Our final patient count for 2021 is in, and what a year it has been! We had another record year with the admission of a total of 3,068 birds from 116 species. That’s a lot of feathered friends to have flown through our doors, almost 300 more than the previous year! Among the birds we’ve cared for this year, more than 1,640 were young birds that needed to be syringe fed every 15 to 45 minutes.
Over 50% of the birds we admit are brought in after suffering an injury. The two most common causes for injuries we see are cat attacks (8%) and collisions (8%). This translates into almost 500 birds.
Of course, not all birds brought to our Centre are injured or ill. Often, healthy young birds are “rescued” by a well-intentioned individual who thinks the bird is injured or abandoned and does not realize the parents are still caring for the bird. This remains the most common reason young birds are admitted. Between the months of May and September, over 250 nestlings and fledglings were prematurely separated from their parents.
If you are unsure whether a bird is in need of help, please give us a call at 450-458-2809, ext.1, or visit our website.
The past year was busy not only in terms of admissions, but in other ways as well. We have answered over 10,000 calls and emails and helped individuals from over 205 municipalities in Quebec.
All this was made possible thanks to our team of volunteers, who gave over 5,350 hours, and to donations from individuals like you.