The Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. has treated more than 680 songbirds since August, the most animal hospital staff have ever seen in one year.
Sam Smith, marketing and communications coordinator at the Burnaby-based facility, said last year, 399 birds were taken in, and 491 the year before. Normally, numbers only increase by 40 or 50.
“It’s a huge jump,” he said. “It’s put a strain on us. It’s pushing us to the limit.”
Smith pointed to this summer’s wildfire season in the B.C. Interior as to why there’s been such a spike. Many songbirds normally migrate through the Interior or go through Alberta, but lots of those routes became uninhabitable with the smoke, he said.
“That’s created this space now where these birds are coming out west and they’re encountering a lot more windows than they’re used to; they’re striking them, getting hurt and coming to our hospital.”
Smith gave the example of the white-winged crossbill – a redheaded finch with white spotting on its back and wings – that came through Wildlife Rescue’s doors recently. The last time staff treated that species was in 2007.
“(The crossbill) is not found in the Lower Mainland or on the West Coast,” he said.
It’s been “tricky” maneuvering bird intakes, noted Smith, because the main hospital building is still out of commission. (The association is in the midst of bringing in a modular unit to replace the old hospital, which was found last winter to have water damage, wood rot and a rat infestation.)
“We’ve retrofitted all of the buildings around the main hospital buildings to act as satellite version of the hospital,” he said.
Monetary donations are always welcome, Smith added, as well as any kind of cloths, towels, AA batteries and cardboard boxes.
“If people have heating pads if they wanted to give, that would also be fantastic.”
To donate, call 604-526-2747, visit wildliferescue.ca or stop by in person, at 5216 Glencarin Dr.
To help birds avoid striking windows, put up decals on windows, move plants, feeders and bird baths away from the house, close blinds when not at home, and keep cats indoors.
