Blue Ridge Wildlife Center

Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Blue Ridge Wildlife Center is a nonprofit wildlife teaching hospital in Boyce, VA.

This handsome Hooded Warbler is a reminder that fall migration has already begun, and unfortunately, that means we're se...
09/01/2026

This handsome Hooded Warbler is a reminder that fall migration has already begun, and unfortunately, that means we're seeing an increase in window strike victims - one of many dangers migrating birds face on their perilous journeys twice each year. Unfortunately, this bird succumbed to his injuries within 24 hours despite treatment.

While habitat destruction and climate change can seem overwhelming from an individual perspective, window strikes are something we humans can actually prevent. Birds hit windows because they see the reflection on the OUTSIDE of the glass, and fly towards what they believe is open sky or trees. By disrupting the outside reflection, you can prevent window strikes entirely, as this allows birds to see the window as a solid surface they can't fly through.

A few random decals of bird silhouettes or other designs is not enough to prevent bird strikes! The ENTIRE surface of the window must be broken up with either tape, marker, paint, or other mediums with gaps no greater than 2" vertically or horizontally. You can make these yourself, or you can purchase various products, such as Feather Friendly Window Tape, CollidEscape window covers, ABC bird tape, etc. A variety of these products are on the windows at our hospital as examples and you are welcome to stop by and look at them to see what would work best in your home.

Previously it was believed that feeders should be kept less than 3 feet from a window or greater than 30 feet away to prevent strikes. Neither of these placements prevent strikes from birds that are flying in or feeding from elsewhere around the property, and greater than 30 ft has not been proven and should not be relied on. The BEST method to prevent strikes is breaking up the reflection of the windows, regardless of feeder placement.

Please act now to protect birds from your windows now. Migration has already begun, and billions of birds will migrate south over the next two months in our area. These birds have survived, against all the odds, and they could make it all the way south - if only a window had been made more bird-friendly. Don't let their journey stop at your house. Help protect our feathered friends.

This Black Vulture was the victim of a witnessed vehicle collision that left the bird with a fractured humerus (upper wi...
08/31/2026

This Black Vulture was the victim of a witnessed vehicle collision that left the bird with a fractured humerus (upper wing bone).

Fortunately, this was a very fresh fracture and lead levels were only mildly elevated so we were able to take this patient to surgery the next morning. A tie in fixator was placed, with one pin extending through the middle of the humerus and cross pins placed perpendicularly. The cross pins are then stabilized by a fixator bar.

Although we do place a bandage for a few days after surgery, the benefit of this type of stabilization is that a bandage is not needed for more than a day or two and the bird is able to extend the wing normally during recovery. As a result, we see fewer complications involving range of motion issues at the adjacent joints.

While putting pins into bones may sound painful, it is actually the movement of fractured bones that causes the most pain. In addition to protecting joints, when these fractures are stabilized using surgical pins, our patient’s pain is greatly reduced.

This humeral fracture was a bit more complicated than most and the prognosis for healing with perfect function is fair, but not excellent at this time. We will continue to give this bird time to heal and we will reassess the fracture and shoulder joint frequently. We hope to get this vulture back home this fall!

Don't let this cooler weather fool you - the baby birds are still out there. This nestling American Robin came in after ...
08/30/2026

Don't let this cooler weather fool you - the baby birds are still out there.

This nestling American Robin came in after falling from quite a distance out of their nest, and was depressed, dehydrated, and cold on intake. In this bird's case, with the fragile state they were in, renesting was not an option.

While our baby bird intakes HAVE slowed down, that hasn't stopped the occasional trickle of wayward avian youths through our doors, including this robin but also House Finches, Northern Cardinals, Mourning Doves, and Northern Mockingbirds. While there's still warm weather ahead, we can't help but wonder - what are these bird parents thinking? Is the bird education system failing them?

No parent is perfect, and sometimes, things happen outside of their control. If you see a bird child struggling or have concerns, please don't hesitate to give us a call any day of the week. We may be able to reunite the family, or it may be necessary for human intervention. In any case, we're happy to help assess your situation to see what options are best.

This young Eastern Chipmunk was brought to us by the Animal Welfare League of Arlington after he was found alone in the ...
08/29/2026

This young Eastern Chipmunk was brought to us by the Animal Welfare League of Arlington after he was found alone in the middle of the road. Due to his age and the danger of the surrounding area, reuniting with mom was not an option in this specific case. We also suspect this youngster may have been out looking for mom due to how skinny he was on intake.

Now, he's growing up! He's exploring a cage filled with natural materials, digging opportunities, and a safe space to continue to develop and practice appropriate chipmunk behaviors. With his voracious appetite, we expect this kid to be ready for release just in time to start getting his affairs in order for fall and winter!

Late summer and early fall are when we see the most chipmunk intakes - primarily due to domestic animal attacks, such as from dogs and cats. These rodents are often rushing around gathering food and bulking up to prepare for their hibernation over winter, meaning they're above ground more often in search of food. Please help keep these cute little guys safe by keeping cats indoors or on a leash at all times when outside, and supervising dogs while in fenced yards or on a leash in non-fenced areas. Having this control over your pet and paying attention means you can help prevent an emergency before it even happens! As pet owners, it's our responsibility to mitigate the harm our pets can do to others, including wildlife!

We're so proud to get this immature Red-tailed Hawk back into the wild earlier this week!This bird was found near us in ...
08/28/2026

We're so proud to get this immature Red-tailed Hawk back into the wild earlier this week!

This bird was found near us in Berryville, VA, on the side of the road unable to fly, likely after being struck by a car. On intake, our team found this bird suffering from a severely displaced coracoid fracture, as well as other indications of trauma.

The coracoid is a shoulder bone that is unique to birds and reptiles. The coracoid assists with flight, and when this bone is broken, they no longer have the leverage their flight muscles and tendons need to move their wings with enough power and range of motion to achieve flight. Because the bone is inside the body, there often isn't "splinting" that can be done; instead, this type of injury requires limiting mobility in smaller enclosures to prevent them from attempting to fly, risking displacing the fracture further. In some cases, if the wing is drooping severely, wraps can be placed to protect the wing.

Aside from the bones being too displaced to heal appropriately, another risk is the tendon that runs over the coracoid for flight "slipping" past the coracoid. This can't be easily palpated or seen on radiographs, and the more displaced the fracture, the more likely the tendon has slipped. If the tendon is slipped, a bird with this injury would never fly again, even if the coracoid itself heals. In these types of injuries, we will often treat and allow the coracoid to heal, but flight testing afterwards is the true test to evaluate whether the tendon is in the proper place or not.

Thankfully, three weeks after intake, this bird was placed out into one of our outdoor flight enclosures, and our long-held questions were answered - the bird could fly! However, after flight, a significant droop was still visible. This wasn't too surprising - often a healing injury can still have some pain or discomfort in the area as it continues to heal. With physical therapy outdoors in our flight enclosure, pain medications, and time, the droop lessened until it was fully resolved, and this bird regained release-level conditioning.

Finally, nearly six weeks later, this bird was strong enough to return home! Thank you to the nearby property owners who allowed us to release this bird on their property near to the bird's found location, and to one of our volunteers who assisted with the release. Fly high and free, friend!



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08/27/2026

This Gray Treefrog is leaping with joy at the realization that he is back home!

This patient was admitted about two weeks ago with trauma to the right eye. After spending a week on topical and systemic medications, the blood that was initially in the anterior chamber of the eye had resorbed and this patient was no longer painful. Now bright, alert, and eating well, this frog was cleared for release.

Releases are always magical to watch, but some patients really put on a show!

WARNING: Graphic surgical photosAbscesses are a common issue in wildlife medicine and while about 13% of our box turtles...
08/26/2026

WARNING: Graphic surgical photos

Abscesses are a common issue in wildlife medicine and while about 13% of our box turtles come to us with abscesses, the overwhelming majority of those are confined to the ear (aural abscesses). This patient came in with a large abscess between the base of the neck and the right forearm, likely from a penetrating injury.

Just like an aural abscess, this one had to be lanced and flushed under anesthesia. In this case, the abscess also had a thick capsule that needed to be removed. While we leave most aural abscesses open to drain, we were able to close this one fully after the capsule was removed.

While mammals (including humans) have enzymes that break down and liquify purulent material, birds and reptiles do not. This means that pus in our birds and reptiles is often solid, not the opaque liquid material you’re used to in mammals. Ruptured abscesses in this species will not result in draining liquid, but rather visible, cheesy material as seen in this patient’s intake photo.

If you see turtles with swellings like this (often, but not always in the ears), this may be an abscess, and you should seek advice from a rehabilitator. Fortunately, these are typically treatable and like this turtle, most of our patients with abscess do very well in care.

We hope this patient continues to heal well and we hope to get him home soon!

08/25/2026

We have over two dozen Virginia opossums in care at the moment and this little guy wanted to remind everyone of the opossum’s important role in protecting human and animal health by being opportunistic scavengers!

This patient is enjoying his venison, just as opossums do in nature when they clean up carcasses and break the transmission cycles of diseases that could harm humans and animals. Opossums also happily eat rodents and invertebrates, helping to control pest populations that damage crops and spread disease.

While protecting humans, this scavenging lifestyle often causes harm to the wildlife. Just like eagles and vultures, over 80% of our adult opossum patients have elevated blood lead levels from scavenging carcasses that contain fragments of lead ammunition. Many studies also show that opossums frequently have rodenticide in their system from ingesting contaminated prey.

This opossum is just enjoying his meal and does not understand his role in protecting public health, nor does he understand the risk he will be taking when ingesting meat like this in the wild. Help them help us by switching to non-lead ammunition and fishing tackle and avoiding the use of rodenticides and other toxins on your property!

This Central Ratsnake was lucky to be found back in late May stuck in mesh garden netting. Thankfully, despite the wound...
08/24/2026

This Central Ratsnake was lucky to be found back in late May stuck in mesh garden netting. Thankfully, despite the wounds this snake endured (last photo), with treatment, this snake made a full recovery, and you can see how faint the scars are along the snake's body (2nd photo). This snake has now been successfully released!

Thank you to the caring and considerate finder who rescued this snake, transported them from quite a ways away to get the care they needed, and came back to return this snake home where they belonged. We couldn't do the work that we do without caring people like this, and we're so thankful to live in an area where wildlife is cared for and respected.

As predicted, once all of our juvenile raccoons had been released, a new infant raccoon came into care.While this baby w...
08/23/2026

As predicted, once all of our juvenile raccoons had been released, a new infant raccoon came into care.

While this baby was found with no injuries or health issues, reuniting attempts failed and he was ultimately brought to us for care. We suspect this youngster is about 6 weeks old, and we'll be waiting to see if any others of similar age join us before we seek placement at other facilities to ensure this baby is raised with conspecifics (others of his species).

We're thankful that we have a vast network of rehabilitators in Virginia who can help us find others of the same age and ensure native wildlife like this guy have the best chance of long term success.

Address

106 Island Farm Lane
Boyce, VA
22620

Opening Hours

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

Telephone

+15408379000

Website

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