Wildcare is always on the lookout for new recruits to help rescue and rehabilitate injured and orphaned wildlife, but in spring there is a special challenge – coping with an expected influx of orphaned baby birds. Baby birds can be great fun – in the way they demand our attention to be fed regularly during the day, become silent and go to sleep over night and grow amazingly fast to young adult stage before being released back into the wild.
As, Wildcare’s Bird Coordinator, Maryanne says “With many Wildcare members working full time, there is a need to find additional volunteers at this time of the year who are available during the day. If you care about our native birds, looking after baby birds can be a very rewarding experience. Full training and support is provided and we may also be able to help with cages and enclosures.
“On a related topic, many of the baby magpies that come into care each spring probably don’t need to be ‘rescued’. Fledgling magpies tend to spend some time on the ground when they first leave the nest, while they are learning to fly – with mum and dad on guard nearby. Of course if they are injured or in imminent danger, we should help. But one option is to place the fledgling on a branch out of danger – or even better in a bucket, with leaf litter in the bottom, and hang it from a nearby branch – and watch to see if the parents return. If in any doubt – please call Wildcare on 62991966.”
If you have time to help out, or if you want more information about caring for baby birds, please call Maryanne, the Wildcare Bird Coordinator, on 0411 422 897 to have a chat. More information is also available at www.wildcare.com.au.
Philip Machin
Wildcare
62383717
