How to Safely Rescue Birds

It is always recommended to wear gloves and/or use a towel or blanket when rescuing or handling any wild animal.
Be careful to not wrap the animal too tightly, and do not place the animal in a container still wrapped in a towel or blanket. Overheating is a real danger for rescued birds. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water afterwards.

Rescuers should call WildCare’s Hotline at 415-456-7283 before bringing a rescued bird to WildCare, so we can direct them as to current intake protocols. With HPAI now confirmed in Marin County, our protocols may change. The rescuer should be ready to give us details such as the species of bird, and where the bird was found.

WildCare may not be able to accept birds from outside of Marin County at this time. Rescuers outside of Marin County should call us at 415-456-7283 so we can help them find the best option for their rescued bird.

Anyone with pet birds and/or poultry at home, should not take a wild bird into their home. If you have backyard poultry (chickens, ducks or turkeys), change your clothes before and after rescuing. Your clothing could transfer the virus from your birds to your rescued animal, or from the rescued bird to your poultry. Change your shoes BEFORE you come to WildCare. Please read the section below “how you can help prevent the spread of hpai”

Place the animal in a disposable container like a cardboard box. Make sure the container has air holes already in it. Put a small towel or paper towel on the bottom of the container to prevent slipping. Contact our Living with Wildlife Hotline 415-456-7283 for next steps.

For the health and safety of our Ambassador Animals, if you are directed to bring a bird to our hospital, please be sure to read and follow all signs and only enter through the hospital intake gate. Do not enter the Ambassador Zone.

Questions? Call our Living with Wildlife Hotline 415-456-7283.

How can you help prevent the spread of HPAI?

Be extremely careful if you have domestic chickens, turkeys or ducks. 
To prevent spreading the virus, there must be no contact between domestic birds and wild birds. Ensure that your domestic birds’ food and water are not accessible to wild birds, and keep your flock in a covered coop or run to avoid contamination by wild birds who may fly overhead.

Remove bird feeders and bird baths so as not to draw wild bird into your yard. Have a set of clothes and, most importantly, a change of shoes that you wear ONLY to interact with your birds. Check with your veterinarian for additional information on protecting your birds, and preventing the spread of HPAI.

Please take down bird feeders and bird baths until further notice.
Although many songbirds do not seem to be heavily impacted by HPAI, corvids like crows and ravens, and raptors are.

WildCare is only too aware of the risks of disease transmission (not just HPAI) at locations where birds congregate, including bird feeders. For this reason, WildCare and many of our partner organizations are currently recommending that people please take down bird feeders and bird baths until further notice.

If you find a bird you believe to be infected, please read ‘How to rescue a bird’

Report sick and dead wild birds to the California Department of Fish & Wildlife using their online Mortality Reporting Form here.