City Wildlife

A hatchling snapping turtle sits in the palm of a gloved hand. It is slightly larger than a quarter, but appears just like a miniature adult snapping turtle.

We are caring for >20 hatchling until spring, as they hatched too late for release this year. They will spend the winter growing past the most vulnerable early life stages in the safety of our clinic.

Please remember to slow down for wildlife & help turtles cross. Their mom should still be here. ❤️

A hatchling snapping turtle's nose and eyes peek out between leaves and aquatic plants in the water.

A hatchling snapping turtle's whole head peaks out of the water. A sibling's head also peeks out to the left of the first turtle.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water... 🦈

These hatchling snappers may be lurking in the water with a monstrous appetite, but there's no need to fear... unless you're a tiny insect, worm, or veggie on their menu! 🦗🪱🥦

#turtles #snappingturtle #washdc

An American Coot floats in water. The bird is all black, with a white beak and frontal shield, and red eyes. Their large feet are greenish-yellow with dark accents, and their toes have three lobed pads each.

Yesterday's mystery toes belonged to an #AmericanCoot! 💚

Found on a balcony in DC, we believe he crash-landed and became stranded. These birds require running takeoffs across water to fly.

With no signs of injury/illness, he was released into a body of water with other coots!

#nature #birds

A bird's toes are visible underwater. The lighting is dark, obscuring the true color of their skin. The toes are lobate with long nails.

Whose toes are those?? 🤔 Comment a wild guess! 💭

A few hints:
❔They are often described as chicken-like.
❔Their lobate toes are specialized for swimming, diving, and walking on aquatic vegetation.
❔They are almost exclusively herbivores.

Tune in tomorrow for the answer and this patient's story! ♥️

While the boy is done with treatments, his sister is still battling neurologic signs. But with continued medications and physical therapy, she is on a positive trajectory and we are hopeful for a full recovery.

This pair will stay with us until warmer weather allows for a springtime release. 🌱

What a difference a day makes! 👀

This #EasternGraySquirrel and his sister (not pictured) are our youngest patients in care. After a fall from the nest, they were found helpless on a sidewalk with signs of internal trauma.

With treatment, the duo is doing well and growing rapidly!

An orphaned infant Eastern Cottontail undergoing rehabilitation sits among hay, clover, and dandelion greens.

Eastern Cottontails are a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the #DistrictofColumbia due to significant population declines. Habitat loss/fragmentation 🛣️ and domestic animals interactions 🐈🐕 are their primary threats. This makes every individual returned to the wild all the more special! 🙌

An adult Eastern Cottontail munches on wild-foraged greens while looking at the camera. A head tilt is visible.

Cottontails can be difficult rehab patients because they are particularly sensitive to stress. Thankfully, a quiet, isolated, and naturalistic enclosure kept her calm. With medications, fluids, and lots of wild-foraged greens, she made a full recovery and was released in just under two weeks! ❤️‍🩹

An adult Eastern Cottontail stands among wild-foraged greens while looking straight on at the camera. A head tilt is visible.

This #EasternCottontail came to us weak and struggling to stand. She was found lying in someone's #WashingtonDC backyard.

Examination revealed head trauma (that cocked head is adorable, but it indicates injury to the brain 🤕), a facial fracture, and ticks! We suspect she was struck by a vehicle.

We have #CommonSnappingTurtle babies! 🐢🥚

Their mom came to us in summer after a vehicle strike in DC. Sadly she didn't survive, but she laid all her eggs!

Now, 36 have hatched and 3 are unhatched. Many were released when the weather was warm enough, but we will need to keep the rest until spring!

A Black-throated Blue Warbler, a Northern Flicker, and an American Woodcock are shown, as well as an Ovenbird being rescued after colliding with a window. Text reads "It is global bird rescue week! Swipe to learn more"

A deceased bird lays in front of a glass window. Text reads "Reflective windows kill birds."

A window treated with anti-collision markings is shown. Text reads "Make your windows bird-safe. Bird-safe window markings should be: 1. On the outside of the window. 2. Covering the entire window. 3. Placed every 2 inches. 4. Easily visible on the glass. 5. Larger than 6mm in diameter.

A live window strike victim sits on the sidewalk. Text reads: "How to spot an injured bird. If the bird: 1. Allows you to pick it up. 2. Cannot stand. 3. Is not using both feet. 4. Is squinting or shutting both eyes. 5. Has open-mouthed or heavy breathing. 6. Has puffed up feathers, or tucks its head under its wings. It needs to be taken to a licensed Wildlife Rehab immediately to be treated."

🫵 You can help save the world's #birds during #GlobalBirdRescue. Join us to rescue & document birds that have collided with buildings. Visit globalbirdrescue.org

In DC, also report window strikes to lodc.cw@gmail.com. Alive? Call us at 202-882-1000 (9-5). After hours, call DCACC 202-888-7387 ext.3

A common yellowthroat is held with her wing out at a different angle, showing again how her feathers have been destroyed.

She will need to stay with us until spring when her species returns. Being in captivity so long is a stressful ordeal.

So far she's got a good appetite, so we're hopeful that she'll do well. But this should never have happened in the first place.

Stop using glue traps! 💔i

A Common Yellowthroat is held displaying that several primary/flight feathers on one wing and her tail have been destroyed by a glue trap.

A Common Yellowthroat is in hand. Her feet have glue and debris stuck to them.

Glue traps are indiscriminate & inhumane!

This #CommonYellowthroat was southbound when she spotted a buffet of bugs. Little did she know that beneath was a deadly trap.

Several of her primary feathers & her tail are destroyed.

She will not be able to complete migration. 💔

#birds #nature

Support migratory birds with these simple actions, and what to do if you find a window strike victim, dead or alive.

#birds

An infographic shows multiple window strike victims admitted to City Wildlife. Text reads "Peak migration September 22 to October 15. 1,093,700 birds crossed the District of Columbia last night between Friday Sep 19 at 7:10pm and Saturday Sep 20 at 6:50am. Lights Out DC!"

🚨 Peak migration is here! 🚨 Many more high traffic nights, and sadly window strikes, are on the horizon.

Migrating #birds face perilous journeys due to threats like:
🌃 Window/building collisions
💡 Light pollution
🐱 Domestic animals
🌱 Habitat loss & food scarcity

Read on for how you can help👇

Thank you so much for your support! 🙏❤️ It means the world to us, and to our patients who we keep our doors open for 365 days a year.

A baby squirrel curiously peeks out from under a blanket.

Stay tuned for plenty more squirrel shenanigans. Our clinic will be pretty nuts 👀 for a while longer! ❤️

A juvenile squirrel peeks out from magnolia branches.

A juvenile squirrel sits atop a nest box, which they will be soft-released into the wild from once fit for survival.

A few groups have already graduated from hand-feeding, now focused on honing survival skills before release back to the wild. 🌳

A baby squirrel lays on their belly while they are syringe-fed a specialized formula.

A baby squirrel peeks out of a glovebox while they are syringe-fed a specialized formula.

These little gluttons keep us on our toes, requiring syringe-feedings of formula as often as every two hours! At the same time, many of these babies are becoming more squirrely and independent by the day.

Check out this post on how you can best help a baby squirrel found out of the nest-- one key takeway is to never give infant wildlife any food or water bsky.app/profile/dcci...

An eyes-closed baby squirrel is curled up. Multiple ant bites are visible on their body.

The majority are true orphans, found alone, thin, & often burdened by parasites. 🪰 Others are caught by domestic animals or injured in a rough fall from the nest. 🤕 Ocassionally they're also unecessarily taken & fed by well-intentioned, but misinformed, people.

An eyes-closed baby squirrel has a stethoscope on their chest to listen to their heart and lungs.

A juvenile black squirrel sits on a branch eating a sweet potato.

We are deep into squirrel season with nearly 50 #EasternGraySquirrel babies currently in care. 🐿️💚

Read this thread for more about these squirrely patients... cute pictures included! 👇

#babysquirrel #squirrelsky #washdc #nature

Remember this #EasternBoxTurtle? After 396 days in care recovering from a vehicle strike, she's back in the wild!

As an IUCN Vulnerable species (high risk of extinction in the wild), every individual counts greatly. Turtles will soon be on move to find overwintering spots! Please drive cautiously.

Thank you!! We've got to get on top of adding alt text! Everyone deserves access to wildlife! 🙏❤️

Worldwide vulture numbers have declined by >90% due to threats like poisoning, illegal killing, electrocutions or collisions with power lines, and more. 💔 Without vultures, pathogens build up in our environment and proliferate dangerous diseases. 😷

Thank your local vultures!

#birds

Vulture facts:
❤️ One vulture can eat >100lbs of carrion annually!
🖤 Vulture stomach acid destroys viruses, including rabies!
❤️ There are 23 vulture species worldwide.
🖤 Some studies suggest that Turkey Vultures can smell carrion up to 5 miles away!

It's #InternationalVultureAwarenessDay!

The DC has 2 species-- Turkey Vultures & Black Vultures.

As one of nature's most impressive janitors, #vultures prevent the spread of disease by efficiently consuming carcasses that could otherwise breed pathogens. 🦠

Read on!👇

#birds

We talk a lot about making windows safer during migration. But this is a threat to birds year-round! You can prevent window strikes:

If you live or work in a building that causes window strikes, SPEAK UP! 🗣️ Reach out to info@citywildlife.org if you need advice. 💚

After a few days of treatment, he bounced back wonderfully. A final flight test confirmed that he was ready to go home! He was released at a nearby waterfront park, perfect hunting grounds for these skilled fishers! 🌊

On admission, the kingfisher was lethargic and unable to stand or fly. He also had trouble balancing. It was clear he had serious head trauma.

We started him on medications, fluids, and oxygen support. We also assist-fed him fish since he was too weak to eat on his own. 🐟