Baby birds admitted after nest tree cut down

By Joanna Fitzgerald | Director of the von Arx Wildlife Hospital

Four common grackles were among the seventy-three animals admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida this past week. Other admissions include a gopher tortoise, a yellow rumped warbler, a great crested flycatcher and an eastern harvest mouse.

A landscape company worker called the von Arx Wildlife Hospital after cutting down a tree containing a nest of common grackles. The landscaper was very vague about the situation involving the nestling grackles when she called for information. Once at the hospital, the conversation continued to be slightly difficult since she was unwilling to give the exact location where the nestlings were found. Hospital staff thanked her for her help and focused on getting the babies admitted.

Physical exams showed one grackle was injured when the tree was cut down. The other three babies were vocal, responsive, alert and overall looked to be in good condition. Staff administered arnica tincture and electrolytes and settled the nestlings in a warmed animal intensive care unit to rest. Hospital staff were eager to attempt to renest the three healthy babies.

Several text messages, including detailed information of our perspective of the situation, finally resulted in the landscaper providing the exact location where the grackles were found. Details also revealed the tree had been down the previous day and the landscaper had kept the nesltlings overnight attempting to care for them herself.

Timing plays a critical factor as to whether a renesting will be successful. Although we were concerned the babies had been separated from their parents for almost a full twenty four hours, we still felt it was worth investigating.

Hospital staff arrived at the location and saw several adult grackles in the area. The yard had been cleared with only a few palm trees left standing. The babies were placed on a hedge to see if any of the adult birds would show signs they recognized their babies. Within seconds an adult grackle flew closer to the hedge and started vocalizing, showing her agitation with us being near the babies. Hospital staff stepped away to see what would happen.

The mother grackle flew close to the nest and then flew away. She returned a few minutes later with an insect in her mouth and appeared to want to feed her babies but was hesitant about landing on the hedge. At this point staff felt it was worth renesting. One of the palms looked like it would hold the nest and provide protection for the babies from the elements so staff secured a basket (to hold the real nest) to the tree. The entire time this was happening the babies were monitored. Both parents had returned and it was very clear they wanted to care for their babies — they kept flying back with food in their beaks but would only get within a few feet of the babies.

Once the nest was secured in the palm tree staff watched from a safe distance. After several minutes one adult flew to the palm tree and landed within a couple inches of the nest and then flew off. The bird flew in a couple more times and even fed one of the babies. All of this activity left us confident that the parents would continue to care for their babies. We left instructions with the homeowner to call if there was any problems and we assured them we would check on the nest after work.

Hospital staff returned several hours later to evaluate how the renesting was going. The adults flew into the nest three more times and the babies were vocalizing — everything seemed good. A third check on the nest the following morning seemed hopeful. The babies could be seen moving in the nest and adults were seen flying to the nest. One concern was that the babies were very, very vocal — maybe too vocal, possibly they were hungry. While monitoring the nest, a full hour passed with no parent returning to the nest.

Staff left and returned three hours later. This time the nest basket was slightly askew which caused concerned. We retrieved the babies and although they were vocal, alert and in good condition, one of the three nestlings was no longer in the nest. After searching the yard, the third baby was located on the ground several yards away from the nest tree. Staff returned with the babies to the hospital. While the renesting wasn’t a success, hospital staff was confident everything was done to give the babies a chance to grow up in the wild with their parents.

The grackles continue to recover in the nursery at the von Arx Wildlife Hospital. Since they are so young they are being fed every hour from dawn until dusk.

These grackles weren’t the only babies displaced by landscaping and tree trimming activities this week. Several mourning doves, eastern cottontails and squirrels had their nests destroyed as well.

Please keep in mind it is breeding and nesting season. Blue jays, mockingbirds, cardinals and many species of small mammals are actively nesting and raising their young. Please make sure you check, or ask your landscaper to check, trees, yards and flower beds before trimming and clearing. If there is an active nest, avoid trimming until the babies have left and no longer need the nest for protection. Staff at the wildlife hospital has extensive knowledge about the nesting habits of native wildlife. Call before taking any action, or if you encounter and active nest, so we can ensure the safety of the animals and keep wild animal family units intact.

Recent Releases

2 eastern cottontails, a diamondback terrapin and a chuck-will’s-widow were released this past week.

Opportunities to Help

Please visit the Conservancy website at www.conservancy.org to view all of the amazing volunteer opportunities at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Your volunteer time, memberships and donations are vital in helping us continue our work to protect Southwest Florida’s water, land, wildlife and future.

Joanna Fitzgerald is director of the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Call 239–262–2273 or see conservancy.org.