Native Bird Care & Rescue in Central Oregon
  • Home
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Windows
  • Living With
  • Found A Bird?
  • About
  • Donate
  • Facilities

About Birds

Horned Grebe down in Ontario - SAVED!

2/1/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture
A big thanks to Spencer in Ontario who rescued a Horned Grebe! Finding my website which highlights these birds, he called for help, which I was happy to offer. The horrible cold and storm in the mid-west is likely bringing quite a few of these birds up onto the shore or onto parking lots and roads. They come out of the water if they are either frozen out or have lost their waterproofing (like from contamination or bad body condition). I hope more downed ones are found. Always rescue a grebe out of water, and never simply put them back in. They are out for a reason and need help.

Horned Grebes are some of the cutest birds there are. Looking like mini-penguins, their feet are positioned toward their rears to enable efficient swimming. They have a hard time standing for this reason. Like a lot of waterbirds, they have smallish wings that are held tight to their bodies for streamlined swimming (though they do not swim with the wings). The foot position and small wings makes it impossible for them to fly from stand-still. They must run on water for up to 20 or more feet to get into the air. Thus, once down, that's it if they hit pavement. 


Picture
These cuties breed in AK and Canada mainly, with just a few in the states. They winter in coastal regions, from Alaska to Mexico and Nova Scotia to Florida, also winter inland on lakes and rivers at various locations throughout the US. Horned's eat lots of larvae and insects, as well as small fish. They have charming breeding behaviors and the male and female have similar plumages in breeding season and winter. They mate up during winter, and are monogamous; some continue their relationships for several seasons. 

These birds wind up coming down in bad storms and when lakes or rivers freeze over. They will hop onto land if frozen out and basically sit there, helpless and at risk of starvation or predation. They also come down if migrating and hitting severe weather. They wind up emaciated, hypothermic, and at risk of death. 


Huge numbers of these birds have come down in harsh storms in parking lots and roads. But when the single birds get downed, it is a bird that simply does not have the stamina from poor body condition. 
wet eared grebe
Native Bird Care pool
Saved Horned Grebe
These birds are prone to parasites (worms), which cause them to be in poor condition and weight. Worm infections can ruin waterproofing as well.  can be Birds that I get ALWAYS have worms and are always hypothermic. We follow care protocols similar to those of the seabird-specialist facilities , so every bird gets wormed asap here. However, these birds, if they are in migration, reduce (atrophy) the size of their internal organs. This makes them unable to receive the normal level of food intake. This is a key reason these birds must come into rescue. First, we must access their physical status, including whether they are in a migratory condition. 

Downed birds are always cold. Sitting on cold pavement or snow (and given they came down due to condition), would make anyone cold. Putting them back into cold water will either kill them or they will get out again. Hypothermia kills wet, cold birds. Getting them warm is critical. Like all seriously hypthermic patients, including humans, they cannot simply be set on a hot pad. They must be warmed slowly and hydrated. 

These birds special water facilities to regain their waterproofing and hydration. So, please make sure to call someone if you find one. Never simply put them back on water, call a wildlife rescue and get a consult with a rehabilitation professional who knows these birds. I am happy to answer questions and help find a facility wherever you are. 

A huge thank you to Spencer for caring for this wonderful and unique bird. And thanks for driving him 3 hours to save him!!! Finding rescues who take these birds and can help them sometimes requires some looking. 

​Spencer - You rock!
1 Comment
Gail Lenters link
2/1/2019 06:25:21 pm

The little grebe has landed! He is now in care at Shades of Hope and we thank Spencer for saving his life and Elise for coordinating his rehab! The little guys is feasting on minnows and mealworms and will be ready to return to his rightful place in our Great Lakes very soon. Every life matters …

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Help Wild Birds with a Donation!

    About

    Native Bird Care's is celebrating its 10th anniversary! Our main focus is song, shore, and waterbirds. We offer specialized care and facilities  for these extraordinary birds.. 

    Our mission is to provide a standard of care that offers the best chance for success and survival once our patients are released back to the wild. 

    We've gone through significant growth in the last 10 years. We started with a trailer, 2 aviaries, and small stock tank. Today, we have 5 aviaries from small to large and 4 filtered recirculating waterbird pools (one swan sized). In 2014, we built our large avian-care room (i.e. "Hopes" room) and an intake hospital room, with an indoor water set up. 

    Our patients are admittedly some of the more challenging of the birds to rehab. But, honestly, they all have unique needs. 

    We want to thank all those who have supported our work and helped our patients over the years. 

    ​Here's to the next 10! ​

    Archives

    December 2024
    July 2024
    January 2024
    October 2023
    January 2022
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    September 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    July 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Windows
  • Living With
  • Found A Bird?
  • About
  • Donate
  • Facilities