Monthly Archives: May 2018
Woodpecker
Beautiful female Pileated Woodpecker was brought to the center today from the New River Valley after being found injured on the ground. This species is known as a “keystone species” meaning that it helps support the ecosystem around it and removing it could cause major disruptions through the environment. This woodpecker is often seen creating cavities in trees while looking for food, thus creating new nesting cavities for a wide range of species including but not limited to screech-owls, flying squirrels, and bluebirds. Without woodpeckers like this one few new cavities would be created and the population of all the species that depend on it would suffer. She fortunately has a good prognosis and should return to the wild after a little rest and recovery.
American Beaver
Patient 215-2018, an American Beaver who was found after major flooding in Rockbridge, is feeling right at home in the water! She is at the age where she is starting to swim and even dive underwater, relying on her instincts to do what is natural. The genus name for this species, Castor, is also the name of one of the mythological Greek twins that compose the constellation Gemini.
Fox kits
Two young red fox kits were brought to us after being orphaned. Red foxes are the largest species of fox in the world and are native on every continent except for South America, Australia, and Antarctica! The word “fox” is thought to come from a word meaning “bushy tail” in a Proto-Indo-European language spoken over 4500 years ago. These orphans were very hungry but seem healthy and should have a smooth rehabilitation process if all goes well.
Grosbeaks
Today we admitted not one, but two beautiful Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, both of whom hit windows. Currently migratory birds like one are traveling through this area by the billions to their breeding grounds! Sadly, over 100 million birds die every year as a result of window collisions but thankfully there are many simple things you can do to help them. Since most songbirds migrate at night, keeping your outside lights off and your window shades drawn at night through the rest of May will help reduce the number of nighttime collisions—human lighting disorients them and they often strike objects as a result. You can read more about bird-proofing your windows at American Bird Conservancy’s link abcbirds.org/program/glass-collisions/ and about the problem of nighttime lighting for birds at National Audubon Society’s link www.audubon.org/conservation/project/lights-out We hope both grosbeaks will recover quickly so they can continue their journey north.
Gosling
Canada Goose gosling was brought into the center earlier last week after being orphaned. If this goose is lucky, he could live to be at least 33 years old in the wild! Canada Geese range greatly in size but they tend to choose mates that are similar in size to themselves. In this picture, he is posing, getting out of the water, after monitored bath time.