Humans to the rescue

Lara Miller,
Natural Resource Agent

When someone or something is in distress, we tend to have an instinctual reaction to help. Often times providing assistance is an extremely beneficial action, but that’s not always the case with nature. During this time of year, many baby birds are exploring the exciting new world around them. A chance to watch eggs hatch, down turn into feathers, closed eyes begin to open and weak bodies begin to build strength is spectacular, but we have to be careful not to get involved.

Baby birds are extremely dependent upon their parents for survival. Birds often appear helpless during the nestling stage of development, unable to walk or fly. Should you come across a young bird that has fallen out of its nest, look for a nest nearby. If you find one, check to see if the baby bird you found matches others in the nest. If it does, gently place the bird back in the nest and leave the area. If you are unable to find a matching nest site or unable to reach a nest, you can make a temporary nest site for the bird. To do this, you can use a hanging pot plant with drain holes and line the pot with pine straw up to the lip, then place as close to the original nest site as possible. Young chicks should not be separated from their parents for a long time, so it is important to complete these processes as quickly as possible.

During the fledgling stage of development, young birds leave the nest, hopping among shrubs and bushes learning to gather food and building up the stamina to fly. At this stage, birds are vulnerable prey to predators including dogs and cats. Should a pet pose a serious threat, you can gently pick up the bird and place it on a high branch of dense vegetation.

If parents do not return to these young birds within an hour or two, it is advised to contact a wildlife rehabilitator. You can find licensed rehabilitators by contacting the local Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at (863) 648-3200. Citizens without federal permits are not legally allowed to care for wildlife. Orphans need around-the-clock care and species-specific housing, nutrition and handling.

In cases like this, humans can come to the rescue if aware of the proper procedures. If you find a baby bird away from its parents, try to get it back to its nest where its parents can care for it appropriately. As much as we would love to care for these small creatures, we are not capable of meeting their needs without appropriate certification.

Want to become a Master Wildlifer?

New Master Wildlifer Program Begins January 29

Landowners, land managers and wildlife enthusiasts can learn how to manage wildlife on their land by participating in the 2013 Master Wildlifer Program.

The award-winning Master Wildlifer Program brings together a panel of renowned wildlife biologists, conservation experts and habitat managers for educational sessions on wildlife ecology and management and will include sessions on white-tailed deer, coyote, wild hog, non-game wildlife conservation and wild turkey.

This series of interactive seminars is delivered live to your computer   every Tuesday evening from January 29 through February 26, 2013, from 7 – 8:30 pm (EST).

Landowners without computer access or broadband internet may be able to view and participate in the 2013 Master Wildlifer Program at live sites available through select county extension offices.

Master Wildlifer is a continuing education program designed to provide the latest research-based information to landowners and managers to help in designing sound approaches to managing wildlife. The cost for the course is $100 and includes access to all five live sessions, recordings of each session, and program materials.

To learn more or to register, visit: http://www.clemson.edu/extension/natural_resources/master_wildlifer/

For more information about live site locations contact your local county extension office at: 727-453-6905 or lmiller@pinellascounty.org 

Oh Deer…

Photo by Tyler Jones

Lara Miller
Natural Resource Agent

Tired of planting trees, shrubs, vines and flowers only to find them damaged by deer just days later? Pinellas County is a very urbanized county where human developments have replaced native deer habitats. This in turn limits the availability of natural food preferred by deer. In cases like this, deer adapt by feeding on gardens around homes. While fencing and chemical repellents are options for reducing damage by deer, a simpler, less expensive and usually more effective alternative is to landscape your yard with plants that deer do not like to eat.

Deer feed upon a variety of vegetation, but are turned away by certain tastes and digestibility. This preference for certain plants can be altered if deer populations increase in an area forcing them to feed on other vegetation they wouldn’t normally consume.

There are many common garden plants in Florida that are least susceptible to damage by deer. For example, many palms, some holly, several ferns, and certain lilies have been identified as deer-resistant plants. The tables of rarely damaged plants found in the link above may be used to guide planting decisions in areas where damage from deer is likely to be problem. Additional information on Pinellas county natural resources can be obtained through attending educational programs offered by University of Florida Extension Agents. For a list of upcoming programs visit the http://pinellas.ifas.ufl.edu/calendar.shtml page.

Frequently asked questions of Pinellas County residents are posted at www.AskExtension.org . Visit this site to see if your question has already been asked or to post a question of your own. Stay up to date with publications from Extension by liking us on Facebook.

Source: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw137