Blog

Pacific-slope Flycatcher Trio Orphaned After Fallen Nest

Recently, three baby flycatchers were brought to Wildlife Rescue after an onlooker noticed the fallen nest and no parents nearby. These orphaned nestlings were severely dehydrated and required immediate care. Pacific-slope Flycatchers nest with their parents for 14-15 days and are incapable of self-feeding.

Strike Two for Sociable Birds

Waxwing’s diet mainly revolves around fruits and berries (such as strawberries, mulberries, and raspberries). Large quantities of over-ripe fruit that contain alcohol sugar from the fruit converts into alcohol through fermentation. This can be fatal for a Cedar Waxwings diet by causing disorientation leading to window strikes.

Year-Round Bird Faces Severe Head Trauma

Like many other birds in British Columbia, female Red Crossbills create nests out of twigs from conifer trees and line the inside with materials such as needles, feathers, and hair. However, they tend to place their nests especially high up – up to 70 ft in the air – near thick foliage by the trunk of the tree. These incredible birds are monogamous and tend to nest in spring but will breed in late summer through fall or from late winter to early spring.

Spotted Towhee Survives Nest Disturbance

A familiar sight in British Columbia, male Spotted Towhees have reddish-orange flanks, black wings, and grey underwings, though the females have grey wings instead of black. These clever sparrows tend to dart from place to place by hopping rather than flying since they mainly forage for insects (such as beetles, ladybugs, crickets, grasshoppers, moths, and spiders), berries, seeds, and acorns (such as raspberries, blackberries, chickweed, oats, corn, and cherries).

How to Protect Ground Nesting Wildlife

Recently, two baby Killdeer were rescued after someone found them abandoned with no parents nearby. Wildlife Rescue staff suspect the parents may potentially be struck by a vehicle or other urban challenges, an all-too-common occurrence this time of year.
Killdeer nest on the ground or flat roofs until the eggs hatch 24 days later. The parents look after their young until they are ready to take flight after approximately 25 days. These two babies will be raised at the Wildlife Rescue’s hospital until they are young adults and are capable of surviving on their own.

Learn to Co-Exist With Bats!

Bats contribute to our environment in both invisible and visible ways. At night, they are our pest control, since one bat can eat as many as a thousand mosquitoes in an hour. Not only do they control pest populations (which aids the agricultural industry), bats can also pollinate plants. It has been estimated that a hungry bat can devour up to 3,000 insects in one night! Not only does this reduce the need for farmers to use pesticides, but it also helps manage the overpopulation of certain insect groups (including mosquitoes).

Tips to Help Save Your Local Bee Populations

Bees are an important part of maintaining a healthy environment. Bees help with the pollination of plants and food crops that produce fruits and seeds. Bees help restore biodiversity and support a variety of plants and wildlife. Bees play a crucial part in our lives and together we need to help protect them. Agricultural activity, damage, and removal of vegetation, deforestation, climate change and habitat fragmentation are a few of the factors that have had a crucial impact on bee populations.

Support Your Local Wildlife on Canada Day!

Patrolling up and down the rivers and shorelines, the beautiful Belted Kingfisher with its heavy frame and vigorous flight can easily be spotted. Its small feet and large head give it a unique look. The Belted Kingfisher with a shaggy crest on the top and back of its head and a beautiful blue-gray color and fine white spotting on the wing and tail. Females have a broad rusty band on their bellies.

California Quail Ready to be Released in Osoyoos!

Staff and volunteers have worked hard in the last 3 weeks, providing, much-needed warmth and a nutritional diet of seeds, chick mix, and insects to ensure these babies can make it into adulthood and safely return home. They are now half their adult weight and are growing their flight feathers and crest feathers.

Great Blue Heron Fledglings Survive Horrific Fall

Great Blue Herons are a familiar sight on British Columbia’s coast with wide wings, long “S” shaped necks, and grey-blue feathers. Their remarkably still stance in water, the plumes on their heads, and the black line above their eyes make them distinctive from any other bird.

Blog

Support Us