment in our Wildlife Hospital, through the Wildlife Hospital Viewing Window.

Submitted by Liz Schuff, Naturalist.

A Day At The Hospital - Part 5

The Real Deal!

Now that our intern has been coached, has practiced her technique, and practiced again, it's time to use what she's learned.  

Under the close supervision of her mentor she is ready to move a hawk from one enclosure to another!  

This raptor isn't quite as cooperative as our "stand-in bird", but because of her careful training our young intern is successful!  She's just had an experience that she'll never forget!

The World Bird Sanctuary's internship program is a one of a kind experience for students from around the world.  It provides hands-on experience that integrates with many college curriculums.  

For more information about our internship program go to our website by clicking on the link to our home page on the right hand side of this screen.

A Day At The Hospital - Part 4

Practice, Practice, Practice!!

Now that our intern has received her "classroom instruction", it's time to practice the technique--but not on a real live bird just yet.  

Here you see her practicing the techniques demonstrated by our veteran staff member.  Our intern will practice these moves with our "training bird" until our staff member is certain she fully understands the necessary moves and can do them smoothly without hesitating.  

This is essential for the safety of both bird and human.

Check back for our next installment to see how our intern's training progresses.

A Day At The Hospital - Part 3

The Explanation...

In our last hospital installment you saw our young intern being handed a hawk to hold for medical treatment.  However, being handed an already restrained raptor, and catching one up yourself, are two different things.  Let's take a peek at the training involved in teaching a new intern or volunteer how to catch up and handle a less than willing patient.

Here you see an experienced staff member explaining in detail each step of the process to our intern.  Our staff member goes over each and every move in minute detail, explaining why it is done that way and what reaction she might expect from the bird. 

Once our staff member is certain that the student understands the process, she enlists the aid

 of our long suffering demonstration hawk.  The

details she had previously explained are demonstrated again, using our life size stand-in.

Check back for our next installment to see our young intern's progress.

A Day At The Hospital - Part 2...

Each year our Wildlife Hospital receives between 250 to 300 patients.  Some, like the little red tailed hawk in our last posting, are fortunate and have no serious injuries.  Others are not so lucky.  Those patients may spend weeks or even months in our care being treated for injuries, and if possible, being rehabilitated for release.  

All of this intensive treatment requires a large investment of our time, money, and man-hours.  The World Bird Sanctuary is fortunate to have a wonderful group of staff, volunteers, and interns who are dedicated to the care of these animals.  However, each and every volunteer and intern who wishes to work directly with the birds must receive a large investment of our staff's time to insure that they are taught the correct procedures for handling the animals in our care.  This is to ensure the safety of the animals and the humans who care for them.  

Following are some photos of such a training session.

One of our veteran staff members demonstrates the technique for removing a defensive hawk from it's enclosure while one of our new interns watches 

closely.

Once our intern has been coached in the techniques of safely restraining a protesting bird of prey, our staff member administers an antibiotic.

Mission Accomplished!!  Our intern has learned a valuable lesson in bird handling, and our patient has been given the medication needed to hasten his recovery.

And then, of course, there's the ever present paperwork!

A Day At The Hospital...

Our Wildlife Hospital is one of the less visible aspects of the World Bird Sanctuary to the casual visitor, so we thought we would give you a peek into some of it's day to day activities.

During the Spring and early summer months violent wind and thunderstorms routinely wreak havoc on the nests of our local birds.  Such was the case with this little red-tailed hawk found in Ladue.  His nest had been blown down in a storm and he was unable to be returned to the nest site.   

After being thoroughly checked out by our hospital staff, it was found that he is not yet fully feathered and ready to fledge, but appears to be otherwise healthy.  His wing feathers are about three-quarter pinned and, barring any setbacks, he should be ready to be released back into the wild in approximately a month.  He will be fostered in our Propagation Department until such time as he is ready to be released, since they have the expertise and are equipped to care for very young birds.

This youngster was one of the lucky ones.  Very often when young birds of this age are blown from the nest they sustain broken bones, internal injuries, or are snatched up by predators since they are vulnerable on the ground.  

We hope to see this youngster soaring free in the very near future.

NEW FEATURE

Be sure to check out our Wildlife Hospital!

On your next visit to the World Bird Sanctuary be sure to stop at our Wildlife Hospital to check out an exciting new feature.  We now have a viewing window through which you can see some of our patients who are recuperating from various procedures.  They don't seem to mind the visitors as long as they are quiet.

In addition to the viewing window there is a bulletin board with a card posted for each patient, listing the species and reason they are here, as well as their progress.

Our hospital treats an average of 280 patients each year, and costs to rehab a bird for release into the wild can range from $200 to $1000.  In order to defray some of these expenses our hospital is offering an exciting new opportunity.  For a donation of $150.00 a generous donor will have the rare opportunity to release a recovered bird back into the wild.  

For more information about our "Return To The Wild" program call the Wildlife Hospital at 636-861-1392, or email credfern@worldbirdsanctuary.org