Horned Grebe, Cold Waters

This Horned Grebe, a small migratory water bird, hit a window in our great city and descended to the walkway below. Like Loons, Grebes are meant for diving not for walking on or taking off from dry land. Grounded, he sat waiting for help. A passerby picked him up and phoned our Northerly Island bird hospital.

We treated the Grebe for minor head trauma and returned him back to water once he recovered. Unaffected by the cold waters of Lake Michigan, he flapped happily. We imagine that he was on his way from his summer home in northwestern Canada headed towards his winter home in the southeastern United States.

Thank you, Bob Vogelzang, for taking photos of this release and for giving us permission to use them on our blog!

It's Migration Season Again

The start of fall migration is here and it's time for us to get ready to rescue birds that have hit the buildings in downtown Chicago.

Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation's rescue and recovery teams patrol buildings in Chicago's downtown loop each morning during migration in order to save birds that strike buildings. These birds are transported to Flint Creek Wildlife's nearby Northerly Island location where they receive prompt medical care for their time-sensitive injuries.

Thousands of birds strike glass on Chicago's many buildings during their twice-yearly migration through the city. These stunned birds fall to the ground where they lie unconscious. Without intervention, they are stepped on by unaware pedestrians, eaten by hungry gulls or die a slow death without the benefit of medical treatment. These birds include many beautiful warblers, woodpeckers, thrushes and buntings, among others. Last year, an amazing 90% of birds that arrive for treatment at our Northerly Island facility recover and can be released back to the wild. Timely treatment is important to survival rates and rescue teams ensure that birds can be treated by our trained staff at Northerly Island where they will have their best chance of survival.

Training will be provided. Interested volunteers should complete the volunteer application on our website at www.flintcreekwildlife.org/volunteer.htm.

Thanks for helping us Save Lives.

A Morning with Mayor Daley

We were honored that Mayor Daley spent time at our Northerly Island facility this morning. We appreciate his and his department's ongoing support. Without support from the City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District, we wouldn't be able to save the lives of so many birds in City. Hats off to our talented and dedicated group of volunteers that rescue and recover birds that strike buildings in the City and our amazing triage staff who quickly stabilize the birds, thus enabling us to Save Lives.

Mayor Daley and Dawn Keller discuss Flint Creek Wildlife's
Northerly Island bird hospital. Old Red, an educational
Red-tailed Hawk that resides at our newest location in Itasca,
is pictured in the foreground.



Mayor Daley watches as Dawn Keller feeds an injured
Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

Mayor Daley observes as a fully-rehabilitated Cooper's
Hawk is readied for release back into the wild.

The recovered Cooper's Hawk, which originally was picked
up by Chicago Animal Control and transferred to Flint Creek
Wildlife, just prior to flying off. The Cooper's Hawk flew far
north on the island and, on her maiden flight, caught what was
probably a Red-winged Blackbird.

Mayor Daley dons a gauntlet (glove used in falconry) and

offers Old Red some food as Commissioner Suzanne
Malec-McKenna watches.


Old Red pauses after accepting food from Mayor Daley.

Mayor Daley offers food to our Eastern Screech
Owl, Kotori. Kotori is one of 19 educational birds entrusted
to Flint Creek Wildlife's care. Kotori resides at our Barrington
facility.