News
For the birds: Wildlife groups fight to save injured birds in Willcox
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| This injured Brown Pelican, stranded last month near Twin Lakes Golf Course, was rescued through Liberty Wildlife and eventually flown to Sea World in San Diego for rehabilitation. (By Robert Shantz/Courtesy Wings Over Willcox) |
By Carol Broeder/Arizona Range News
There's not much sadder than a pelican in the desert...
At a time when many birds are wintering in Willcox, there may be an unfortunate few who are stranded here.
But with the help of some individuals and organizations who care, even a sad story can have a happy ending.
In mid-December, an injured adult Brown Pelican was spotted at Twin Lakes Golf Course, southeast of town.
Homer Hansen, chairman of the upcoming Wings Over Willcox event, said that birders got on the phone and helped rescue it.
"The bird was found to not have any palpable broken bones, but does have 'looseness' in its shoulder," said long-time volunteer Anne Peyton with Liberty Wildlife in Scottsdale.
Wings Over Willcox attendees may recognize Peyton as part of the group that brings some of its birds to the Willcox Community Center.
Peyton is the cover artist for the T-shirts and brochures at this year's event, Hansen told the Range News.
Upon its arrival at Liberty Wildlife, the injured pelican was taken "to a close-by facility to get X-rays, but because of the size of the bird, nothing more could be determined at that time," Peyton said.
The injured bird flew to San Diego -- on a plane out of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, that is -- for further assessment and continued rehabilitation.
"The decision was made to send the bird as soon as possible to Sea World (in San Diego) where they do have the abilities to X-ray animals of this size," Peyton said.
"We have an ongoing relationship with Sea World concerning brown pelicans and virtually all brown pelicans captured in the state ultimately come through us to be delivered to Sea World," she said.
"Sea World is the final stop in preparing these wonderful birds for their return to the ocean," Peyton said.
Operations Manager Terry Stevens of Liberty Wildlife said this was one of the few adult brown pelicans they have gotten at the facility.
"Most are juveniles who haven't learned that riding storms off the Pacific can lead to real trouble," Stevens said in his blog, "This Week at Liberty."
"There's not much sadder than a pelican in the desert," he said.
Sadder still is the fact that not all injured wildlife fare as well as this particular pelican.
A couple of weeks earlier, store director Russell Scheid found an owl with a broken wing outside Food City in Willcox.
"Jose Nieto contacted me about it to let me know they had found it," Hansen told the Range News.
"I called some of the nature rehab locations and they, in conjunction with Arizona Game and Fish, picked up the bird and took it to the Tucson Wildlife Center..." he said.
Unfortunately, this Great Horned Owl did not make it, said Volunteer Paula Mannell.
The bird, which had been hit by a car, was X-rayed in Tucson that day and found to have sustained 10 fractures.
"It was amazing that it was still alive," Mannell told the Range News.
Once it was determined the owl was too injured to be rehabilitated, staff made the agonizing decision to euthanize it.
"At least the owl was saved from suffering," she said.
Ironically, Mannell was also involved with the pelican rescue, helping to transport it to Phoenix.
"That is a shame for the owl. Hopefully it was at least a peaceful ending to its life," said Hansen, upon learning the owl's fate.
While all injured birds cannot be saved, it is good for Willcox-area residents to know that help is available when the need arises.
Two such organizations in Southern Arizona are the Tucson Wildlife Center, whose website is at www.tucsonwildlife.com, and Forever Wild in Tucson at www.forever-wild.org.
More information on Liberty Wildlife in Scottsdale may also be obtained at www.libertywidlife.org.
At a time when many birds are wintering in Willcox, there may be an unfortunate few who are stranded here.
But with the help of some individuals and organizations who care, even a sad story can have a happy ending.
In mid-December, an injured adult Brown Pelican was spotted at Twin Lakes Golf Course, southeast of town.
Homer Hansen, chairman of the upcoming Wings Over Willcox event, said that birders got on the phone and helped rescue it.
"The bird was found to not have any palpable broken bones, but does have 'looseness' in its shoulder," said long-time volunteer Anne Peyton with Liberty Wildlife in Scottsdale.
Wings Over Willcox attendees may recognize Peyton as part of the group that brings some of its birds to the Willcox Community Center.
Peyton is the cover artist for the T-shirts and brochures at this year's event, Hansen told the Range News.
Upon its arrival at Liberty Wildlife, the injured pelican was taken "to a close-by facility to get X-rays, but because of the size of the bird, nothing more could be determined at that time," Peyton said.
The injured bird flew to San Diego -- on a plane out of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, that is -- for further assessment and continued rehabilitation.
"The decision was made to send the bird as soon as possible to Sea World (in San Diego) where they do have the abilities to X-ray animals of this size," Peyton said.
"We have an ongoing relationship with Sea World concerning brown pelicans and virtually all brown pelicans captured in the state ultimately come through us to be delivered to Sea World," she said.
"Sea World is the final stop in preparing these wonderful birds for their return to the ocean," Peyton said.
Operations Manager Terry Stevens of Liberty Wildlife said this was one of the few adult brown pelicans they have gotten at the facility.
"Most are juveniles who haven't learned that riding storms off the Pacific can lead to real trouble," Stevens said in his blog, "This Week at Liberty."
"There's not much sadder than a pelican in the desert," he said.
Sadder still is the fact that not all injured wildlife fare as well as this particular pelican.
A couple of weeks earlier, store director Russell Scheid found an owl with a broken wing outside Food City in Willcox.
"Jose Nieto contacted me about it to let me know they had found it," Hansen told the Range News.
"I called some of the nature rehab locations and they, in conjunction with Arizona Game and Fish, picked up the bird and took it to the Tucson Wildlife Center..." he said.
Unfortunately, this Great Horned Owl did not make it, said Volunteer Paula Mannell.
The bird, which had been hit by a car, was X-rayed in Tucson that day and found to have sustained 10 fractures.
"It was amazing that it was still alive," Mannell told the Range News.
Once it was determined the owl was too injured to be rehabilitated, staff made the agonizing decision to euthanize it.
"At least the owl was saved from suffering," she said.
Ironically, Mannell was also involved with the pelican rescue, helping to transport it to Phoenix.
"That is a shame for the owl. Hopefully it was at least a peaceful ending to its life," said Hansen, upon learning the owl's fate.
While all injured birds cannot be saved, it is good for Willcox-area residents to know that help is available when the need arises.
Two such organizations in Southern Arizona are the Tucson Wildlife Center, whose website is at www.tucsonwildlife.com, and Forever Wild in Tucson at www.forever-wild.org.
More information on Liberty Wildlife in Scottsdale may also be obtained at www.libertywidlife.org.
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