Suburban Wildlife

This area on our website is dedicated to Kess, Kitt and Hooter our first experience with local baby birds of prey. Kess and Kitt are male and female American Kestrels  and Hooter is a Burrowing Owl. They touched our lives and opened our eyes to this important issue as our suburban sprawl encroaches on our wild neighbors. Kess was almost my road kill one evening on my way home from the shop. Very thin and dehydrated, it appeared clear that he was in need of intervention. Calling on an acquaintance that was a permitted falcon breeder and rehabilitator, I confirmed my plan of action for this young bird. We bought crickets and pinky mice from our local reptile shop and began to feed this young bird. He swallowed the crickets and pinky mice whole. The next step was to teach him to eat larger mice which could not be swallowed whole. The act of killing and tearing is natural but must still be mastered. Pinky rats were the answer, no fur to get in the way and too large to swallow whole. Success, Kess had mastered the kill and tear. Next we introduce the fuzzies and hoppers. Then the full grown mice. Crickets are fed for variety as well. Kess was also mastering the skill of flight. Our home is two stories and a good portion of the house is vaulted to the ceilings on the second floor. High places to perch and lots of room to fly.  Time to teach the hunt. For this we used a large clear plastic bin. With bedding in the bottom and food and water for the prey, we placed the mice and crickets in the bin. When feeding time came we placed Kess on a perch over the bin and waited and watched. It did not take long and Kess was in for the Kill and meal. Kess is almost ready to hit the road. With plans in the works for the big day we were approached by someone who had found Kitt in their garage in the jaws of their cat. After being told that the local group that typically takes these animals could not take it, we took Kitt in and tended to her minor wounds and severe fear. She soon settled in and learned from Kess the many things she needed to survive in her new environment. we are guessing that Kitt is at least 3 weeks in age behind Kess and since she is learning so well from him and still very fearful of us and everything else we would wait until they were both ready and release them together. 6-16-2004, Kess and Kitt were released into our back yard. Living on the edge of open space and knowing that they were found close by, we felt it would be the best place for them to start out. Mean while, we were approached with a fledging Hooter. Hooter was also terrified after being saved from a cat. Hooter was not clear to be an owl as he had only pin feathers on his wings and a whole lot of fuzzy down. With some research it was soon clear that Hooter was indeed the infamous Burrowing Owl. Hooter is progressing well and we hope to release him very soon as well.

8-3-04 Update: Hooter has been released and appears to be doing well. Last week I was driving a local back road, when I came across a male Kestrel sitting on a fence post, so I slowed down and stopped. Just in case, I had the window down and spoke to the bird... Hey Kess how are you doing? to my delight, he bobbed his head in the usual manner as if to acknowledge me... I smiled and drove off.... It appears Kess is doing well and maybe I will get to see him again soon.

This time of year many folks encounter a wild bird that they are concerned may be at risk or in peril and being the bird loving people we are we want to save them all. Unfortunately, often times, the bird is not at risk or in peril at all except for our interference with the natural process that has existed as long as birds have existed. Below I have provided some information to help determine whether a bird needs your help or not. The majority of this info comes from the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek Ca. and is provided as a guideline by them.

Very Young (Nestling) Bird On Ground

Locate the nest which should be nearby. If it is not injured, gently pick up the baby and place it in the nest. Make sure the other babies in the nest look like the one you are replacing. Watch the nest from a distance to confirm that the parent bird returns to the nest. This could take several hours. Don't worry about your scent on the bird; the mother will not reject the baby. A pre-fledgling on the ground can be put into a large box that is put in a tree or bush to keep the baby off the ground for a little while. Make sure the box is large enough so the parent will not be afraid to fly into it and the sides high enough so the pre-fledgling won’t hop right out. If you cannot find the nest or cannot reach it, keep the baby warm and bring it to the museum as quickly as possible. Do not attempt to feed it anything. If a nestling bird is injured, keep it warm and bring it to the museum.

Young (Fledgling) Bird on Ground

Has feathers but does not fly well, if at all, mostly hops and can jump to low branches. This period of being on the ground is a normal and necessary part of a bird developing the ability to fly. Keep your cats and dogs indoors while the fledgling is learning to fly. Watch from a distance to make sure its parents are feeding it. If you don't see the parents after watching for several hours or the bird has been caught by a cat or otherwise injured, intervention may be required.

Do not automatically pick up a fledgling bird. It probably doesn’t need your help. The parents are attentive and will not abandon their offspring. It is important that young birds are raised by their parents.

Only if the bird is in imminent danger from cats or dogs should it be picked up and rescued.

If you find one fledgling, you may see more. Talk to your neighbors about keeping pets indoors, especially in the morning and late afternoon.

Guidelines for Determining if Bird is Orphaned or Should be rescued.

If the bird was fed by humans, it should be rescued.

It is difficult to determine if a nestling bird has been abandoned. You must watch for several hours without looking away. The parents may visit and leave quickly and you may miss it if you look away.

If it is a fledgling, watch for the parents. Parents may stay away for a long period when the fledglings are older.

Many birds are raised by both parents; if one is killed, the other will continue to feed the young.

Nest on Ground

If you find a nest on the ground, tie it back into a nearby tree. The nest can be placed in a little box or margarine tub (with drainage holes) to make it easier to secure it. Don't use a berry basket because legs may get caught in the mesh. Watch from a distance to make sure a parent returns to the nest.

Nest in Inappropriate Place

If possible, allow the babies to mature until they can fly, then remove the nest. If there are babies in the nest, the nest can be moved a short distance and the parents will most likely continue to care for their young. Most birds and their nests are federally protected and should be left alone until the babies have left the nest.

If no eggs have been layed in the nest, remove all nesting materials as they are put in place. Screen the area where the nest is being built to prevent further nesting.

Bird Caught by Cat

Place the bird in a small container such as a paper grocery bag or small box lined with an absorbent towel. Do not feed it or give it water. Do not attempt to treat its wounds.

Bird Stalked by Dog or Cat

Keep pets indoors until the bird is old enough to fly or has left the yard. 

A fledgling may be placed in a large open box that the parents can enter to feed, but with sides high enough to prevent the fledgling from hopping out. Place the box in a bush or tree so it is off the ground.

Bird Hitting Window Repeatedly

During mating and nesting season, birds defend their territory against their own reflection, thinking that the reflection is a competitor. Birds do not usually injure themselves with this behavior, but it can be a nuisance to the resident of the home. This will last until the bird has secured its territory. Cover the window on the outside to take away the reflection. Do not use reflective film on windows.

A temporary method of breaking up the reflection on a window: Fill a spray bottle or plant mister with soapy or salty water, and spray the outside of the window. The water will leave a film as it dries that will no longer reflect. You can still see out (although it does look like you need to wash your window) and light still comes through. If it rains before the territorial behavior has ended, you'll have to reapply the soapy/salty water, but its a quick, cheap, and harmless solution.

Bird Hit Window

If this happens more than once, the birds are either seeing through the window or seeing the reflection of trees and sky. If they are seeing a reflection, cover the window on the outside or hang ribbons or streamers on the outside. If they are seeing through the window to trees on the other side of the house, close the curtains.

Birds Diving at People or Pets

Usually blackbirds or mockingbirds defending their territory when there is a nest in the area. They see you and your pet as predators and they want to protect their family. These birds rarely make contact or cause injury. If you know where the nest is and no eggs have been layed yet, you can remove the nest; hopefully the birds will renest somewhere else. If there are eggs or babies in the nest, it should be left alone. Use another entrance to your house if possible and keep your pets indoors.

Wear a hat or carry an umbrella when approaching nest.

Birds Flying at People or Pets

Usually blackbirds or mockingbirds defending their territory when they have a nest in the area. They see you or your pet as a predator and want to protect their family. These birds rarely make contact

Birds Acting "Drunk"

Birds that look drunk, stagger and fly low with difficulty are not drunk. They gorge on berries, overeat and become too heavy to fly gracefully. The berries are not fermented.

Ducks in Pool

Cover the pool to prevent the problem. If pool cannot be covered, float an inflatable swan (a natural enemy of ducks) in the pool. String reflective mylar strips above the pool so the ducks won't be able to land. (Pool covers will save energy (electricity) and water.)

Do not put food out for them; that will make them stay. Look for a nest in nearby bushes, ivy or other groundcover. Remove the eggs and nest material so you won't end up with ducklings in pool.

Ducklings in Pool

Provide a ramp for them to leave the water. Keeping the mother and babies together, encourage them to leave by shooing them out. Leave a gate open. Do not attempt to pick up the ducklings for relocation – mom will fly away, often abandoning her young. Do not put food out for them – that will make them stay.

Duck Family in Bad Location

Duck families in parking lots or in the street should be left alone; at most provide crossing-guard service, stopping traffic so they can cross the street. The mother had her babies away from water and is attempting to lead them to water. Do not attempt to pick up the ducklings for relocation–mom will fly away, often abandoning her young.

If the duck family is on the freeway, call California Highway Patrol.

If the ducklings are in an enclosed backyard, escort the family out of the yard. If you must pick up the ducklings, put them in an open box and take them to the front yard. Don’t go through the house; make sure the mother can see her babies the entire time. Don’t attempt to capture the mother.

Hummingbird Nestlings Abandoned

The mother will feed often, but it will only take a few seconds each time. It is easy to miss seeing her. Make sure you watch the nest without looking away for about an hour. Only if there is truly no mother coming to the nest should the babies be brought to the museum. If, when you look at the nest, the babies are hunkered down in the nest and are silent, they are being cared for by their mother and do not need help.

Jays Attacking Other Birds and Nestlings

Jays attack other birds’ nests when they have young of their own because their babies require a high protein diet; eggs and baby birds provide that.

For cavity nesting birds, provide a nest box with a small hole that a jay cannot enter.

For open nesters such as mourning doves, robins and mockingbirds, there is no way to protect them.

Mockingbird Singing at Night

Male mockingbirds sing at night while they are trying to establish their territory and attract a mate. There is nothing that can be done to make him stop. Keep doors and windows closed to lessen the noise. Wear earplugs.

Pigeons Roosting on House

These are domestic (non-native) pigeons. Use screen or wire to exclude the pigeons from their roost or nest sites. On beams, use crumpled chicken wire or Nixalite® "needle wire" to prevent them from roosting.If pigeons are nesting, remove all nesting materials and destroy eggs. Nonnative pigeons are feral domestic animals.

Pigeons with Bands

There are 200 breeds of pigeons. Some fly well and some don’t. Check the band for the owner's name, phone and/or address. If a banded bird is marked with NPA, it can sometimes be tracked to the owner. If the bird has a band with other letters, it may be privately banded or belong to someone who has banded with a specialty club band. Your local feed store often knows many of the pigeon breeders close to you and can often refer you to one of them. Many banded birds cannot be tracked.

In North America homing pigeons usually wear bands with a combination of the year plus one or more of these initials:

AU, American Racing Pigeon Union

CU or CRPU, Canadian Racing Pigeon Union Inc.

IF, International Federations of American Homing Pigeon Fanciers, Incorporated

NPA, National Pigeon Association

NBRC, National Birmingham Roller Club

Peacock in Backyard

Probably escaped pet. Place flyers in neighborhood or an ad in the paper.

If you can contain it in an enclosed area, call Animal Services.

Do not feed peacocks; if you do, they will not leave.

Pheasant in Backyard

They are feeding on insects, small vertebrates, seed, grain and fruit. They roost in trees or on the ground.

Swallows Nesting On House

If you don't want the swallows to nest on the house, daily hose down the nests as they are being built. Do not allow the nest to be completed. Place smooth plastic such as polyethylene or acrylic over the area to keep the nest material from sticking.

Once the nest is completed and occupied, it should be left alone until the babies have flown away. Swallows are beneficial, eating thousands of insects every day. Swallows are a federally protected species and it is illegal to harm the birds or their nests as soon as there are eggs in the nest.

Turkey in Backyard

They roost in trees and feed on seeds, nuts, acorns, plants and insects.

Woodpeckers Pecking on House

Woodpeckers are looking for food, making holes to store food (acorn woodpeckers), or making nest cavities when they are pecking on houses.

Food holes are quite small; make sure there are no insects living in the siding.

Nest holes can be several inches wide. Provide a nest box near the nest hole under construction so the woodpecker doesn't have to continue pecking on the house.

Place sheet metal or heavy slippery plastic over the area being pecked. Hang a mylar balloon such as "Terror-eyes" made by Bird-X (800 662-5021) near the area.