Wild Bird Fund

06/06/2026

Squirrels learn early how to share food with their bestie...and then how to avoid that pointless practice. Remember, friends: you can definitely eat your roommate’s whole asparagus all by yourself.

Our spring babies are growing up. Soon most will be heading off to soft release, just in time for round two, which usually starts in August. 🫣

Fresh veggies are a big part of our growing kids’ diet, along with squirrel blocks, and smaller portions of fruit and nuts. Young squirrels enjoy everything once, but the food they love today will be sooo boring tomorrow omg. That’s just one thing that makes squirrel rehab a surprising adventure right up until the moment we say buy-bye.

🎥: Tristan Higginbotham

06/05/2026

Bye bye Boadie!

Our banded herring gull returned to the wild yesterday after two weeks in care. We think he suffered a collision, based on bruising on his keel, and then was down a while, not eating, while recovering. All our tests (x-rays, lead) came up clean, and he quickly regained his strength in care and was able to pass his flight test.

Based on the info from his band, Boadie just celebrated his 15th birthday. We hope he’ll enjoy 15 more healthy years out on the waters of NYC.

Your donations make this work possible! If you’d like to help, please visit 🔗 bit.ly/wbfdonate

Happy !

🎥: Terra Tirapelli

06/03/2026

When they talk about an NYC apartment with a view, is...is...this what they mean? 👀

The residents of this high-rise aerie where Avalon red-tailed hawk and her mate chose to make their nest shared these close-up photos with us. And, surprise, there are THREE eyasses. From the ground, we could only see two.

Avalon spent about 5 days at the clinic being treated for rodenticide poisoning and an intestinal infection before being released to continue raising her family. (Watch the release in our previous post.)

It's going to get pretty crowded on that air conditioner before these kids fledge. We're happy to know this family has lots of neighbors looking out for them.

06/03/2026

A sobering but important study from our friends at NYC Bird Alliance, along with Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Rutgers University and others. These "quintessential New Yorkers" (Dustin Partridge) need our help! Follow NYCBA to learn what you can do.

Black-crowned night herons could go the way of the passenger pigeon, vanishing from the city. Why remains a mystery.

06/02/2026

Is there anything more *beautiful* than a fledgling red-winged blackbird?🥺

OK, so they’re a little late in getting feathers on their faces. It’s a blackbird thing! Common grackle fledglings are also known for their unabashed baldness in the facial region. We don’t know why. But these birds leave the nest normally while still looking a little scruffy. They can fly a bit at this age but are still dependent on their parents for food.

This fledgling, named Viola, was found in the water in Prospect Park and needed a little extra help. Normally, however, you can let a fledgling like this be.

At this time of the season, red-winged blackbird parents will begin sitting on new eggs even while feeding their last brood. No time to waste! Between the two broods, and chasing off grackles and other interlopers, red-winged blackbirds have a full calendar. If you come across them, usually in a wetland, spend some time watching these birds work. It’s inspiring!

📷: Rachel Frank

06/01/2026

It’s nesting season! And most of the young birds you’re likely to see out and about are actually fledglings. These are birds that have left the nest right on schedule. They’re still learning to fly while being fed by their parents. They might look small and scruffy, but this is a normal stage of development, and it’s important to let them be raised by their parents.

So, let’s answer the question: Does that bird need help?

🐤 If the bird is a nestling (naked or partially naked) —Yes. Return the bird to the nest or bring the bird to a wildlife rehabber.

🐤 If the bird is a fledgling (fully covered in feathers, even if scruffy, and can stop or hop) — No. Leave them to be raised by their parents, who are nearby and feeding them.

🐤 If the bird is cold, lethargic, covered in bugs or injured —Yes. Please bring the bird to a wildlife rehabber.

🐤 If the bird is in a dangerous spot, like a road — Yes, a little. You can move them into a bush or onto a ledge, but only a few feet away! Their parents must be able to find them.

If you’re not sure, please send us a photo or ask a wildlife rehabber near you.

*Please never give food or water. We know it’s tempting, but this almost always causes harm.*

05/31/2026

“It’s not just blue, it’s not turquoise, it’s not even lapis. It’s actually....”

Eastern bluebird! Only our second bluebird patient ever, this lovely male was brought to us from outside the city. He’s missing all but one tail feather, which may mean a near miss with an outdoor cat.

The bluebird is the state bird of New York, although they’re infrequently seen here in NYC. Our most colorful thrush, they prefer open fields lined with trees, and they nest in cavities, so suburban and agricultural landscapes suit them better.

📷: Phyllis Tseng

05/30/2026

Mom is back on the nest, and all is right with the world for two Brooklyn eyasses and their hard-working dad.

We rehabilitated this female red-tailed hawk, called Avalon, over the past week, treating her for rodenticide poisoning and a serious intestinal infection. We knew she had babies to feed and that dad had taken on the full hunting duties in her absence, so as soon as she was done with her course of medication and passed her flight test, we quickly brought her home.

She took a few laps around the area to get her bearings and stretch her wings, then she quickly returned to the nest, perched somewhat precariously on a high-rise air conditioner.

Dad soon arrived calling and with dinner, and Avalon left the nest to hunt. They’ll be working nonstop to feed these kids for the next 6 weeks or so.

As we watched, Avalon brought a new rat to the nest. It’s a miracle that any young hawks survive to fledge considering the bait boxes everywhere. Don’t use rodenticide! The hawks will help us control the rat population if we can make the city safer for them.

Enormous thanks to everyone who helped with the rescue and release!

🎥: Catherine Quayle, Michelle Talich, with Rachel Frank
📷: Angela Panetta

05/29/2026

Rawr! 🦖

Be afraid! He is 116 grams of fury, feathers and mousicles.

Our first fledgling American kestrel of the season collided with a window during his first few days or hours out of the nest. He's doing well in care, fortunately, and has recently been joined by two other fledglings. Together they plan to take over the world, just as soon as they break out of here. But first they'll have to spend a little time with our friends at The Raptor Trust to finish up their training for the wild.

📷: Tristan Higginbotham

05/28/2026

Rodenticide is horrible for raptors and other wildlife year round, but it’s especially devastating during nesting season, when hawks are hunting much more frequently to feed their growing brood.

This red-tailed hawk had to leave her mate alone to care for their active nest in Brooklyn — at least partially because of rodenticide toxicity. Now named Avalon, she was found drenched and unable to fly during the weekend’s rain (photo 3). Many thanks to her rescuers!

Bruising around the keel indicated internal bleeding caused by the anticoagulant used in most rodenticides. We’ve also been treating her for clostridium, a gastrointestinal bacteria. Fortunately, she’s responded well to treatment, and we hope to release her back to her family, possibly as soon as tomorrow.

Please discourage your building from putting out rat poison. It’s not effective at controlling the rat population, and it causes so much additional harm to our native wildlife.

If you’d like to help us care for hawks like Avalon, we’d greatly appreciate your donation! bit.ly/wbfdonate

📷: Terra Tirapelli, Tzvi Deutsch