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Last weekend tropical storm Beryl came "barreling" into Jacksonville just 4 mph shy of a hurricane, dumping inches of much needed rain and bringing wind gusts up to 73 mph. I had done all my preparations which included taking down all but one of my birdfeeders and woke to only branches littering my yard and the rest of the neighborhood. Whew, as others weren't so lucky and lost power for several days.
By mid-day Monday, it was apparent that we weren't going to get the windy/rainy aftermath that the weather people had predicted and I went out to put everything back in order in the backyard. This included re-hanging all the bird feeders and I noticed that it took no time at all for my birds to "flock" to their feeders. This sort of planted a "seed" in my mind that bounced around for a few days -- what happens to the birds when we have a storm. Then, as sometimes happens, the universe answered when I spotted an article in our paper about the injured birds that were rescued from the storm by BEAKS, Bird Emergency Aid and Kare Sanctuary located on Big Talbot Island.
These baby screech owls and baby night herons are just two examples of "storm babies" rescued by BEAKS co-founder, Cindy Mosling. The sanctuary received over 300 calls about injured birds in our area after the storm.
"What makes it really bad is this storm came early in the season when a lot of birds are hatching or getting ready to fledge," she said.
The rescued birds now in BEAKS' care range from newly hatched songbirds to red-shoulder and red-tail hawks, which she thinks were injured when high winds blew them into the paths of oncoming cars.
"You have to feed the little ones every 15 or 20 minutes, so you just can't leave them," Mosling said of the avian refugees filling her SUV.
Mosling advised people who find an abandoned baby bird to pick it up and place it in a makeshift nest that that can be fashioned from an old Easter basket. It should then be hung on a tree where it will be sheltered from the sun. People can also drip a little bit of sugar water solution onto the baby's beak. It's also important to keep injured birds warm and safe while they recover.
I did some further research and found "How Birds Stay Safe During Hurricanes" to be very informative and interesting. It seems that our feathered friends are naturally sensitive to changes in the air pressure which allows them to take shelter. A sharp drop in the barometric pressure tells them that a big storm is on the way.
When birds detect an approaching storm, especially in the fall when they don't have a nest or babies to protect, they can high-tail it out of the storm’s path. Strong-flying birds fly ahead of the storm, carried by the winds at the forefront of the system. Other birds don't go too far, finding any sort of shelter out of the wind, hail and rain.
Bird's toes automatically tighten around a branch when they land and perch. This holds them in place easily while they sleep and during high winds. There is never a need to "hold on tighter" -- in fact the bird must make quite an effort to unclench their toes in order to take off.
Some birds, such as woodpeckers, ride out the storms inside cavity nests. Songbirds either fly out of the path of danger or ride out the storm on sheltered branches. Shorebirds leave the beaches and move inland.
If picked up by a hurricane, a bird can be carried long distances. These displaced birds are known as "Hurricane Birds".
Birds living in hurricane areas also suffer when their food supplies, such as fruits and berries, are stripped from trees and shrubs. What can we do to help them? Feed them high protein foods, such as suet, to re-build their strength.
A last word about B.E.A.K.S. -- From their
Facebook page:
This local non-profit organization has been raising and caring for thousands of injured wild birds, including eagles, pelicans, owls and ospreys, for more than 25 years. B.E.A.K.S. (Bird Emergency Aid and Kare Sanctuary) on Big Talbot Island in the northeastern part of the city is a unique center that takes injured birds from around the area and nurses them back to health. B.E.A.K.S. gives the public the opportunity to see wild birds like pelicans, eagles, owls and others up close, learn of the dangers these creatures face, and witness the great care that is taken to nurse them back to health. The center also offers educational programs. Admission is free, but voluntary donations are accepted. Call for an appointment for a guided tour.
12084 Houston Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32226
904-251-2473