Killdeer parents successfully reunited with chicks
Four killdeer and an osprey were among the 119 animals admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida this past week. Other admissions include a black-necked stilt, four Carolina wrens, a little blue heron, a swallow-tailed kite, a Florida red-bellied turtle and two fox squirrels.
The four killdeer were found in Immokalee; the rescuer saw two adult killdeer with the four babies acting in a manner he described as aggressive; a third adult killdeer was also nearby. Physical exams performed on each baby when they arrived at our facility showed no signs of injury; all four killdeer were vocal and active. While unsure of what might have been happening when they were rescued, due to the babies being in good condition, it was decided to try and reunite them with their parents.
Hospital staff contacted Wildlife Hospital Volunteer, Nancy Spahl, to help with the reunion. Nancy is familiar with killdeer nesting habits so her experience proved beneficial at the site. The young killdeer were returned to the area where they were found. Nancy opened the box containing the young killdeer so the adult killdeer could see and hear their babies. If the adults returned, Nancy would let the babies out of the high-sided box. If the parents didn’t return, the babies were safely contained in the box and would be transported back to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital.
As we hoped, an adult killdeer appeared within seconds of Nancy opening the box. The adult was agitated, walking around the box. Nancy quickly extracted all four baby killdeer from the box and watched as they disappeared with their parent behind the grasses growing throughout the lot. Visit the Conservancy’s Facebook page to see a video clip of the killdeer family being reunited.
Hospital staff sincerely appreciated the care the killdeer’s rescuer showed; he believed the youngsters were in danger and stepped in to help. Common sense dictates an animal needs immediate assistance if it is in danger (fire nearby, possible vehicle strike or a domestic pet is poised to attack, etc.).
If you find an animal you feel needs assistance, and the animal isn’t in imminent danger, please call the hospital before taking action. Staff will evaluate the situation and determine the best course of action.
Recent Releases
A striped mud turtle, an eastern screech owl, two mourning doves, three Virginia opossums, four fish crows, three northern mockingbirds, three common grackles, three royal terns, a burrowing owl, five eastern cottontails, a marsh rabbit, a blue jay, an anhinga, a black racer, a gopher tortoise, a Florida softshell turtle, three Carolina wrens and a northern cardinal were released this past week.
Opportunities to Help
There are many ways to get involved and support the Conservancy. Become a member, donate and visit our website at www.conservancy.org. Learn about the Conservancy’s work to protect Southwest Florida’s water, land, wildlife and future.
