Songbirds

If you find a injured bird:

Baby Birds: Do not attempt to raise baby birds yourself. Baby birds can be difficult to properly identify and have very specialized needs.

Small Birds: Catch gently in your hands and place in a small covered, and aerated box with a cloth or tissues. Keep in a warm, quiet place and do not feed or offer water.

Large Birds: Birds that might do damage with beaks or claws can be caught by placing a towel over the animal so it can't bite or scratch. Place your hands firmly over each wing and lower the bird into a box with a cover.

Seabirds:  If you are unable to capture the bird, remain with it to keep dogs and people from scaring it into the water.  Call our Helpline at 681-1080 and a volunteer rescue transporter will help the bird.

Anna's Hummingbird

Band Tailed Pigeons

Most of the 4,000 animals we treat each year are songbirds. While house finches and house sparrows are the most common, we also see about 40 different songbird species per year. Some species rare to Santa Barbara have convalesced at our Care Center including an ovenbird, rose-breasted grosbeak, and black-chinned hummingbird.

While not uncommon, roadrunners, cedar waxwings, flickers, and tanagers are wonderful birds to see up close. But the real thrill is releasing healthy birds who have recovered from flying into a window, injuring a wing, or other maladies.

Our release rate is about 60 percent.

Acorn Woodpecker

Magpie Photo: Gloria Tong