Tag: wildlife

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.

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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.

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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. 

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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. 

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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!

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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!

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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... Read More

Wildlife and Wildfires

The wildfires, north and south of Vancouver have, at times, made it hard to breathe and have given us a sense of “unease”. Even though we live in urban settings and the wildfires are hundreds of kilometers away, we still feel the impact of the fires. Wildlfe Rescue provides care to hundreds of birds at this time of year, some displaced by wildfires and many, many injured in window and car impacts.

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Protecting Your Local Wildlife

Every year, approximately five billion pounds of pesticides are used to control pest populations – harming local wildlife on the ground, sea, and sky. Chemical pest control solutions are a common part of our lives – whether it is a golf course, restaurant, or our own home. These different chemicals have a fatal effect on our wildlife – even threatening some wildlife populations. Each chemical may have a different impact on wildlife some fatal, others may bioaccumulate and others may pose no harm.

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Sora waterbird with a Candy-Corn Bill Survives Cat Attack

The Sora is a small waterbird of the family Rallidae, sometimes referred to as the sora rail or sora crake. This small chicken-like bird is chubby with uniquely long toes that help it to tackle floating vegetation when searching for food. Soras are grayish-brown with white-edged feathers, a dark throat patch with vertical white lines, a black mask from the bill to the eye and a white patch under the tail.  The bill is bright yellow which might make you think of Hallowe’en candy corns.

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