Kawartha Wildlife Centre
470 Robinson Road K0L1T0 Bridgenorth, ON, Canada

We have great information on when and how to help wild animals and birds that may need your help. Please visit our website for tips and a Wildlife Capture Guide. www.kawarthawildlifecentre.ca/wildlife-emergency Be Patient... Wildlife custodians are very busy, especially during the spring and summer. Follow their instructions on how to reach them, leave messages or send emails as requested and give them time to respond. Call around to other Authorized Wildlife Custodians in the area and be willing to arrange transportation for the animal once a rehabilitator has responded. https://learningcompass.learnflex.net//WildlifeRehabilitat Remember that there is no government funding for wildlife rehabilitation in Ontario, and all authorized wildlife custodians are funded entirely by private donations. #KawarthaWildlifeCentre #KeepKawarthaWild #ptboCanada #peterboroughontario #KawarthaLakes #WildlifeRescue #InjuredWildlife #OrphanedWildlife #WildlifeRehab #WildlifeEmergency

The #SnappingTurtles are out, and earlier than ever! Please be careful on the roads, these are precious members of our ecosystems! A big snapping turtle can be close to 100 years old! They only reach reproductive maturity after 20-30 years, so each one you see is a crucial member of this species at risk!... #WildlifeOnRoads #KeepKawarthaWild

Birds that migrate or hunt at night navigate by moonlight and starlight. Artificial light can cause them to wander off course and toward the dangerous nighttime landscapes of cities. Every year millions of birds die colliding with needlessly illuminated buildings and towers. Migratory birds depend on cues from properly timed seasonal schedules. Artificial lights can cause them to migrate too early or too late and miss ideal climate conditions for nesting, foraging and other behaviours. Studies have shown that high pollution is greatest within migratory pathways for nocturnally-migrating birds around the world. #DarkSky #DarkSkiesWeek #BirdFriendlyPeterborough #BFP #Peterborough #Kawarthas #KeepKawarthaWild

And so it begins If you contact KWC about a baby squirrel, it’s a good bet that after making sure the animal is uninjured, we are going to recommend and walk you through the steps on reuniting the baby with its mom. We do this because we know they are not better off with us. They need their moms and growing up in the wild to have the best chance at thriving into adulthood. There are many cases where babies are genuinely orphaned, and must be raised by a qualified wildlife reh...abilitator. When they’re hurt, or taken too far away from their nest by a predator and mom can’t find them. It’s not ideal; it takes a lot of work, long hours, tons of formula and food. They need foster siblings to grow up with, to socialize, to hone instincts. They need safe space to explore, stay wild, and chew! So if you find a baby squirrel, pay close attention to where you found it, look for nests in trees and listen for squirrels; mom may be chattering in distress watching a big human near her baby. Give mom a chance to collect her young! Squirrels are great parents, known to collect displaced babies, and are even known to adopt. So if a nursing female hears the crying baby, she may collect it even if it’s not her own. Contact us and we can help make sure it’s healthy and fit to be reunited, and we will walk you through the process. #BabySquirrel #OrphanedSquirrel #WildlifeRehab #KeepKawarthaWild #GreySquirrel #SquirrelRehab #Peterborough #PeterboroughOntarion #Kawarthas #KawarthaLakes #FoundABabySquirrel

It’s time to talk about rodenticides. It’s always time frankly, because this problem is persistent. When her neighbours told her they were putting poison down to deal the the rats getting into their garbage, Tracey was worried about the chipmunks and other wildlife in her yard. Sure enough, a couple months later and she spotted a lethargic chipmunk in her yard, recognizing what she was seeing immediately; poisoning. Luckily she acted quickly, contacted us right away and rushe...d this one up to the centre immediately. Because of quick intervention this one has a chance (not out of the woods yet though). Sadly, rodenticide and other poisons are persistent in the ecosystem. Primary poisoning of non-target species and secondary poisoning to predators that eat those rodents is a common side effect and risk of using poisons and bait stations. Without eliminating the attraction and points of entry, the problem will never resolve. Consider natural predators like owls and foxes your friends, as they will do 10x the job the pest control company can do and without harming the natural ecosystem. www.birdfriendlypeterborough.ca/post/poisons #KeepKawarthaWild #Rodenticide #SecondaryPoisoning #WildlifeRescue #WildlifeCoexistence #Chipmunk #IntegratedPestManagement #Peterborough #Kawarthas

It’s a beautiful day to treat your windows with Feather Friendly Bird Collision Deterrent Markers ! Birds fly into windows because they cannot detect the invisible barrier, and instead just see the reflection of trees and sky or indoor plants and perching opportunities. Treating the outside surface of windows and reflective glass with a pattern no more than 2 apart has been proven to prevent fatal window collisions.... You can get yours from our webstore and your purchase will support our wildlife patients, many who come in after flying into windows! www.kawarthawildlifecentre.ca/product-page/feather-friendly

When birds hit windows, they may suffer obvious injures like a broken wing. But many injuries may be subtle, or take time to fully present. Traumatic injuries should always be assessed by an Authorized Wildlife Custodian before release! 1. Keep Them Secure: Protect the bird’s feathers by wearing gloves or using a cloth to gently scoop the bird into a paper bag or small ventilated container. 2. Reduce Stimulation: Keep the container in a dark, quiet place, away from noise, chi...ldren and pets. 3. Contact an Authorized Wildlife Custodian immediately! The best chance at recovery and release is when the bird receives treatment within 6 hours! www.kawarthawildlifecentre.ca/wildlife-emergency #MakeWindowsBirdSafe #BirdSafe #FLAP #WindowStrike #InjuredBird #WildlifeRehab #KeepKawarthaWild #Peterborough #Kawarthas #BirdFriendlyPeterborough #BFP

Join us for International Dark Skies Week from April 5-12th. We’ll be sharing information and resources on the problems with light pollution, its effects on wildlife, and steps you can take to help reduce the threat. For billions of years, all life has relied on Earth’s predictable rhythm of day and night. It’s encoded in the DNA of all plants and animals. Humans have radically disrupted this cycle by lighting up the night. Plants and animals depend on Earth’s daily cycle of... light and dark rhythm to govern life-sustaining behaviours such as reproduction, nourishment, sleep and protection from predators. Evidence suggests that artificial light at night has negative and deadly effects on many creatures including amphibians, birds, mammals, insects and plants. https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution/ #DarkSkiesWeek #DarkSky #InternationalDarkSky #LightPollution #MigrationSeason #MigratoryBirds #OntarioBirds #WildlifeCoexistence #BirdFriendlyPeterborough #BFP #BirdFriendlyCities #MakeWindowsBirdSafe #BirdSafe #Peterborough #Kawarthas

A little Easter #SundayFunday from Bird and Moon Comics #HappyEaster #EasterBunny #BirdAndMoon

While we are never happy when a wild animal finds itself in need of help, we sure are happy to offer it when they do. Especially these guys, we do love our Porcupines This little one is only 3.5kg, just a wee one and probably had a tough go if he lost his mum too early in the season. An eye injury tells us he found some trouble, but no breaks or other injuries have presented themselves, so it’s looking good so far. A little treatment with time and support, we should be able ...to get this one returned to wild when he’s feeling better! #Porcupine #WildlifeRehab #KeepKawarthaWild #KawarthaWildlifeCentre #CanadianPorcupine See more

"Amidst the confusion, anxiety, and fear at this time last year, we all took a deep pause. Without distractions, we were able to focus on the important. We found connections by connecting with and within nature." Check out the most recent update to our Wild Blog from the chair of our board.... www.kawarthawildlifecentre.ca/post/natural-connections #KeepKawarthaWild #ConnectWithNature #Lockdown #Peterborough #kawarthas

We got a call today from the Peterborough Regional Health Centre about a hawk trapped on a 4th floor balcony at the hospital. Glenn was very brave and managed to safely secure the bird with a thick blanket and a ventilated box. Cooper’s Hawks are quite tenacious raptors, even a window collision barely subdued this juvenile. After some rest in the oxygen tank it’s already perching better and showing tremendous signs of improvement. Thank you so much to #prhc staff for taking the time to help this bird! We are all so grateful for the work you are doing to keep our community healthy #ptbocanada #ptbokawartha #keepkawarthawild #coopershawk #ontariobirds #birdofprey #featherfriendly

First owl of the year! Barred Owls had a pretty successful breeding season in 2020, so you might be lucky enough to see a few more of them around. This little guy was spotted and scooped up quickly after a road collision. He was quite feisty on intake, but we could tell he was in a lot of pain. He responded tremendously to treatment and was flying the next morning! We’re so happy to help this beautiful raptor get back home to the wild. Thank you Sheila and Derek for stoping to secure the bird and bring him in #keepkawarthawild #barredowl #wildliferehabilitation #ontariobirds #birdofprey #peterborough #thekawarthas

Happy returns! Our bumsitting porcupine was released back home this week! Fully recovered and excited to get back to the wild. Porcupines are one of a few mammals that are active all winter and do not hibernate. They eat the bark and meat of trees, so there’s food available all year long. Thank you to our volunteers, @nationalwildlifecentre and @peterboroughwestah for helping this patient #returntothewild And thank you to the community for your generous support! Without your ...donations, success stories like this just wouldn’t be possible. #keepkawarthawild #porcupinerehab #wildliferehab #ontariowildlife #porcupine See more

As we get closer to spring, you‘ll likely start seeing memes and blogs suggesting that you help birds build their nests by leaving materials like yarn, string, ...human hair, and pet hair outside. Please, please don’t do this! Wild birds don’t need help to find nesting materials. They’re everywhere and birds instinctively know where to look for them! They may become confused and accept yarn and other materials given by humans, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Long strands of yarn, string, or human hair often become wrapped around the legs or wings of birds, causing them to eventually lose circulation or the ability to fly. Hatchlings are especially susceptible to death when they become entangled in these gifts in the nest, and as they grow, the material will become tighter until it amputates a limb. Yikes! Pet hair, yarn, string, and human hair are also full of materials that can be safe for us but toxic for birds, which are much more sensitive. The fragrance in your shampoo, dye in your yarn, and flea products in your pet’s fur are all quite dangerous to birds. The best nesting materials that you can give birds are the ones that are already outside! Leaving twigs, leaves, grass clippings, and native plants in your yard can help to create a natural habitat where birds can thrive. Leave the litter out of your yard and dispose of your waste responsibly.

As the giving season approaches, consider putting KWC on your nice list with a donation from our #wishlist Please remember to #shoplocal from the businesses that have supported our communities this year. Visit our website for a complete and current list of items and services needed at the centre kawarthawilifecentre.ca/wishlist #kawarthawildlifecentre

For those who leave never to return, and those who return but are never the same - We Remember. Thank you for your service. #remembrancedaycanada #lestweforget

A very warm and special thank you to Brealey Drive Animal Clinic! Thanks to their nail trim clinic this fall and their awesome clients, they raised over $700 for the Kawartha Wildlife Centre! It takes a village - we could not help our native wildlife without this kind of community support! For more information and to help support our wildlife patients, please visit www.kawarthawildlifecentre.ca... #keepkawarthawild

We do love porcupines! #funfact it is only the North American Porcupine that produces its own antibiotic! As the only members of the new world genus without prehensile tails, they are the most likely to self-quill falling out of a tree! #thatsathingyouknownow ... #keepkawarthawild See more

Did you know every year in Canada an estimated 25 million birds die from window collisions? With all the other threats facing our native birds, from habitat loss and climate change, to free roaming and stray domestic cats; this is a huge blow to population numbers. Fortunately though, it’s one threat we can help prevent at home! There’s a couple reasons why birds fly into windows, but it all comes down to visibility. Bird eyes are enormously complex compared to human eyes, bu...t they can’t actually detect a clear glass barrier. Either they see a reflection of the natural outside world like trees and a skyline and think it’s safe passage to fly through. Or they may see right through the window to plants or foliage inside and think they can safely land. To break up the reflection into a visible field for our avian friends, the outside surface of the window must be treated with pattern no more than 2 apart. Larger spaces are not as effective as small birds may try to pass through the gaps. Treatments on the inside of the glass wont break up the outside reflection. There are many commercial or creative options available, but one of the easiest and most effective products is Feather Friendly Bird Collision Deterrent Markers. Recommended by Fatal Light Awareness Program Canada and demonstrated effectiveness. You can help protect your neighbourhood birds and support KWC by purchasing Feather Friendly window markers from our gift shop! Online or pickup by appointment! www.kawarthawildlifecentre.ca/product-page/feather-friendly #keepkawarthawild #featherfriendly #birdsafe

Can you guess the bird? At first glance you can probably tell its a black bird, and might think it’s either a raven or a crow. But how can you tell the difference? Ravens are obviously larger but unless you have the two side by side it can be hard to differentiate based on size alone. In flight, crows have rounded blunt tail feathers, where a ravens tail feathers are longer to a pointed v-shape. ... The beak is a great way to distinguish: crows have a more straight shaped upper beak where the ravens is slightly curved. So, can you tell what our patient is? #keepkawarthawild #kawarthawildlifecentre #peterborough #wildliferehabilitation #blackbird

Just another reason to leave the leaves and put off extensive fall clean up! Your wild neighbours will thank you!

Looks like my winter cookie stash!

Porcupines sitting on their bums has to be the cutest thing in the world (in our opinion anyways!) This poor critter was spotted by one of our volunteers on the side of the road; she thought it was dead but went back to be sure! With a contusion on the noggin and a big wound on the chin, this guy wasn’t going to get far without a little help. Porcupines are slow moving animals and rely on their quills to defend themselves. Unfortunately those quills don’t hold much weight up against a vehicle. Animals are on the move, it’s important to be especially mindful of your driving during dusk and dawn when there’s the most movement from our wild neighbours. Slow down and watch for movement in and on the sides of the road. #keepkawarthawild #kawarthawildlifecentre #porcupinerehab #canadianporcupine #wildliferehab

These cooler nights mean our migrating birds are on the move! According to BirdCast, the night of September 14 will likely represent one of the largest migration nights of the year in this region. Those in the northeast should keep a close eye on the nights of September 17-19 as well. It’s especially important to turn lights off during this time to avoid attracting migrating birds into urban areas where they are at great risk of window collisions.

The driver tried to stop, but he clipped this grey squirrel at the last second. Fortunately he did the right thing and safely pulled over immediately, finding she was still alive. He gently scooped her up and kept her comfortable in a well ventilated dark place until morning when he could bring the squirrel in to KWC. She was in rough shape and it was touch and go for the first 24 hours. Because she was brought in so quickly we were able to treat the injuries and swelling aro...und her brain fast enough to prevent residual damage. Her recovery has been nothing short of remarkable. After a shorter stay than anticipated, we were all very happy to send her back home so she can continue caching and preparing for winter. #keepkawarthawild #drivesafeforwildlife #kawarthawildlifecentre #wildliferehab #greysquirrel

Not only do they fertilize your lawn, leaves provide much needed shelter for overwintering and hibernating insects, lizards and amphibians, and provide food sources for hundreds of species through the winter and in the spring. Leave the leaves! #keepkawarthawild #leavetheleaves

Our plant sale this weekend was another amazing success! Thank you so much to everyone who supported our efforts, with plant donations and sales and to our wonderful volunteers planning and running the event. And an especially big thank you to Plant Goals for sponsoring our event with an amazing selection of beautiful houseplants! The support of our local businesses and communities is so appreciated and crucial for us to continue our mission.

Can I keep it? NO! We get a lot of phone calls, especially this time of year, from members of the public who have or intend to raise wild animals on their own at home. Please, Do. Not. Do. This. ... First and foremost is is illegal in Ontario to keep any wild animal in your possession longer than 24 hours without approval from the MNRF. There are good reasons for this, as wild animals can be dangerous, even when immature or not feeling well. Wild animals also host many parasites and diseases that can be spread to both humans and pets. Most importantly, wild animals raised or cared for by untrained members of the public very often have poor outcomes and very little success in the wild after release. If these animals are eventually surrendered to an authorized wildlife custodian, there are usually severe and life threatening health complications from inappropriate foods or feeding techniques. Finders often turn to the internet for advice on what to do when they’ve found a wild animal. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of bad and misinformation available out there. Feeding a wild animal inappropriate food just once can be enough to cause severe complications and even death. Each species has very specific dietary requirements, and when an animal is ill or compromised, feeding can literally be fatal. Even if they are in good physical health, wild animals need to grow up with Conspecifics, (members of the same species), in order to self identify and know who they are. Behavioural development will not be appropriate for a wild bound animal if raised closely by humans; they will habituate or even imprint, which can not be corrected. These animals very rarely make it to release. If you have found a wild animal in distress, the best thing you can do to help it is contact an authorized wildlife custodian and get it into experienced hands as soon as possible. #keepkawarthawild #kawarthawildlifecentre

Can you guess the bird? The finders misidentified this bird as a loon because of the red eyes, but several native Ontario species have red eyes including this Horned Grebe! These small diving birds are hard to spot in the marshes and wetlands where they like to live. They feed mostly on aquatic invertebrates and also enjoy crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish.... This juvenile was found far from the wetlands near downtown Peterborough. It wasn’t able to fly away as they can’t take off from the ground. We suspected a predator like a cat grabbed it and brought it away from the water; a suspicion confirmed at intake by the large wound around its neck. Cats have bacteria in their mouths and claws that is often lethal for wildlife that fall victim to their hunts. We are treating the grebes wounds and a course of antibiotics to prevent infection; hopefully it will recover quickly in time to get out for fall migration. If not, it will have to spend the winter in rehab until its food sources are available again in the spring. One of the best ways we can keep wildlife safe is by keeping cats indoors. For cats who have grown accustomed to free roaming it can be difficult to keep them happy indoors; a Catio space is a great way to offer that outdoor enrichment while keeping both cats and wildlife safe! Catio Spaces is giving away 25 DIY Catio Plans to keep cats safe outdoors and protect birds and wildlife. AND if you mention our organization, Kawartha Wildlife Centre, we have a chance to win a $1000 donation! If you purchase a DIY Catio plan, use our promo code ‘KeepKawarthaWild’ and 10% of your purchase will go towards KWC patient care. Visit catiospaces.com/giveaway for details.

WIN A DIY CATIO PLAN! In honor of National Animal Safety and Protection Month, Catio Spaces is giving away 25 DIY Catio Plans to keep cats safe outdoors and protect birds and wildlife. AND if you mention our organization, Kawartha Wildlife Centre, we have a chance to win a $1000 donation! ENTER TO WIN between October 1-31, 2020. Increase your chances 5X with entry options at https://catiospaces.com/giveaway/

What an unexpected surprise! This little #chimneyswift came to us from Omemee! This threatened species forages on the wing, with 95% of its food consisting of flying insects. They also roost in deep cavities, rock crevasses and chimneys (since European colonists arrived). These powerful flyers spend most of their lives in flight and will migrate all the way across the Gulf of Mexico to their wintering grounds in South America later this year. #keepkawarthawild #kawarthawildlifecentre #ontariobirds #ontariobirding #omeemee #peterborough #kawarthas

Come see us September 5th from 9-5 in the parking lot in front of our centre and you can help us help wildlife in our care. Debit and credit cards will be accepted for contactless payment and donations. Please maintain 2 meters of space from other shoppers and volunteers at all times.... Plant donations for the sale are still accepted, please contact us for drop off details [email protected]

Great information about mange and foxes KWC is not currently authorized by the MNRF to accept or rehabilitate foxes, but you can find centres across Ontario that do at Ontariowildliferescue.ca

This tiny, beautiful bird was brought in after striking a window. Indigo Buntings are a small member of the cardinal family, with a migratory range from Southern Ontario to Florida. They use the stars to navigate and often migrate by night, which makes them incredibly vulnerable to light pollution throwing them off course, and drawing them into populated cities with lots of windows and glass. When birds can’t differentiate a window from a natural scene, they frequently try to... fly right through them. This bird was lucky to have a kind finder bring him in for treatment and care. We can help keep wild birds safer by treating windows on the outside surface to break up the reflection and make them visible to our feathered friends. Special thanks to Cady for sponsoring the care of this bird through our Adopt a Patient fund! Visit www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/kawartha-wildlife-centre for more details!

One of our latest patients is feeling a bit better after a few days in care. This Canada Goose seems to have a pellet lodged in her neck causing neurological impairment and preventing her from walking properly. Without being mobile enough to forage, she was slowly starving to death when a kind finder brought her to our centre. While she is improving and we hope to see a full recovery, she wouldn’t have had to spend any time with us at all had it not been for a careless indivi...dual illegally shooting her. Hunting season for geese doesn’t start until the fall. If you witness or are aware of illegal hunting please notify your local Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) office! #keepkawarthawild #kawarthawildlife #canadagoose #mnrf #peterborough #kawarthas #wildliferehabilitation

Seeing baby birds on the ground can be alarming to us...they look helpless and not where they "should be!". Most of the time this is perfectly normal as they are fully feathered fledglings, and after leaving the nest can spend several days--or even weeks--on the ground with parents carefully looking after them. If you see a baby bird on the ground, always watch from a distance (preferably from indoors if possible) and you will probably see parents feeding and caring for thei...r young. Occasionally though, baby birds fall out of the nest in a storm or accident or are scared out of the nest too early in something called a "force fledge", where the baby is able to flutter enough just to get out of the nest in its fear, but is too young to be on the ground. When this happens, we always recommend that you call us and provide pictures, and we can advise on the next steps. Sometimes after being out the nest even for a short time, they don't want to go back, even if you carefully place them back where they belong. Such was the case of this Eastern Bluebird nestling who was determined to leave the nest, after having an impromptu force fledge early one morning. Katrina Van Osch-Saxon, a Professor of Arboriculture at Fleming College did all the right things, sought advice and placed the nestling back in the nest box with a perforated screen so the baby couldn't come out, but the parents could feed and tend the nestling. After a few days, a successful fledge, parents and baby are often seeing flying together as a family unit. Pictures are of the dutiful Bluebird Parents, Photo credit: Karen Rosborough, Permission to Share: Katrina Van Osch-Saxon Thank you Katrina and everyone else who cares for Ontario's wildlife!

Fewer birds in your backyard? Your landscape choices may be the reason! "researchers found that the only yards able to produce enough chickadees to sustain a stable population were those with a plant composition made up of more than 70 percent of native plants." https://www.pennlive.com//fewer-birds-in-your-backyard-you... Planting native species is not only beautiful but also provides much needed food sources to our native insects and the birds who need them to feed their babies! In our wildlife garden at KWC we have planted daisies, yarrow, goldenrod, switch grass, wild bergamot, ferns, joe pye weed, brown-eyed susan, blue false indigo and Ontario aster; plus lots of milkweed for the monarchs! The best part is the plants are all perennials, so our garden comes back on its own every spring, better than the year before! The dried seeds pods also offer a food source for birds that spend the winter in our area. Offering natural food sources and foraging opportunities means we can feed the birds without bird feeders, or risking the spread of infectious diseases. Many native plant species and their cultivars are available at local nurseries. Cultivars can add great colour and variation to your garden, but some garden centres specialize in local natives only which offer the best and most natural food sources.