What makes me smile is hearing about a successful rescue and subsequent release. So I am going to put a few of those stories in this thread.

One of my favorites is about Munch, a Laysan Albatross which was rehabilitated by IBRRC when it was in its original location in Berkeley, California. Some of you may be familiar with this story.

A Long Way from Home: Munch, the History-making Albatross


Munch, incubating an egg

On March 26, 1979, a Laysan Albatross with clipped feathers, found wandering in San Francisco, was brought to IBRRC. Waiting for the bird to molt and grow new feathers would take too long, so staff had to figure out how to help this bird fly again.

The bird was nick-named “Munch” because he munched everyone’s fingers when he was being fed.

A decision was made to try “imping,” a technique where part of a healthy feather is spliced together with the broken one, creating a “whole” feather. (Falconers originally developed imping.) Feathers from a dead Laysan Albatross sent from Hawaii were used and held together by tiny drill bits and saltwater epoxy glue. After the tedious procedure, Munch went into his private pool and seemed oblivious to his new feathers. On May 21, he was flown to Midway Island, which has the largest colony of Laysan Albatross in the world.

Nine years later a seabird biologist visiting Isla Guadalupe Island off Baja California found a newly established colony of Laysan Albatross. He spotted a fine male, incubating an egg. He noticed he was banded, number 977-35061. It was Munch.

Source: IBRRC

To read the full story, please CLICK HERE

I have seen this procedure performed on a Western Gull at IBRRC. One wing had clipped feathers, so our fella couldn't fly. The substitute feathers we obtained didn't match in color to the gull's own feathers. But the imping was successful, the gull passed his flying test in the aviary, and he was released after he had gained weight and was healthy. I can imagine a bird watcher, spotting him through binoculars, being blown away because he had wings of two different colors!

As you now know, we take a very small blood sample during a bird’s exam.

The blood is collected in two tiny glass test tubes. The tubes are set in a centrifuge to “spin the blood.” When the rotary motion begins, the test tubes swing into a slanted or a horizontal position with the open ends toward the axis of rotation; the heavier, solid part of the blood is thrown outward into the bottom of the tube and the lighter liquid part comes to the top.

After centrifugation, the blood has separated into three layers:

1) a layer of clear fluid (the plasma) at the top
2) a layer of red fluid containing most of the red blood cells (erythrocytes) at the bottom
3) a thin layer in between, the buffy coat (usually less than 1% of the total volume of the blood sample), containing most of the white blood cells and platelets.



The three layers are carefully measured, using precise instruments. The red blood cells should be 40 – 60 %. In order to be released, a bird must have a PCV of at least 40.

A buffy coat higher than 1% indicates an infection and medicine will be prescribed by the veterinarian. The buffy coat is sort of a buff color, hence the name.

We use a refractometer to measure the total plasma protein in the blood sample. The total protein should be between 4 and 6 on the meter.

If the blood protein is low, hetastarch intravenous therapy may be prescribed. This IV helps to pump up the protein in the blood. However, the PCV must be above 25, as the hetastarch IV can thin the blood. Blood with a PCV of 25 is already thin.

Taking a blood sample gives us a great deal of information about our patients. For example, an oiled bird with less than 30 - 35 PCV is not washed until his PCV improves. In his weakened condition, he could not survive the wash.

Spring is the beginning of “starving baby chick” season. Many baby birds fall out of the nest or the nest is destroyed or a parent has not returned. These babies are brought to us by a caring public. Sometimes they bring babies who have not been abandoned. These are usually ducklings which have been spotted wandering alone. The would-be rescuer scoops them up, not realizing that Mother is hiding and her chicks simply did not follow her. The best thing to do is leave the area and give Mother a chance to come out of hiding and gather her brood.


Mother keeps an eye on the photographer

Here is the story of a Least Tern, which was brought to us last year.

He was so tiny! We did a quick exam (no blood test) of his body and put him in an incubator in ICU. We fed him tiny slivers of night smelt. As with our other patients, there was minimal handling and viewing, so he could relax and not become habituated to humans.


Baby Least Tern waiting to be fed

Video: Baby Least Tern Eats His Fish

I film while Ann feeds the little fella. Because there is no mother to comfort him, we put a clean feather duster in the incubator so he could snuggle up. As he grows older, he can feed himself.


He’s the size of a turnip now

Video: Baby Tern Eats Live Minnows

We have a fish tank at the hospital, and there are also a few goldfish. We tried to remove the goldfish from the dish (not being a fish he would normally eat), but he was too fast for us!

He grew very fast and we moved him to a shorebird box. We try to copy his natural habitat when we put birds in aviaries, spas, and shorebird boxes. This box is covered with netting on one side and a sheet on the other. There is a special full-spectrum light over the corner of the box.


Least Tern is almost fully grown

Video: Least Tern Graduates to Shorebird Box

I didn’t know what kind of video clip I would get, as I simply held the tiny Flip Video camera under the sheet. I didn’t want him to see me looking at him.

About a week after I took this video, he was fully feathered and was transferred to a special aviary outside. And two weeks later he was released!

Here's a picture I found of an adult Least Tern and her chick in their natural habitat --


Mother and baby

Here's our baby Pied-billed Grebe. You can see how his legs are located far back on his body. He spends his whole life on the water, where he sleeps, eats, swims, and dives. When he flies, he takes off and lands in the water. Grebes even build their nests on the water.


Baby Pied-billed Grebe in his pool

Video: Baby Pied-billed Grebe is Fed Minnows

The one who is feeding him is our gentle intern, John, who was with us last summer. In the wild, when the babies have finished eating, they will crawl up on their parents' backs and snuggle down in the warm feathers. John offers the baby his hand, so he can crawl out of the water.

Then he returns him to the incubator, where he heads for the feather duster.

There's an excellent article on the web about Pied-billed Grebes. CLICK HERE

Banding birds for release

Each of our released birds is banded with a USFWS band. These bands are different from the ones used for raptors. Raptor bands have rivets to hold them together because the bills of these birds are so strong. They could probably remove a band that was just pressed closed.



Our bands do not have rivets. Last week two Western Grebes were ready for release. This video will show you how we catch them from our pools and band them.

Video: Western Grebes Banded for Release

They are removed from their pool (note the Common Murre, who jumps up on the haul-out!) and brought inside. The hospital band is removed and replaced with a US Fish and Wildlife Service band. Then each Grebe is gently placed in a carrier. They were released in Berkeley's Eastshore Park. They must be set directly into the water, as they can't walk on land.

The woman banding the birds is Marie, our Assistant Wildlife Rehabilitation Manager. She is very gentle and very efficient.

One of the Grebes came in on Christmas day. He was very ill, and seemed to have some problems with balance. We thought he wouldn't survive, but we did our best for him. Surprise! He did very well and his release is a celebration!

beans...These posts are so interesting and educational! It did take me forever to read them but I'm glad I did!! I hope lots of our members come here to read them...they will miss a really good read if they don't!! Thanks!!

i too am thrilled to see you brought many of your stories here to the new forum, Beans. there is a wealth of stories left on the old forum, where one can still go read them. its not practical for her to bring them all here, and am so glad to see some of them show up ...... you are teaching so much to so many by doing this Beans. thank you!!!