The Rookie Files: And we’re back!

Hello again dear reader! After a long, wonderful show season, I, Leah Tyndall, zoo show supervisor for World Bird Sanctuary, have returned to WBS headquarters.

The WBS Educational Training Center (ETC) 

It was an exciting and at times exhausting season in which I both taught and learned.  The time has come however to hang up the microphone, unclip the show pouch, and settle in for the winter.

Winter, or the “off season”, is drastically different than show season (April through September).  Not just because we are no longer doing shows every day, but because our jobs shift from educator to keeper.  The Education Training Center (ETC) is where show birds vacation during the winter. 

Outdoor mews where native and cold hardy species are housed in winter

Native or cold hardier species are put into free loft, or large outdoor enclosures, that allow space to fly if the birds wish.  The cold sensitive species spend the off-season free lofted in large, indoor pens.  There are a few birds that remain on equipment (anklets and jesses) for health or training reasons, but even those birds are on vacation.

It falls to us to act as the resort staff and make sure that all of the birds remain happy and healthy during their stay.  This is more than just feeding and enriching the birds with toys.  It also means upgrades in housekeeping chores and tasks that we do not have to worry about quite as much during show season.  These include changing shavings on indoor enclosure floors, keeping water bowls and outdoor pools clean, maintaining and raking the outdoor mews, as well as switching out old with new perches to make sure that their feet stay in good condition.

The heated indoor enclosures where more cold sensitive species are housed in winter

This period of time is also key in shaping and maintaining behaviors that will be useful during the show season.  Things like perching on command, waiting until a piece of food is thrown, crating, and response to verbal commands are all very important come show season. 

These actions are also helpful for husbandry reasons.  A vulture that knows how to wait in a particular spot when cued to do so, will do so on the scale instead of rushing its trainer in search of food (which is greatly preferable).  A territorial bird that crates makes changing shavings and cleaning pens much safer. 

In order to maintain these behaviors, all of the birds inside of the ETC work for their food.  This not only helps us, but it also keeps the birds entertained throughout the winter.  This is especially important for the more intelligent birds such as corvids, parrots and vultures.  If these species become bored they may resort to other means to amuse themselves--methods that could be destructive to themselves, their caretakers or their housing.

The Education and Training Center is also just that, a training center.  Since we are behind the scenes we can afford to spend more of our time training new birds--be they juveniles that have just been put on equipment, adult birds pulled from free loft or birds new to the sanctuary.  All of them need to be trained before they can be used for education or in shows.  This also helps to keep our bird training and observation skills sharp for the coming show season.

Even though there is nothing quite like show season, the slower more easygoing pace of the off-season has its charms as well.  It gives us a chance to maintain behaviors, entertain the birds and improve on our own training skills. All of which are incredibly important….not to mention, “concierge to a Bald Eagle,” looks great on a résumé. 

Submitted by Leah Tyndall, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist/Trainer

The Rough-legged Hawk

The Rough-legged Hawk, Buteo lagopus, is a circumpolar in Holarctic species, meaning they live around the world in the Arctic regions. 

The newest addition to our Education Department - Bella, a Rough-legged Hawk

The Rough-legged Hawk population is steadily declining in many areas, but is still considered fairly common.  They are in decline due to cultivation and dire degradation of habitat throughout their range. 

Rough-legged Hawks breed in the tundra and taiga habitats of  North America and Eurasia and are winter visitors to the lower 48 states.  They have small feet and toes compared to their body size.  This species eats primarily voles, lemmings and other small rodents--occasionally eating small birds.

 

As in most raptor species, female Rough-legged Hawks are larger than the males.  A wide variety of plumage patterns are exhibited in light vs. dark morphs, males vs. females and adults vs. juveniles. 

Here you can clearly see some of Bella's beautiful markings

The Rough-leged Hawk has two color phases, the light and the dark phase.  The female light-morph birds have a browner back and upper wings and a more heavily marked belly than the male, usually with a lighter band between the breast and the belly, and the undertail has a large, dark sub-terminal band.  Dark morph birds have a single dark band on the light undertail.

In flight, Rough-legged Hawks have long wings that flap slowly and have a dihedral silhouette (wings held at an angle and appearing to form a “V”).  In a glide they have a loose “W” shape similar to an Osprey’s.  The flapping of a Rough-legged Hawk reminds me of an owl in flight.  The Rough-legged Hawk also hovers over fields like a Kestrel, as they search the ground below for movement of prey.

World Bird Sanctuary’s newest education star is Bella, a female Rough-legged Hawk.  She came to us from a raptor center in Wisconsin.  She is blind in the right eye from being impaled by something prior to arriving at the Wisconsin raptor center.  Bella is a very gentle bird that has captured everyone’s heart.  She is a great addition to our education team.

Bella is a large female, weighing in at 2lbs 10oz, with an overall length of 22 inches and a wingspan of 56 inches.

Currently, we are working on getting her comfortable with entering and exiting a travel crate.  Once she is fine with the crate she will be traveling to programs with our Education Department staff to present education programs to the thousands of audience members who see our raptor education programs each year. 

Bella now resides at our Nature Center and can be seen from the large deck overlooking the Nature Center weathering area.  Bella is rather quiet, but is becoming more vocal as she settles in to her new surroundings. 

Bella is quickly becoming comfortable with WBS staff and routines

So far her two favorite things seem to be going outside and dinnertime.  She knows the routine, and gets excited when it’s time to go out for the morning.  The cooler it gets the happier she seems to be, since her kind are from cold climates.  Dinnertime is her other favorite time of day, and she gets very excited when it’s time to go inside to her nighttime quarters. She cannot wait for the staff member on duty to place her on her perch each evening, since she knows dinner comes next.

On your next visit to the World Bird Sanctuary Nature Center be sure to look for this beautiful new resident.  The Sanctuary is open 363 days of the year from 8 am to 5 pm. 

Submitted by Cathy Spahn, World Bird Sanctuary Field Studies Coordinator

Battle of the Bands

It was purely by coincidence that I stumbled across a notification of a Battle of the Bands contest to be held at a local music store. 

They were looking for the top 10 local bands in 2011.  So on a “wing and a prayer” I entered WBS’s house band The Raptor Project and an original song written by Joe Hoffmann, Sanctuary Manager, called What’s the Matter.  I hoped for the best and thought that if nothing else, it could turn out to be some great exposure for The Raptor Project and for World Bird Sanctuary.

I was elated and rather surprised when I received a notification that The Raptor Project was one of the top 10 finalists and would be competing in a live Battle of the Bands contest on 10/1/11.

When the day of the contest arrived, spirits were high and we performed three songs that were painstakingly and carefully selected: Save the Future, Red River and What’s the Matter.  The band gave their all, as well as the performance of their life, despite a bad case of nerves and adrenaline.  We had an absolutely awesome time! The crowd seemed to enjoy it as well.

After our set, there was food to be had and other performances to enjoy.  It was a gorgeous day and a fantastic experience.

Sadly, we did not place in the top 3, but as the say in the “biz” – “It was an honor just to be nominated!”

The Raptor Project has two CD’s available, Save the Future and All Along the Watershed, with many songs written by our Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital staff members Roger Holloway, Director of Facilities, and Joe Hoffmann.  They have both poured years of themselves into making The Raptor Project and our Wildlife Hospital what it is today.

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to play drums and percussion on the latest CD titled All Along the Watershed, which WBS recorded in a professional studio located right here in St. Louis.

If you would like to hear a sample of The Raptor Project’s music, go to www.worldbirdsanctuary.org under the “Support WBS” tab and scroll down to “The Raptor Project CD’s”.  Click on a few tracks for a listen and if you like what you hear you can order copies online, or visit the Raptique Gift Shop at our Nature Center.

Proceeds from every CD sold will go directly to our Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital to provide care for injured wild birds of prey.

Submitted by Billie J. Baumann, World Bird Sanctuary Outreach Coordinator

Parrots Galore: Part 3

Welcome back to another installment of Parrots Galore!  

Just to remind you of which birds I own in my household, I have five parakeets (Calla, Myra, Perri, Parker, and Avery) that are all female and one Green-cheeked Conure (Jazz), who is male.  I have already written blogs about Calla and Myra, so feel free to search for those on this site by entering their names in the search box at the top of the page.

Meet Perri.  The brown cere at the top of her beak indicates she is a female.

The next parakeet (budgerigar) I would like to share with you is Perri.  She is seven years old this year.

Perri got her name from her color.  She has a periwinkle body with gray wings and tail and a white head and face.  She is a plump looking little bird that seems to act out when she is outside the cage.  She seems to be a very dramatic bird.  I call her my drama queen. 

Perri loves to fly around my apartment and seems to perch on things she knows she isn’t allowed to perch on.   I think Perri pushes the boundaries when she does this, but she probably feels more comfortable on those perches than others.  She likes to perch on the picture frames on my walls and on my Conure’s cage as well.  As soon as I say her name in a tone that she recognizes as disapproval, she jumps off and flies to one of the four cages.  I do not allow any of the parakeets on the picture frames because of the potential danger of frames falling off and injuring the birds.  I also don’t allow them to be on Jazz’s cage (my Conure) because of possible toe biting.  Jazz is very curious and sometimes protective of his cage.  He has a much larger beak than the parakeets and can do a lot more damage as well. 

Budgies are outgoing and curious and love to investigate everything in their environment. 

Perri also loves to investigate my clothes.  She likes to land on my shoulder and feel the texture with her beak.  She doesn’t let me touch her so much while she’s on me, but will stay with me for several minutes and frequently leave and then return.  When she does this, the other birds seem to become curious and migrate over to join her.  This is an example of this species’ typical flocking behavior.  It’s very fascinating to watch how birds act around each other.

Fortunately the budgie population is listed as a species of least concern in the wild.  Populations of birds and other animals in general, fluctuate depending in great part on human impact.  The extinction of the Carolina parakeet is a sad example of this.  The Carolina Parakeet became extinct in the 1930s in the United States.  The Carolina Parakeet was considered an agricultural pest by farmers, and they were trapped by hunters for their feathers and the pet trade.  Habitat loss was another contributor to their decline.

Besides the Carolina parakeet, the Thick-billed parrot is the only other parrot native to the United States.  It is, unfortunately, on the endangered species list.  The current population is in the vicinity of 1000-4000.  This species’ population has decreased because of human impact, which includes agriculture and structural development.

Budgie populations are estimated to be about 5 million.  These joyful little birds are native to central Australia.  Human impact on budgies is minimal because of their main habitat, open grasslands.  They have been seen in woodlands as well.  Budgies are most likely doing well in the wild because of the areas they inhabit and the fact that they stay together in large flocks--as large as in the hundreds, sometimes thousands.  By flocking together, they have the ability to confuse predators when they come near.  The original wild color mutation is green on the front of the body with black bars on the back.  When they all fly at once, most will escape the predator by confusing it with directionality.  I recommend watching a video online of budgies in the wild. 

Submitted by Lisbeth Hodges, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

Owl Prowls

Owl Prowls are filling up quickly – have you booked your space?

Owl Prowls were awarded the Midwest Traveler's Travel Treasure for the Midwest last year - and sold out quickly.

 Great Horned Owl

Come over to the Dark Side and meet the amazing birds that exist by moonlight.  Owl Prowls offer an exciting opportunity to learn more about the fascinating lives of owls.

Join one of our Naturalists at our evening programs - a 30 minute presentation featuring live flying owls, followed by an easy night hike around our grounds as we try and find wild Barred Owls and Great-horned Owls who are busy setting up territories and finding mates for the winter owl breeding season!

Owl Programs offered on selected evenings from November '11 to March '12

We have a limited number of dates for remaining Owl Prowls.  All Owl Prowls through December and January have already filled, so book one of our remaining dates today to avoid last minute disappointment. 

All Owl Prowls start at 7 pm.

February 2012

Friday 2/10

Saturday 2/18

Friday 2/24

Saturday 2/25

March 2012

Friday 3/2

Saturday 3/10

To book, call our Education Center at 636-225-4390 ext. 0.

$9 per adult; $7 per child under 12.

Friends of World Bird Sanctuary receive a 10% discount.

Groups of 10 or more pay $7 per adult and $7 per child.

...And The Countdown Begins

Black Friday has come and gone and the "Days til Christmas" countdown has begun--only 25  more shopping days left!


If you're anything like the rest of us you've suddenly realized that the deadline is looming and you aren't anywhere near finished shopping.

Never fear, you can avoid the crowds, get your Christmas shopping done, and have a fun day to boot, simply by doing some or all of your shopping at the World Bird Sanctuary.  

Just a small sample of the merchandise available in the gift shop

For those adults and children on your list who love the outdoors and wildlife we have a well-stocked gift shop in our Nature Center.  Here you can find gifts ranging from interesting rocks (great stocking stuffers for the kids) to great t-shirts and outdoor wear—all with a nature related theme.  Any of these items may be purchased in person while exploring the grounds of the World Bird Sanctuary and enjoying a day away from the crowds at the mall.

Don’t have time to visit in person?  Other gift options that may be purchased on-line from the comfort of your home include:

BUY A BRICK

Your inscribed brick will be installed in the steps or landings of our amphitheater

For those on your list that fall into the “hard to buy for” category consider giving them a lasting gift – a brick to be installed in our amphitheater with your holiday wishes or other sentiment inscribed on it.  Two brick sizes are available, with the option of including a presentation gift certificate for gift giving.  To purchase a brick click here. 

ADOPT A BIRD

Our beautiful Peregrine Falcon, Millenium is just one of the many animals available for adoption

All of the birds and other animals that call World Bird Sanctuary home are available for adoption. Your adoption helps to care for your animal for a year, and adoption fees include:

•            Certificate of Adoption with a full color photograph of your special animal

•            World Bird Sanctuary sponsorship for one year

•            One year’s subscription to our newsletter – the Mews News – printed three times per year

•            Natural history and life history of your special adopted animal

•            10% discount on all World Bird Sanctuary merchandise in our gift shop

•            10% discount on all public programs offered at World Bird Sanctuary, such as Owl Prowls, Nature Hikes etc.

•            Visiting privileges and photo opportunities with the special new member of your family  (just call ahead first to make sure your adopted animal will be here on the day of your visit).

To adopt your bird select the category of animal that you want to adopt, and then click on the individual animal within that gallery and complete the adoption form.

RETURN TO THE WILD

Take part in the release of a rehabilitated bird!

Returning a bird of prey back to the wild, can cost up to $1,000 in care and rehabilitation. Your contribution of only $150 helps our patients and gives you the opportunity to participate in the release of a wild bird of prey.

Invite family and friends to release a bird of prey at your home or nearby park. Celebrate a wedding, birthday, anniversary, family reunion, school or corporate function with this special gift.

Returning a Cooper's Hawk to the wild

The World Bird Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital is a cornerstone of the World Bird Sanctuary, and is entirely funded by donations from the public. Help us give our patients a second chance to fly. Sponsor a release today! 

Questions about Return to the Wild? Call: (636) 861-1392 or email: credfern@worldbirdsanctuary.org

A WBS Friend Membership

Your WBS Friend Membership includes:

•            One year’s subscription to our newsletter – the Mews News – printed three times per year

•            Reusable WBS shopping bag

•            10% discount on all World Bird Sanctuary merchandise in our gift shop

•            Invitation to Friends-only events like Camera Day offering unique photographic opportunities featuring live birds of prey. Bring your cameras for rare shots of raptors in natural settings

•            10% discount on all public programs offered at World Bird Sanctuary, such as Owl Prowls, Nature Hikes etc.

•            Invitations to members-only events held at World Bird Sanctuary

To purchase a WBS Friend membership click here. 

RAPTOR PROJECT CD

For the youngsters on your list there is a selection of two audio CDs by our in-house band, The Raptor Project.  These CDs also contain encoded lyrics and teacher activity pages.  Enjoy songs such as “Mr. Frog Blues”, “Those Wonderful Birds”, “The Food Chain Blues”, and many more.  All proceeds from sale of CDs supports the Wildlife Hospital.  To purchase a CD click here. 

BEAK TO BEAK

For the book lover on your list purchase “Beak To Beak”, a book by our Director, Walter C. Crawford, Jr.  This book is filled with Walter's musings on wildlife, conservation and life in general told through a collection of short, true-life stories.

The book is available for purchase for $10.

Any of the above items may also be purchased in person at the World Bird Sanctuary’s Nature Center, or call 636-225-4390 Ext. 0 for further information.

Help Your Feathered Friends This Winter.

I am constantly amazed at how life can sustain itself in such extreme conditions.  

A partial list of the birds you might see at your backyard feeders

Recently I was watching the songbirds at our feeding station here at the Sanctuary, and I was marveling at how these small creatures manage to thrive when I have to bundle up in many layers in order to stay outside for more than just a few minutes.

This got me to thinking about the many ways that we can help the birds that live in our backyards, with minimal time and effort.  Winter is a time when our feathered friends could do with a little help.  These simple backyard birdfeeding tips for winter will help them find the food they need to keep up their energy reserves to stay warm and healthy through the winter.

Creating a Bird-friendly Backyard

Winter is a time when our backyard bird friends need our help more than ever.  While they are, incredibly, adequately equipped to deal with harsh winters, we can take some simple steps to make foraging for food a little easier for them.  This helps them to conserve the energy they need to stay warm, and makes winter just a little more bearable.

• Safe, clean and nutritious food helps wild birds sustain themselves through a cold winter.  There are many bird foods formulated for wild songbirds that you can use in your feeder.  World Bird Sanctuary uses Wild Delight ® in our feed stations.  Whatever food you use needs to be nutritious and fresh.
• Make sure that your bird feeder is safe - with no hinged sides or exposed hardware that could catch or harm a bird.  There are plans available on the internet to make your own, or you can buy them from any reputable garden store.  There are many different types of feeders - you can choose them according to the types of birds that you want to attract to your garden.  World Bird Sanctuary uses the Droll Yankees  range of feeders in our feed stations, with great success.
• Refill your feeders regularly to ensure that there is an adequate supply of fresh food, and remove the hulls of seeds and nuts that have been left behind.
• Provide a fresh source of water regularly.  Birds still need to drink, even when it's cold.  When ponds and lakes are frozen over, a fresh bowl of water will help to attract birds to your backyard.  There a number of heated bird baths available, but if you do not have access to one of these, changing the water daily is sufficient.
• Suet cakes are a great addition to your bird feeders, providing a high-energy nutritious snack to backyard birds when they need it most.

Wish List

All we wish for during the holidays . . .

Cat litter pans, batteries and duct tape make us smile!

There are many ways to help World Bird Sanctuary successfully achieve our mission.  One of them is by donating a "Wish List" item.  All wish list items are acknowledged with a receipt that you can use for tax purposes at the end of the year.

Take a look at our wish list – maybe you have something we need that you don't need anymore.  We'll gladly take it off your hands!

Here is a list of some of the items World Bird Sanctuary needs on a regular basis. These items can be delivered to our Wildlife Hospital or Nature Center any day of the week from 8am to 5pm.

Donations of items as simple as toilet paper, paper towels or latex/vinyl gloves make our day

As of November 15^th, 2011, our greatest needs are as follows:

Toilet paper
Latex/disposable gloves
Paper Towels
New & used books about conservation, environment, birds, other animals, fiction/non-fiction, magazines

CONSUMABLES:
Liquid hand soap - dispenser bottles & refills
Toilet paper
Sisal rope - 3/8 inch in diameter
30 gallon trash bags
AAA Batteries
Bleach
Dishwashing liquid
Liquid laundry detergent
Paper Towels
Reusable plastic containers
Latex gloves
General purpose floor cleaner
Letter sized and legal sized laminating sheets
DVD-R & DVD+RW
Mailing labels - Avery 5360 or equivalent
Distilled water
CLR or other limescale remover
Drain cleaner
Listerine
Cat litter - non-clumping
Adams Flea & Tick Spray
Duct tape
Clorox or other antibacterial wipes
Scotchbrite Green Scrubbies
Multifold hand towels for dispensers in bathrooms

ANIMAL CARE/HOUSING ITEMS:
Energy efficient light bulbs
Kitten canned food - no fish/seafood flavor, no gravy or chunks
Cat canned food - no fish/seafood flavor, no gravy or chunks Timothy Hay for rabbits
Wild bird seed
Cypress mulch (Cyrpress ONLY)
50w infrared heat lamps for reptiles
Ceramic heating elements for reptiles
Old (or new!) towels, blankets and sheets
Heating pads
Digital Kitchen Scale
Large plastic cat litter pans (new)
Parrot toys
Macaw cage
Oxygen cylinders (sizes 't' & 'd')
De-humidifiers
Spray bottles for water
Box fans (4)

OFFICE/EDUCATION ITEMS:
Working digital cameras
Large paper cutter
Portable vehicle GPS navigation systems (4)
Television with DVD capability
Large easels for displays
Letter & legal sized white copy paper
1st class stamps
Gator clips
Fiskars brand scissors

OUTSIDE/MAINTENANCE ITEMS:
Welding gloves
Leather gardening gloves
Chain saw
Commercial vacuum cleaners (2)
Lawn mowers
Weed removers
Snow blower
Leaf rakes
Shovels
Wheelbarrows

VEHICLES:
Four wheel ATV for trail work
Four wheel drive with snowplow and back spreader
Small trailer for hauling lawn mowers etc.
Vans or minivans for transporting animals and people to education programs

GIFT CARDS:
Office Max
Wal-Mart
Petsmart
Petco
Lowes
Home Depot

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

The staff at the World Bird Sanctuary are thankful for:

•    The volunteers who can always be counted on to be there when you need them
•    Loyal supporters who suddenly appear from nowhere with donations of their time, cash or expertise
•    The children who pool their pennies or sponsor a fundraiser to help our hospital
•    The opportunity to work at a job that allows them to pursue their passion - helping the environment

Frazzle, the one-eyed Screech Owl, can be seen at our Environmental Education Center

The creatures that call WBS home are thankful for:

•    A second chance at life -- many of us wouldn't still be here if not for WBS
•    Regular meals -- you don't always get that in the wild
•    Excellent medical care for those of us who need it
•    Housing that keeps us safe from predators

Fred, the Royal Palm Turkey, can be seen strutting his stuff on the display line

And, oh yes--our star, Fred the Turkey, is thankful that he doesn't have the starring role on someone's Thanksgiving table today.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

JUST ANNOUNCED: WORLD BIRD SANCTUARY ALASKA CRUISE 2012

Join WBS Founder & Executive Director, Walter Crawford, on a week-long cruise with Holland America to explore the natural wonders of Alaska, from September 9 – 16 2012.  

Your Holland America ship at anchor in the quaint town of Sitka

ALASKAN EXPLORER CRUISE

·      Escorted by Walt Crawford, Executive Director, World Bird Sanctuary

·      Aboard Holland America MS Oosterdam

·      Sailing Roundtrip from Seattle to Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka, Tracy Arm/Sawyer Glacier, Victoria, BC and return to Seattle

·      Prices Start At Only $1,168 (inside cabin); $1,488 (ocean view); $1,888 (verandah)

Price Includes:

·      7-Day Cruise Accommodations

·      Onboard Meals & Entertainment

·      Special Lectures by Walter Crawford

·      Visit to the Raptor Center in Sitka

·      Private Cocktail Party Onboard

·      $25.00 per person Shipboard Credit

·      All Taxes and Government Fees

·      Also Included is a $50 Donation to World Bird Sanctuary

For Reservations or Information

Contact Cathy Robinson at ext. 114 (314) 439-5700 or (800) 527-1059

E-mail: crobinson@brentwoodtravel.com

Enjoy a vacation with a group of like-minded people interested in natural history, and especially Birds of Prey.

A Turkey Named Fred survives another Thanksgiving!

“Turkey Named Fred” is without a doubt THE fan favorite for audiences of our in-house band, The Raptor Project.  Now Fred has his own animated music video for you to enjoy!

The Turkey Named Fred – video star!

Joe Hoffmann, signer/songwriter for The Raptor Project, wrote the song “Turkey Named Fred” in honor of Fred, the Royal Palm Turkey that calls World Bird Sanctuary home.  The song inspired the animated music video.

Watch the video and share it with your friends!

You can meet Fred’s animated alter ego by visiting our YouTube Channel and watching the Turkey Named Fred music video here for free!

Visit Fred soon at World Bird Sanctuary – he loves visitors!  And share his video with your friends on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and email.

We would like to thank Jeremy Lueders and The Vision Factory for making this animated video possible.

Christmas Shopping

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

Believe it or not, there are only five more weeks (37 days to be specific) left until Christmas.  Black Friday, the quintessential Christmas bargain shopping day, will be here in one week.  But do you really want to fight all the Black Friday crowds? 

The WBS gift shop offers a wide selection of merchandise

You can avoid the crowds and mass hysteria by doing some, or all, of your shopping at the World Bird Sanctuary.  For those adults and children on your list who love the outdoors and wildlife we have a well-stocked gift shop in our Nature Center.  Here you can find gifts ranging from stocking stuffers to great t-shirts and outdoor wear—all with a nature related theme.  All of these items may be purchased in person while enjoying all that the Sanctuary has to offer.

Don’t have time to visit in person?  Other gift options that may be purchased on-line include:

BUY A BRICK

A WBS brick is a personalized, lasting gift 

For those on your list that fall into the “hard to buy for” category consider giving them a lasting gift – a brick to be installed in our amphitheater with your holiday wishes or other sentiment inscribed on it.  Two brick sizes are available with the option of including a presentation gift certificate for gift giving.  To purchase a brick click here. 

ADOPT A BIRD

Acorn, the Eastern Screech Owl is just one of the many animals available for adoption

All of the birds and other animals that call World Bird Sanctuary home are available for adoption. Your adoption helps to care for your animal for a year, and adoption fees include:
•            Certificate of Adoption with a full color photograph of your special animal

•            World Bird Sanctuary sponsorship for one year

•            One year’s subscription to our newsletter – the Mews News – printed three times per year

•            Natural history and life history of your special adopted animal

•            10% discount on all World Bird Sanctuary merchandise in our gift shop

•            10% discount on all public programs offered at World Bird Sanctuary, such as Owl Prowls, Nature Hikes etc.

•            Visiting privileges and photo opportunities with the special new member of your family  (just call ahead first to make sure your adopted animal will be here on the day of your visit).

To adopt your bird select the category of bird that you want to adopt, and then click on the individual bird within that gallery and complete the adoption form.

RETURN TO THE WILD

Take part in the release of a rehabilitated bird!

Returning a bird of prey back to the wild can cost up to $1,000 in care and rehabilitation. Your contribution of only $150 helps our patients and gives you the opportunity to participate in the release of a wild bird of prey.

Give someone on your list the opportunity to actually return a creature to the wild

Invite family and friends to release a bird of prey at your home or nearby park. Celebrate a wedding, birthday, anniversary, family reunion, school or corporate function with this special gift.

The World Bird Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital is a cornerstone of the World Bird Sanctuary, and is entirely funded by donations from the public. Help us give our patients a second chance to fly Sponsor a release today!


Questions about Return To The Wild?  Call (636) 861-1392 or email: credfern@worldbirdsanctuary.org

A WBS Friend Membership

Your WBS Friend Membership includes:

•            One year’s subscription to our newsletter – the Mews News – printed three times per year

•            Reusable WBS shopping bag

•            10% discount on all World Bird Sanctuary merchandise in our gift shop

•            Invitation to Friends-only events like Camera Day offering unique photographic opportunities featuring live birds of prey. Bring your cameras for rare shots of raptors in natural settings

•            10% discount on all public programs offered at World Bird Sanctuary, such as Owl Prowls, Nature Hikes etc.

•            Invitations to members-only events held at World Bird Sanctuary

To purchase a WBS Friend membership click here.

RAPTOR PROJECT CD

For the youngsters on your list there is a selection of two audio CDs by our in-house band, The Raptor Project.  These CDs also contain encoded lyrics and teacher activity pages.  Enjoy songs such as “Mr. Frog Blues”, “Those Wonderful Birds”, “The Food Chain Blues” and many more.  All proceeds from sale of CDs supports the Wildlife Hospital.  To purchase a CD click here.

BEAK TO BEAK

For the book lover on your list purchase “Beak To Beak”, a book by our Director, Walter C. Crawford, Jr.  This book is filled with Walter's musings on wildlife, conservation and life in general told through a collection of short, true-life stories.

The book is available for purchase for $10.

Any of the above items may also be purchased in person at the World Bird Sanctuary’s Nature Center, or call 636-225-4390 Ext. 0 for further information.