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Bird Center volunteer finds rare bird
This lone white bird was recently spotted with a flock of geese in Dexter. We contacted the Bird Division at University of Michigan Exhibit Museum to help us
identify the bird. One person had a spotting scope and attempted to read the printing on the bird's leg band. It's a Ross's Goose, which is like
a miniature version of the more abundant Snow Goose. It breeds in the arctic tundra of northern Canada. It winters primarily in central California, but is becoming
more frequent further east.
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Your Internet searches and online shopping can help the Bird Center!
We recently signed up with GoodSearch.com and
GoodShop.com.
At these sites your internet searches or online shopping will benefit the Bird Center at no additional cost to you.
If Yahoo! is your favorite search engine, you'll like GoodSearch. It's powered by Yahoo. Shopping with GoodShop
is fast and easy. Click the icon to get started. You'll have the added benefit of providing additional funds to help
save birds!
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Your grocery shopping can also help the Bird Center!
The Bird Center of Washtenaw County is excited to be participating in
the Kroger Community Rewards Program. Register your Kroger Plus card online with a Kroger Rewards Account and
designate the Bird Center as your charity of choice. We will automatically receive a donation from Kroger every
time you use your card. You can register the Bird Center by name or by the NPO number that Kroger has assigned to us — 90972.
Click here for detailed instructions (PDF).
The Bird Center is closed from September to early May.
If you find an injured or sick bird, please call (734) 761-9640 and listen to the recording for additional information.
If are outside the Ann Arbor area, please contact a local rehabilitator.
Keep any birds you have found warm and dry. Do not give them food or water except under the advice of a rehabilitator or veterinarian. For a list of wildlife rehabilitators in the state of Michigan, please go to http://www.michigan.gov/dnr.
Visit our help a wild bird page for additional tips on what to do.
2011 Rescue Stories
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This cute little male downy came to us with a head injury from flying into a window. He is on anti-inflammatory medication that also reduces pain.
He gets two different eye drops twice daily to his left eye. He is doing well and will be released soon.
Head injuries caused by birds hitting windows are a major problem. By the end of December when we compile our statistics from our new online system WILD-ONe we will know for the first time the number of head injured birds treated.
The perfect holiday gift is decals that are placed on the outside of the window to prevent birds hitting the window.
Our favorite is “WindowAlert” which is a clear static cling decal. It reflects ultraviolet light, which birds can see and
humans cannot. It sells locally at bird stores for $5 or $6 for four decals. Putting anything on the inside of the window
does not work as well as shapes and decals on the outside of the window. In Ann Arbor these decals can be found at Wild Birds
Unlimited on Main near Busch’s and on Plymouth Road at the Wild Bird Center. Both of these local businesses have been very
supportive of the Bird Center.
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In November we rescued a hummingbird that was injured and missed its annual migration south. The bird couldn''t be released locally due to upcoming winter weather.
We arranged to have it transferred to a licensed rehabilitator in Texas. Bruce and Kathy Moorman volunteered to transport the bird. It was released in Texas where
it can remain for the winter, or continue migrating into South America.
View photos of the transport and Texas rehabilitation center
On July 5th, the Bird Center supplied poultry watering devices and 7 days of duck starter formula
for 13 ducklings that were in a University of Michigan courtyard with no water in the extreme heat. Since then we
worked closely with the "Quack Squad", providing advice and duck grower formula. Recently the ducks have begun to fly away,
and that means our rescue project has ended successfully. Thank you, Quack Squad!
We appreciate this kind of support for our cause.
View more photos of the ducks
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Officer Mike Williams from the Washtenaw County Sheriff Department was involved with the recent rescue of a baby Eastern
Kingbird. Officer Williams had seen the parent birds and knew it was not a common bird. He told the people he was supervising
at the park to keep everyone away from the baby bird so the parents would come to it. However, after he left the park, the
bird was brought in to the Bird Center. On July 6, Mike stopped by the Bird Center on his day off to pick up the Kingbird and
take it back to the park to try to re-unite it with its parents. The parent looked at the baby bird for a few minutes, then
left and returned with food and fed it. A very special thanks to Mike for his help in rescuing this Eastern Kingbird!
An injured bluebird was recently rescued from the side of the road in Hasting, MI. The Bird Center treated it with
Metacam for a head injury. It recovered very quickly and was transported back to where it was found. Whenever possible
birds are released near their original home territory because they know the habitat, have mates, and in some seasons
are caring for young.
Watch the YouTube video of the release.
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