Free Bird & Wildlife Rehabilitation Inc

Free Bird & Wildlife Rehabilitation Inc Conservation and Rehabilitation of birds & wildlife. State (Mass Wildlife) Federal permit (USFWS)
501c3 EIN 92-2160089

Today is their last day in a cage!!! 💙💙💙 We are no longer handfeeding and they now fly away from me, which is appropria...
08/19/2026

Today is their last day in a cage!!! 💙💙💙

We are no longer handfeeding and they now fly away from me, which is appropriate behavior for wild song birds. We will be releasing 3 Bluebirds from Hubbardston, 1 older American Robin that came from Tufts Wildlife Clinic for prerelease conditioning after healing from a broken foot, and an older Song Sparrow we accepted from another bird rehabilitator who was away.

Yes, birds will breathe with an open beak when they are hot! I know I am ready for fall 😅!

They will all be soft released here on our property, we live alongside protected conservation land, and wetlands, which are perfect habitat to support them all.

And sometimes they visit! They will be left mealworms and suet, support feeding them as they adjust to freedom.

While they all eventually disappear and find others of their own species, my heart remembers every single one, they are my babies! 🐦🐦‍⬛🕊💙
(Click on pic to view full size).

This aviary will get turned over tomorrow too! Next up is 3 Cedar Waxwings, another Robin from Tufts, 3 Northern Cardinals and 1 more Song Sparrow!

Did I already say...I am ready for fall?! 🤭🍂🍁

08/18/2026

The neediest group of fledgings here at the moment...😅😅😅! 3 Northern Cardinals, and 1 Song Sparrow the same age.

They can feed on their own....but they see me and anything we know about self feeding is instantly forgotten!

Even feeding them from their OWN food dishes....😅❤️

08/16/2026

Know who this little maniac is? He bounces around all day...flies out of the tiniest opening of their enclosure....

Song Sparrow! We now have 2, one is a little older and no longer handfeeding. This tiny cutie just fledged, and is housed with 2 Northern Cardinals you can hear in the background.

All baby birds behave based on their natural history. Song Sparrows nest on the ground, usually in tall grass/wetland areas and need to be hyper mobile to avoid predators.

And we sound like some sort of insect, right??

Nature is amazing! ❤️

It's THAT time of year! All wildlife rehabilitators go thru this...and every year we write posts about it, and every ye...
08/14/2026

It's THAT time of year! All wildlife rehabilitators go thru this...and every year we write posts about it, and every year it still happens. We do continuing education classes every year, invest a LOT of money on specialized textbooks for avian species, and we KNOW these animals through experience. We strive to give our native avian species the best chance for successful rehabilitation and release.

Please call a Rehabilitator right away. Don't wait. Feeding them improperly, not supplementing their diet properly, could be the end for a wild bird.

These 2 Cedar Waxwings were kept for 2-3 weeks by a member of the public, after finding a destroyed nest, with 2 dead nest mates. We should have been called the day the birds were found. It is illegal to keep federally protected birds for more than 24 hours without a federal migratory bird permit... besides that, they have very specific needs as they grow.

You can see their feathers haven't developed properly, and they are also not waterproof.
One bird has an obvious underbite, not sure if the lower mandible is overgrown, or if the upper isn't growing correctly. Hoping the feathers come in on the bare spots of the chin/abdomen...they will freeze come winter without all their downy feathers.

They have had multiple baths per day so far, and are now constantly preening! ❤️🙂

Both can fly, and eat well on their own but need time for muscle conditioning and feather development. We are giving supplements and vitamins, the very best I can offer to make sure they will be ready to be free birds ASAP!

Recognize these babies?? We did a BIG release today, 2 catbirds, 6 robins and 4 cedar waxwing are free birds today!3 Bl...
08/12/2026

Recognize these babies??

We did a BIG release today, 2 catbirds, 6 robins and 4 cedar waxwing are free birds today!

3 Bluebird have fledged, as well as the 2 nestling Cardinal-that has only been here since last Friday. Their growth rates are just amazing! ❤️

Once I see these babies self feeding a little, they will go outside to an outdoor aviary for prerelease. It happens fast!
..still....another group of various sparrow species in the incubator to cycle thru the Free Bird Wild Orphan Academy..🤪🤣💙🐦❤️🐦‍⬛

Happy Sunday everybirdie 🐦! A little tour in the incubator this morning! The Bluebirds fledged overnight....all 3 out ...
08/09/2026

Happy Sunday everybirdie 🐦!

A little tour in the incubator this morning! The Bluebirds fledged overnight....all 3 out of their nest, will be moved to a soft enclosure in the porch today!

Our 2 Northern Cardinal admitted friday, are growing like weeds, and all the birds played musical nests overnight! 🤣 The cardinals are now in the bluebirds' nest!

And 2 very young House Sparrows admitted yesterday, when their entire nest fell from a light fixture (2 didnt survive the fall 💔). We don't usually take House Sparrows, but when we have space, they deserve care just as much as any other species!

We are going on MONTHS now, without a day off....I will never complain when it gets dark at 4 pm! 🤣😉❤️

I just started decorating for Halloween. If you know me, I go BIG. I guess Mother Nature thinks it's too early 🤷 😂🤣😅T...
08/07/2026

I just started decorating for Halloween. If you know me, I go BIG. I guess Mother Nature thinks it's too early 🤷 😂🤣😅
These are nestling Northern Cardinals. American Goldfinch are nesting right now too. Everything our native birds do, is timed around their food sources. Think about that next time you drown your yard with pesticides.

They are all connected.

Last night's intake, now at Tufts! OMG handling an adult Cooper's Hawk is NOT for the faint of heart! 🤣 even wrapped...
08/06/2026

Last night's intake, now at Tufts! OMG handling an adult Cooper's Hawk is NOT for the faint of heart! 🤣 even wrapped in a towel, we made me bleed twice by those feet ....handling an adult Cooper's makes me think they have 8 legs, 6 of which are hidden under the feathers!!!

This beauty was found by a good Samaritan near the Warren Center in Ashland, in the road. We were definitely hit by a car, or collided taking flight. We gave anti-inflammatory meds, fluids and oxygen before bed last night. Thanks to Adel and Tufts Wildlife Clinic, we transferred this morning, handling this bird is not a one person job.

We had swollen right eye, right eyelid laceration, both wings are broken....but not compound fractures. We are scheduled for sedation and more precise xrays tomorrow, before any decision is made.

The irony, I've been spending a LOT of time outside chasing Cooper's Hawks away from all the fledlings in our aviaries. I also hung motion activated Halloween decor on the aviary where we like to land most. The songbirds do NOT care about the Halloween decor, but they will hurt themselves freaking out with the hawk nearby. Birds eat birds....but not on my watch!

These birds are absolutely insane 😳!!! Gorgeous,and still worthy of our care, but definitely not at all cooperative!!

Send some healing thoughts for our Cooper's...AND for everyone working at Tufts, that has to handle this one.

🤣🤣🤣❤️❤️❤️

Our latest patient is this gorgeous juvenile Red-bellied Woodpecker, from Jodi Greenleaf this morning and as always, th...
08/05/2026

Our latest patient is this gorgeous juvenile Red-bellied Woodpecker, from Jodi Greenleaf this morning and as always, thank you Kathleen for transport this morning.

We are wonky....either from window strike, vehicle collision or fleeing from a predator, we don't know. I found no wounds or broken bones, could be either head or spinal trauma. We are giving oxygen, anti-inflammatory medication, along with lots of TLC and hoping to get this beauty better.

This time of year can be rough for the juveniles finding their way on their own for the first time.

Address

Hopkinton, MA

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 6pm
Saturday 8am - 6pm
Sunday 8am - 6pm

Telephone

(508)6250365

Website

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