Wild Bird Fund

Wild Bird Fund The Wild Bird Fund is a nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation and education center in NYC.
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10/08/2026

“Release the bittern!”🦑

And we did release this American bittern back into the grassy wetlands where he’s most at home. This bittern collided with a window, and a brave soul rescued him and brought him to the clinic. He was fully recovered after several days of care and we were happy to see him off.

These secretive marsh birds stand tall in the grasses, their necks stretched up to look like reeds, while gazing below with their low-set eyes scanning for prey. We’d hate to be an unsuspecting frog or crayfish under this guy’s gaze.

These birds have sharp, daggerlike beaks and strong necks. They can be very dangerous to handle in care, and we always work in pairs and wear goggles.

In this scenario, he’s defensively trying to look big and scary. Well done, sir!

We are in peak fall migration. Please consider donating to help us care for migrators big and small. 🔗bit.ly/wbfdonate

🎥: Stephanie Wood

10/08/2026

Another update on the GWB Port Authority pigeon netting situation.

⚠️UPDATE 10/8: There are 4 birds who have been trapped behind netting for a few weeks. They aren't going into the traps ...
10/08/2026

⚠️UPDATE 10/8: There are 4 birds who have been trapped behind netting for a few weeks. They aren't going into the traps and aren't moving. These birds need urgent medical attention. If you call , please specifically ask that these 4 birds be removed and given to the rehabbers

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In August we told you about a massive pigeon netting situation at the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal managed by the Port Authority of NY & NJ and a contractor, Bell Environmental Services, they hired to exclude and remove birds over a huge area under the bridge. The company was using traps to catch the birds and then release them. But their careless methods did not prevent a number of birds from dying and many babies from being separated from their parents.

We took in many of the birds, as did volunteers and our partners in care. In late September, we admitted one adult pigeon that had been left trapped without food or water for 5 or 6 days. By the time this bird arrived at the clinic, he was so emaciated that his organs had begun to fail. We ended his suffering humanely.

Without the constant vigilance of the volunteers on site, and the attention of the media, we are certain that many more birds would have been left to die.

We’re sorry to report that this shameful situation is still going on. We’re told that birds are still trapped behind the netting. Those caught in the traps are being left longer before release, some on the floor of a cooling area where they are susceptible to flooding and predation by rats. And some were allegedly removed from the site in a vehicle instead of being released.

If you’d like to help, please send a letter via this form: 🔗vfar.org/pigeons

You can also call the Port Authority at (201) 346-4100 to request that all pigeons be released safely into the hands of rehabbers and that the Port Authority commit to releasing all trapped pigeons within 24 hours. Please be POLITE. Any other approach is counterproductive.

Thank you for your willingness to speak up for pigeons!

10/06/2026

What an amazing collaboration! We are so grateful to Rockland Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation for taking on the care of these 3 pigeons rescued from the ongoing Port Authority GWB bus station netting situation. And to Woodstock Farm Sanctuary for giving them a home. 🩶

The ovenbird definitely appeared dead. The bird lay, eyes closed, beside a window in Brooklyn Bridge Park. But when a r...
10/05/2026

The ovenbird definitely appeared dead.

The bird lay, eyes closed, beside a window in Brooklyn Bridge Park. But when a rescuer went to examine the body, the bird woke up and squealed. Very much alive!

This bird was then gently closed inside a paper bag and transported to the Wild Bird Fund. After two days of care and observation, she was cleared for release.

Anyone who regularly monitors bird window collisions has encountered this situation. Like humans, birds can get knocked out by a blow to the head. Being surprisingly alive, or being feisty after being picked up, does not mean the bird is OK, though. Concussions manifest over time, and the bird may have other injuries you can’t see. This is why we always recommend taking a bird who has hit a window to a wildlife rehabber. The bird will have the best chance of survival if not left outside to fend for themself while recovering from injury.

The point is: lying down doesn’t mean dead! It’s good to check (only if you’re comfortable; use gloves or a cloth if you’re wary of touching the bird). If you’re not sure, you can place the bird in a closed paper bag anyway and wait for a bit. Pretty soon, it will be obvious. You can test the legs: on a dead bird, they will be stiff.

Please consider reporting both injured and dead window-collision victims to dbird.org. It’s quick and it will give many losts lives an afterlife in useful data.

Good luck out there, ovenbird! 🧡

We are in peak fall migration. Please consider donating to help us care for migrators big and small. 🔗bit.ly/wbfdonate

Among our hundreds of incoming patients during this busy fall migration are lots of Northern parulas — 36 in the past we...
10/04/2026

Among our hundreds of incoming patients during this busy fall migration are lots of Northern parulas — 36 in the past week! These colorful warblers are everywhere right now if you know where to look (and please look! you won’t regret it).

Like all migratory birds, they are susceptible to bright lights and reflective glass. Many will die or be injured colliding with windows.

These are just a few of our recent parula guests, all recovering from injuries sustained during window collisions. You’ll also notice a cheeky bay-breasted warbler hopping among them.

Most birds die on impact with a window, and those who survive suffer concussion, eye injury, shoulder injuries and more. If you find one on the sidewalk, please stop to help. Placing them gently in a paper bag, closing the bag, and getting them quickly to a wildlife rehabber might give them a second chance to continue their migration. Please don’t release the bird, even if they perk up. They usually have injuries you can’t see and will only fly off to die elsewhere if released.

Window collisions are preventable! Turning out lights at night and adding markings spaced 2 inches apart over the outside of windows are the simple solutions. If you live or work in a building that regularly kills birds, please say something! Talk to the management. There are many good products and design solutions. Bird-friendly windows are beautiful windows.

We are in peak fall migration. Please consider donating to help us care for migrators big and small. 🔗bit.ly/wbfdonate

📷: Lily Lugo

10/02/2026

It’s the time of year when we need to stock hornworms for our cuckoo guests.

We have two yellow-billed cuckoos in house right now. Both are victims of window collisions, and both are strong and feisty, with a great chance of return to the wild.

Cuckoos are big fans of caterpillars! They especially like finding a large trove, such as webworms or tent caterpillars, and will quickly take them out.

Window collisions are preventable! Turning out lights at night and adding markings spaced 2 inches apart over the outside of windows are the simple solutions. If you live or work in a building that regularly kills birds, please say something! Talk to the management. There are many good products and design solutions. Bird-friendly windows are beautiful windows.

We are in peak fall migration. Please consider donating to help us care for migrators big and small. 🔗bit.ly/wbfdonate

🎥: Lily Lugo

We’re so grateful to the kind people who stopped to help this red-tailed hawk on the side of the Garden State Parkway. S...
10/01/2026

We’re so grateful to the kind people who stopped to help this red-tailed hawk on the side of the Garden State Parkway. She'd been hit by a vehicle and was standing but unable to fly.

On arrival at the clinic, she was weak and showing signs of concussion and some internal bleeding. During three days of care, she’s gradually become stronger and is now perching strongly and much more alert. Also defensive! This brave girl is ready for transfer to our friends at The Raptor Trust, where she’ll receive excellent ongoing care and hopefully be returned to the wild.

What a lucky hawk! It’s so rewarding to witness such a turnaround for a beautiful young raptor just at the beginning of her journey.

Your donations help so many red-tailed hawks and other raptors, as well as songbirds, geese, ducks, herons and pigeons! Please help us continue this important work by donating 🔗bit.ly/wbfdonate

📷: Suzanne Highland, Finley Eisenberg

09/28/2026

For everyone who contacted us about the mallard in Battery Park City who couldn't use one of her legs, here she is now! Much improved and able to paddle, walk and fly like a superstar.
We're not sure what happened to cause her injury, but she was evidently in enough pain that she'd stopped using the leg, and the muscles had atrophied. X-rays showed nothing of note, so we gave her two weeks of aquatherapy in our pool, and she made an amazing recovery.

Since she'd been mostly spending time in the shallow koi pond near Brookfield Place, we opted to release her in Central Park where she'll have more space to continue exercising her leg and a better supply of natural food.

Good luck out there, female mallard fka Larry!

🎥: Suzanne Highland

If you see a bird sitting on the sidewalk, puffed up against a wall or huddled on the ground at night, that bird needs y...
09/27/2026

If you see a bird sitting on the sidewalk, puffed up against a wall or huddled on the ground at night, that bird needs your help!

Please take a few minutes to pick this bird up and get them safely contained in a paper bag or box. Please do this even if you can’t transport the bird to us right away.

**You are likely that bird’s only hope of getting help, especially during the storm.**

Once you have the bird safely contained, you can bring the bird to WBF (565 Columbus Ave, NYC, we are open daily 9-7) or contact [email protected] (in NYC) to see if a volunteer can help transport. Keep in mind that volunteers are not always available right away.

If it’s after hours, it’s fine to keep the bird overnight until we open in the morning. Make sure there is plenty of ventilation in the box, but keep it closed in a quiet, dark location. Please do not provide any food or water, and do not handle or talk to the bird.

If you need a wildlife rehabber outside of NYC, you can search ahnow.org.

Thank you for looking out for our resident and visiting birds! If you’d like to help us care for them, please donate 💕 🔗bit.ly/wbfdonate

Address

565 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY
10024

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 7pm
Tuesday 9am - 7pm
Wednesday 9am - 7pm
Thursday 9am - 7pm
Friday 9am - 7pm
Saturday 9am - 7pm
Sunday 9am - 7pm

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