Bird Treatment & Learning Center

Bird Treatment & Learning Center We care and advocate for Alaska's wild birds through rehabilitation, education and outreach.

Bird TLC has been caring for Alaska’s wild birds since 1988 when Dr. James R. Scott, DVM, began treating sick and injured birds at his veterinary clinic. Since then, we have grown to become Alaska’s busiest rehabilitation clinic, taking in approximately 600 birds a year from across the state. In addition to rehabilitating wild birds, we offer interactive, science-based education programs to schools, community organizations, and tour groups.

Whose puppy-dog eyes are melting your heart today? Drop your vote in the comments below! 👇 🐶
08/14/2026

Whose puppy-dog eyes are melting your heart today? Drop your vote in the comments below! 👇

🐶

There's only three more Ambassador Bird programs this summer! Join us on Friday, 8/14/26, 12:30 PM at Bird TLC to meet...
08/13/2026

There's only three more Ambassador Bird programs this summer! Join us on Friday, 8/14/26, 12:30 PM at Bird TLC to meet one or more Ambassador Bird, learn about their natural history and behavior, and how we care for and train the Ambassadors. Save time and buy your ticket online: https://givebutter.com/birdprograms26

08/12/2026

Dr. Karen teaches volunteer Morgan, a veterinary technician, how to draw blood from an eagle patient. Well done on your first eagle draw, Morgan!

08/11/2026

It's time for the correct answer! These are Gadwalls! Gadwalls are adaptable dabbling ducks, as evidenced by the increase in their population since 1980.

Eight orphans get their second chance at life in the wild! Put your best guess at what kind of ducks these are the comments. We’ll be accepting guesses until 3 pm on Wednesday.

Weekly Wrap Up!Let’s start by congratulating the 19 Avian Teen Crew members who gave their time this summer to be part o...
08/09/2026

Weekly Wrap Up!

Let’s start by congratulating the 19 Avian Teen Crew members who gave their time this summer to be part of our education team. They cleaned Ambassador Bird housing, made bird enrichment, supported presenters at public programs, and completed service projects to benefit Bird TLC. They were an awesome group of young adults to spend the summer with!

Presenters and Ambassador Birds were kept busy with 11 programs this week! Meanwhile, the rehabilitation team has had a tough week. As many of you saw in an earlier post, we admitted a Common Loon with lead poisoning after it swallowed a lead fishing weight. Sadly, it was too late to save the bird, and all our team could do was gently end its suffering.

Our team is now caring for a Bald Eagle who may also be suffering from lead poisoning. Radiographs show a pellet in one wing and a possible pellet (or fishing weight) in its abdomen. But the team also celebrated several wins, giving a raven, a warbler, a magpie, and a gull their second chances at life in the wild!

Pictured: Avian Teen Crew members with Ambassador Frost, and staff members Chandelle and Mary.

08/06/2026

It's another gray day in Anchorage, but Ambassador Shavila is here to give you a smile! Watch while he works with his trainer, Stefanie, on learning his colors during a school program.

Interested in having an Ambassador come to your classroom? Book a program here: https://www.birdtlc.org/school-programs

This loon’s death was completely preventable.Bird TLC and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) received severa...
08/05/2026

This loon’s death was completely preventable.

Bird TLC and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) received several calls about a loon repeatedly beaching itself at Taku Lake. ADF&G retrieved the loon and brought it to our clinic.

The loon was suffering from head tremors, an inability to use its legs or wings properly, breathing difficulties, and whole-body shaking. Given the severity of these symptoms, humane euthanasia was the kindest decision we could make for the bird.

A necropsy confirmed what we suspected: lead poisoning caused by a lead sinker and part of a hook found in the loon’s gizzard. The hook and weight had also caused severe internal abrasions.

How could this loon’s death have been prevented? By choosing lead-free fishing tackle made of tungsten, steel, tin, bismuth, or glass. Tungsten even performs better than lead because it sinks faster. If your favorite retailer doesn't carry non-lead tackle, please ask them to stock it.

Ambassador Ghost wants you to know that it’s International Owl Awareness Day!He also wants you to know that owls are rea...
08/05/2026

Ambassador Ghost wants you to know that it’s International Owl Awareness Day!

He also wants you to know that owls are really cool—they can hunt in the low light of dusk and dawn and some can hunt in near-total darkness; silent flight brings them to their unsuspecting prey; specialized hearing means they can detect animals underneath the snow; some owls have asymmetrical ears to help them locate prey; and they can rotate their heads 270 degrees!

Alaska’s ten species of owls live in various habitats. Snowy Owls, like Ghost, survive in the treeless Arctic tundra while other owls make their homes in the boreal forests of Interior Alaska or the rainforest of Southeast.

What is your favorite Alaskan owl? 🦉

08/04/2026

Shout to Avian Teen Crew member, Ellie, for her fun and expert edit of this video!

08/01/2026

Weekly Wrap-up!

The rehabilitation team was quite busy this week—admitting 34 patients and racing around Anchorage on multiple rescue operations, including rescuing a juvenile gull from the bathroom of an RV. We suspect that the RV owner’s dog, Bubba, may have had something to do with how that gull ended up in the bathroom. Many birds got their second chance at life in the wild, including the two young magpies we featured last week, who were stuck in the Adirondack chair with the back made out of skis. We also set free nuthatches, gulls, scaups, and mallards.

The education team and Ambassador Birds are not slowing down either. Their schedule included programs at the Alaska Botanical Garden, Alaska Public Lands Information Center, Rabbit Creek Elementary, and multiple on-site programs.

Address

15510 Old Seward Highway
Anchorage, AK
99516

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+19075624852

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Bird Treatment & Learning Center posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share