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Winter is Flush with Thrushes

Thrushes, including the Varied Thrush and the Hermit Thrush, are birds we see often at Wildlife Rescue. They face growing challenges and obstacles navigating in their natural habitat due to human and natural disturbances.

Maintaining Your Hummingbird Feeder

Hummingbird feeders are a great way to observe these beautiful birds while providing them a source of energy! Feeders can be especially important to Anna’s Hummingbird, a species that stays throughout the year, and to other species that may be delayed in their migration. While it may seem like a simple thing, hummingbird feeders require more attention than just filling them with sugar water.

Preparing for Hooting Season!

We tend to associate the Fall months with full moons, falling leaves, and owls. Why owls? It is this time of year when you are most likely to spot an owl as it is nesting season for several species of owls! The owl you are most likely to see during this time is the Great Horned Owl.
Great Horned Owls live throughout North America year-round. They are larger than other North American owls (up to 2 feet in height), and so other owl species will not risk nesting near them.

Wildlife Seek Warmth During Cold Snaps

Unfortunately, extreme weather conditions are becoming more and more common. This intensification of weather is adding stress to wildlife species and their habitats. Animals, just like people, tend to choose areas where they prefer the climate. Yet, these climates are rapidly changing leading to loss of habitat and natural food sources.

Happy Batty Halloween

While there are approximately 1,300 different bat species around the world, there are only approximately 19 different species across Canada. British Columbia alone holds 16 of those species, making it the most diverse province in Canada! These 16 different species are all different and incredibly important to our diverse ecosystems. Wildlife Rescue provides care to many of these bats including the Silver-Haired Bat, Little Brown Bat, Yuma Bat, Hoary and Big Brown Bat.

Help Grounded Seabirds

As we roll into the fall and crisp leaves fall to the ground, birds take to the skies. This time of year, adults and their young begin their journey south in search of warmer climates.

Migration can be like an obstacle course for these feathered travelers. They can be thrown off their route by city lights of buildings and towers and crash into windows. These challenges cause exhaustion and starvation among stranded wildlife.

Birds that Winter in Canada

Every year, 3.5 billion birds fly South for the winter after spending the summer up North. While these birds are strong for enduring such a long trip, the birds that stay in Canada are even stronger, braving storms, snow and freezing temperatures!

Winter brings a shortage of natural water and food supply and limited shelter to stay warm and safe from predators. Here is a look at some of the birds that winter in Canada!

Birds of the Pacific Flyaway

Many birds—from the largest waterfowl to the tiniest songbird—migrate. These annual journeys are incredible marathons, spanning thousands of miles and taking birds across countries and continents. As you may expect, migration can be a dangerous endeavor for birds. Food scarcity, disorienting city lights, and habitat loss can affect the migratory success of birds. Read more to learn about how birds migrate and what visitors you may see this winter in Metro Vancouver as birds stopover!

Tips to Protect Local Biodiversity on World Habitat Day

Today is World Habitat Day, started by the United Nations in 1985 to reflect on the state of our towns and cities, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter.

Balancing wildlife’s needs for habitat and human’s right to adequate shelter can be a delicate one. This year’s theme, Housing For All: A Better Urban Future, reflects this balance, as we must consider environmental factors while creating housing for all.

Preparing Your Yard for Fall Friends

Your yard provides a rich resource of food and shelter to wildlife all year round. In the fall it can be more so as food and a safe place to live become harder to find. While you might want to tidy up your yard before the winter months, here are a few reasons why it is good to hold off.

If you leave your plants to go to seed, you will be providing a food source for wintering birds. If you leave the plants after they go to seed, the old plant stems can provide shelter to a variety of wintering insects including bees. The dead stalks can be used as building materials for birds building their nests in the spring.
If you leave your lawn long, you provide shelter for wintering insects which in turn will feed newly hatched birds in the spring.
If you leave a few little leaf piles, these can provide a safe place for animals like frogs to hibernate. Rock piles can provide this as well, especially near water.
If you have brush piles, they can provide protection for small mammals such as marmots, chipmunks and hares.
If you have a pond that ices over in the winter, keep a hole in the ice so animals are able to access the water. You can make a hole in the ice without cracking it by placing a container of hot water on the ice to melt it. This method ensures that the animals can access the water without the danger of them falling through the ice.

Your yard is a precious resource for so many species of wildlife, thank you for taking care of it.

If you see a bird that has exposed bone or blood, bugs or insects covering it, no feathers, or a bird that is sleeping, human intervention is required. Please contact our Support Centre for assistance.

If you would like to help with the many efforts of the Wildlife Rescue Association, please click here to learn more.

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