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.

Living with Sandhill Cranes

  
Lara Miller, 
Natural Resource Agent
  
Their call cannot be mistaken, a sound of a rattling trumpets from far reaches of the sky. Standing at almost 4 feet tall with long legs and a long neck, they are hard to miss and hard to mistake with any other bird. Sandhill cranes are typically found in small family groups or pairs with numbers increasing during winter as non-resident cranes migrate down from the north. Florida sandhill cranes (a non-migratory subspecies) will stay with the same mate for several years while young cranes only stay with their parents for about 10 months. You are most likely to see a sandhill crane in open pastures and prairies or wetland areas; however, it’s not unusual to find them in more urban areas such as golf courses, airports, etc. Keep in mind if you should see one in an urban setting, it is illegal to feed them per the Florida Fish and Wildlife Code 68A-4.00(3).

As with most laws and regulations, there is reasoning behind them. Florida’s sandhill cranes are a threatened species. The feeding of this bird puts citizens and the species at risk. Cranes that are fed by humans can become aggressive and thus attack causing personal injuries. Furthermore, urban settings are filled with windows, screened porches and shiny cars which may be damaged by these birds searching for food or mistaking their reflection for another bird, causing a territorial response. Their attraction to urban settings also puts them at risk for being struck by cars as they cross neighborhood roads in search of food. Young cranes are particularly at risk from attack by domestic pets such as cats and dogs as well as pesticide poisoning from neighborhood lawns. Human food does not make up part of a sandhill crane’s natural diet (seeds, plant tubers, grains, berries, insects, earthworms, mice, snakes, lizards, frogs, and crayfish) and can thus disrupt their digestive system. The foods which make up a crane’s diet are abundant in the natural environment and thus there is no need for supplemental food from humans.

If you wish to learn more about the Florida sandhill crane and its conservation, plan to attend “Florida Sandhill Crane Conservation”, an educational program on Saturday, January 19th from 10:00-11:00am at Brooker Creek Preserve. Learn about Florida sandhill crane populations, their life cycles, their habitats and special organizations that help the cranes with all aspects of their health including prosthetics. We will cover in detail the many threats to sandhill cranes and important things people can do to protect them in their habitat.

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