This is Meredith, the wildlife rehabilitator talking now: I echo what Scott and Chris have stated, and bottom line is: do not touch owls or any wildlife, let alone cross over into their comfort zone, EXCEPT to assist those that are injured, sick or orphaned. The state DEP and USFW, our licensing agencies, do recognize a "Good Samaritan" clause. That is: anyone can legally rescue and transport injured, sick orphaned wildlife to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or vet. In CT, there are well over 200 rehabilitators, however, much fewer are licensed to rehabilitate migratory birds. Most of us have home-based facilities and very few have staff to respond to each and every call. With the volume of calls, especially during the "baby" season -spring and summer- rehabilitators cannot possibly go out and rescue every animal in need. During the peak season, I can get as many as 40-50 calls a day! And along with feeding and cleaning many infant and injured mammals and birds. Thus, we rely upon the compassionate, good will of the public to help in such times. And they do! Some tips to keep in mind when you do find an animal in need of help: -Use common sense and be aware of your surroundings, especially if rescuing an animal in the road or some other precarious situation. Always consider your own personal safety above all. Unless you are experienced in safe handling, do not attempt rescuing: adult mammals, hawks,owls, herons. Leave those to the experts. Note: CT law forbids the rehabilitation of coyote, adult: deer, raccoons, skunks and fox. -Wear gloves or use a towel or some barrier between your hands and the animal. Even a shovel could be used to gently scoop an animal into a container. -Contain the animal in a secure, well-ventilated container - cardboard box with lid is good. Recycle bins, garbage cans can work in a pinch, as long as animal cannot escape, especially while you're driving. -Once contained, keep the animal in a warm, dark and quiet environment until you get it to vet or rehabilitator. No "show-and-tell" or further handling which is highly stressful and can be fatal to the animal, and can be dangeous to the handler. -Please, do not feed any liquid or food, which can be fatal if the animal is in shock, cold, and dehydrated. -When transporting animals to a vet or rehabilitator: never transport animals in the trunk of a car, keep radio off, no talking, no smoking. The newest version of the state wildlife rehabilitator's directory has just come out. I will post the link shortly. I recommend that all of you note who are the local ones for your area and put their contact # into your mobile phones, post on your fridge or in your personal directory under "wildlife rescue". For birds, make sure the rehabber is licensed for bird rehabilitation. The directory does state what species each rehabilitator is permitted for. Any questions? Feel free to contact me. Meanwhile, enjoy those magnificent wonders of the natural world and respect their space. Great birding to all. Meredith Sampson Director, WILD WINGS, INC. Wildlife Rehabilitation Environmental Education For the preservation & well-being of wildlife & habitats. Old Greenwich -- "Scott Kruitbosch" <kbosch@gmail.com> wrote: All, As Nick said earlier, the whole issue of touching or capturing birds seems simple to me - don't do it unless you're licensed to do so. Not only is it against the law, it could be harmful or fatal to the bird. While there may be "common sense" coming into play with an injured bird in peril, I do not think we should take it upon ourselves to capture, transport, and then treat birds. Contacting the proper authorities or rehabilitation center (and we have a couple excellent ones on this very list) must be the priority. They can direct you in what to do, where to bring it, etc. Cell phones come are perfect for injured birds - anyone can easily contact the proper individuals immediately. If it was a human emergency, we'd call 911, right? It's no different for the birds. Call the people who have been fully trained and educated in their care. -- Scott Kruitbosch Stratford, CT kbosch@gmail.com _______________________________________________ This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For subscription information visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org _____________________________________________________________ Click to find airline tickets for your next trip. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2121/fc/Ioyw6i3nMQmAXSUuHhYEq7LQAjJSjaIlfqDbZynSwt7zsd4zZc8Rl7/