Blog - Page 22 of 26 - Corvid Isle

17/10/201723/01/2023

Why Not To Light A Bonfire

It is soon the time of the year again, where social media messages are piling up in your ‘virtual inbox’ advising you to check your garden woodpile for hedgehogs before you start a bonfire. And you certainly should, if you really cannot live without a bonfire to annoy your neighbours, cause an asthma attack and to pollute the environment.

But do you really have to light a bonfire? Most certainly not. Let us start with some basic biology and ethics. It is a wrong and typical speciesist as well as anthropocentric view to focus only on one or a selected few, often popular species, in this case yourself and the hedgehog. If you have built your bonfire woodpile over a longer period time, then you actually have done something wonderful by creating a mini ecosystem with a very rich biodiversity of different species, who benefit from your hard work, and you as the garden owner will too. Frogs and newts need somewhere to spend the winter and a wood pile is just the place. Toads might shelter or even hibernate here as it is safe and damp. Centipedes, ground and rove beetles live happily here and will take care of slugs and their eggs. Fungi are great food for wildlife and will help to recycle rotting wood and make also good food for slugs and snails, which in turn attract hedgehogs and garden birds. You may even find slow worms and endangered stag beetles in your little wood pile world. So checking for one species, whilst ignoring and killing others unnecessarily, is simply short sighted, not justifiable and morally wrong.

The ideal case scenario would obviously be to just leave the woodpile alone. Alternatively, you could compost your garden waste by yourself before it builds up, or if the amounts are to big, then you could bring the waste to a tip, where it will be done for you. And if you have got the unfortunate type of organic waste, which is normally not regarded as compostable, then you can obviously let the council collect these scraps, or you can compost it directly, together with vegetable and fruit scraps, in your kitchen by using the Bokashi composting method. Bokashi composting is a cheap, easy and odourless method of composting that is so quick that all kitchen waste from a large family could be composted in something as small as a 20 litre bin. You need only two tailor-made bins to be used alternately and some Bokashi bran, which contains a carefully controlled mixture of beneficial bacteria, yeasts and fungi, that work together to speed-up composting, suppress pathogens (there are no e-coli in a Bokashi composter), prevent putrefaction and eliminate bad odors. As a side effect, the drained-off liquid can be used to keep your drains fresh and patent, and can also be used to nourish your plants and crops.

So, the answer is definitely NO, you really do not need to light a bonfire, to wipe out a whole mini ecosystem, and to also possibly kill the ever so popular hedgehog, whose numbers are rapidly declining. One should always endeavour to intervene in order to benefit the sentient beings who are living in nature, and not intervening in nature in a way that harms human and non-human animals.

09/10/201723/01/2023

Spinal Trauma Rehabilitation – Magpie Anton’s Story

Admission – 28/06/2016

Anton, an immature magpie, came to us as in June 2016. He has been found hiding in a greenhouse after being injured and unable to fly. At admission we found a subacute fracture of radius and ulna of his left wing. The fracture has been treated conservatively and splinted accordingly. Anton made a full and uneventful recovery, and four weeks later he has been successfully soft released. Anton stayed in the area and has been seen daily returning for some snacks.

Update – 20/08/2016

The last three weeks, after we opened the release aviary, magpie Anton stayed in the closer vicinity and came back almost every day for food and to visit some old friends, in particular magpie Ebony. However, today we have been shocked to find Anton near his release aviary lying on his back and being unable to walk or stand. Although we don’t know what has exactly happened, the admission assessment revealed very quickly that our unlucky magpie fellow Anton suffered a severe impact trauma, which has resulted in a spinal contusion with subsequent partial paralysis of both wing and legs.

Rehabilitation Of Brain And Spinal Trauma Patients

The treatment of corvids in general, but in particular the treatment of spinal injuries in birds can be a controversial topic and is handled inconsistently. Apart from the disappointing species related fact that corvids are often not treated and rehabilitated at all, a spinal trauma or spinal injury with partial or complete paralysis of wings, legs or both, is commonly seen as an acceptable reason for an immediate euthanasia. And even if a rehabilitation attempt is undertaken, often enough these birds are hastily euthanised after only a couple of days without significant improvement. Our own experiences, rehabilitation approach and results are different, focussing on birds without a fracture or on birds with non-displaced spinal fractures only. It has to be noted that displaced spinal fractures usually result in irreversible damage to the spinal cord and a recovery is very unlikely. In these cases euthanasia is probably the kindest option. However, these kind of decisions have to be made on a case by case basis. In all other cases outlined above, a treatment attempt should be considered. If there is no noticeable improvement within a fortnight, chances of recovery are remote. However, as soon as there is a noticeable improvement observed, chances of a full recovery will increase markedly over time. Under these circumstance the rehabilitation process and timeline will be extended and adapted accordingly. The video clip below shows some of the milestones of Anton’s rehabilitation process and recovery including his second successful soft release.

Considerations For The Early Rehabilitation Phase

Magpie Anton is a typical example, which proves that birds with spinal injuries should be given a second chance and that these birds can make a full recovery. At admission Anton was unable to stand or walk at all. He was able to fly short distances, but in a very uncoordinated way, which did suggest a mild coexisting concussion. As in any other rehabilitation situation, the rehabilitation process needs to be frequently adapted according to the degree of neurological deficit and should also take the personality of the individual concerned in account. The treatment usually starts off with a secure and padded hospital box in a quite and dimmed light setting, with the primary goal to keep the bird calm and the blood pressure low, without using any restraints (e.g. bird harness or sling). This is in particular important during the first week, as the risk of a sudden neurological deterioration is highest during the first 24 hours after the trauma. Any bleed or haematoma within spine or brain will lead to a compression of the surrounding structures, also resulting in an additional perifocal swelling or oedema, which usually peaks at 72 hours and persists for about 5 days. These findings might explain a second mortality peak commonly seen at the third day post accident and they also justify the necessity to give any bird with a brain or spine injury enough time and a chance to recover. Based on these facts and our own experiences, it becomes evident that the 14 day rule seems to be a good compromise.

Longterm Rehabilitation Of Brain And Spinal Trauma Patients

For the next phase of the rehabilitation process, a padded play pen or baby cot works very well, which allows the bird to exercise in a safe environment, as the bird is usually not in full control of his or her movements and may be prone to injuries. Not unsurprisingly cleanliness is paramount, primarily to avoid additional damage to and contamination of the plumage, which is at risk to excessive wear and tear in particular in birds, which are unsteady and prone to falls. The added interior of the padded pen has to be chosen carefully, to take again all these facts in account. This also obviously includes water dishes to avoid accidental drowning in unsteady patients. When the bird has regained his or her abilities to control its movements, a transfer into a small safe aviary can be attempted to allow more freedom, entertainment and exercise. However, the progress has to be monitored closely, as frequent adaptations of the aviary setup may be necessary to adapt and optimise the rehabilitation process and to minimise any remaining risks of falls or injury. The final step of the birds recovery will be the transfer into a larger free flight soft release aviary. It goes without saying that these kind of bird patients are not suitable for a hard release at all. Soft release is the only viable option for any young or long-term patient allowing a gradual reintroduction back into the wild.

Top 10 Mistakes Made In Corvid Rescue And Rehabilitation

Update – 02/11/2016

Magpie Anton made a full recovery and has been successfully soft released for the second time. Anton teamed up with previous inmate Ebony, who has been also soft released together with Anton. Both birds stayed close by and are frequently visiting our garden, even a year after their final release. Stay safe Anton and Ebony!

Magpie Anton’s Story

01/10/201702/11/2017

Rook Martha – An Obituary

It is with great sadness that we have to announce that we have lost today our rook Martha, one of our resident birds, foster parents and friend. After a very short illness Martha passed away peacefully in our arms.

Martha, an adult female rook, came into our care in October 2014. She has been found grounded in a garden after having suffered a carpometacarpal fracture of her right wing. The finder took Martha to safety and cared for her over the course of the next three weeks. We have been asked to take over Martha’s care, when it became apparent that she would not be releasable. Although the fracture showed a satisfactory fracture union and alignment, the wing remained slightly drooped rendering Martha unable to fly properly. Additionally, she also developed a joint infection, which needed longterm treatment including physiotherapy. Martha made a good recovery and regained partial use of her wing allowing her to fly short distances.

Martha settled in well into our communal rook aviary, where she helped many young birds to get prepared for their second chance in live, for their release into freedom. We don’t know how old Martha was. We can only assume, based on observed social interactions with wild rooks and within the rook aviary, that she wasn’t the youngest bird anymore, when she came to us three years ago. It was a privilege to get to know her. Martha made a big difference to many birds during the three years she spent with us. Rest in peace Martha!

22/09/2017

Blackbird Herbie

Admission – 15/06/2017

Herbie, a blackbird nestling, came to us as after being caught by a cat. Herbie suffered superficial wounds around his back and right hip. Additionally, we found a sprain injury of his right leg. The routine faecal float test revealed a severe coccidia infection. Herbie has been treated accordingly and settled in very well. It took just a couple of days for Herbie to fledge. He then has been moved from his hospital box into a much larger flexarium, which is a soft fabric indoor aviary, to allow him to exercise his wings and leg without damaging his developing plumage. His superficial wounds healed very well. The mild paralysis of his leg, caused by the sprain injury, did also resolve completely.

Update – 03/07/2017

When it became clear that Herbie was reliably eating by himself, we transferred him from the indoor flexarium into our outdoor release aviary, where he joined blackbird Marcia. Birds which have been in care for more than a few days should be reacclimatised by housing in an outside aviary for a period of time (generally about two weeks) before release. Fledglings also require an oppertunity to exercise to develop sufficient fitness prior to their release. The exposure to the elements will also encourage preening and ensure that the plumage is returned to normal waterproofing, which is important for any bird species.

Update – 22/09/2017

Today blackbird Herbie has been successfully released. Stay safe Herbie!

22/09/201722/09/2017

Blackbird Marcia

Admission – 28/04/2017

Blackbird Marcia came to us three weeks after been rescued by a well meaning person, who found the bird as a nestling being out of the nest on the ground. Unfortunately, a wrong diet has been fed to the bird, which led to a very poor plumage and delayed general development. Marcia suffered also from an untreated coccidia infection worsened by a generally weakened immune system due to lack of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Additional plumage damage has been inflicted by keeping the fledgling bird in a metal cage. Marcia appeared also clearly imprinted, as she has been raised by her own. Luckily, the finder didn’t release Marcia as initially intended, but only because of concerns regarding cats visiting the garden. This was the main reason why Marcia has been brought to us eventually, which saved her live and gave her another chance.

Although Marcia’s plumage might not look too bad at the first glance, one should not forget that most plumage related problems will manifest themselves at a later stage. Feathers and flight are the primary facets of bird rehabilitation, which are sometimes overlooked by inexperienced and even seemingly experienced rescues and rehabbers. Feather condition is as critical during the course of release for birds as is the ability to fly. Any type of damage to the feather structure will impede a bird’s ability to fly, to be waterproof and to thermoregulate. In short, birds with compromised feather condition have a low survival rate following being released. To further compound the problem, the majority of birds have only one annual moult, the first complete one usually occurring in their second year.

Update – 28/05/2017

It took Marcia five months to replace all damaged and prematurely lost feathers. Marcia was unable to fly for many weeks, which would have been her death sentence in the wild. She would have been unable to protect herself from the elements, rendering her unable to maintain her body temperature and unable to forage. Marcia has spent most of the time in our sheltered soft release aviary, where she could exercise and explore freely, but where she also had the chance to find shelter and warmth when needed.

Update – 22/09/2017

Today blackbird Marcia has been successfully released. Stay safe Marcia!