By Jennifer Gilmer | Operations Manager
Saving wildlife and educating the public via the Wild Nest helpline
One of our key programs is a helpline offering text, phone and email support to the public in real-time. We use the helpline primarily to determine whether a bird in need requires rehabilitation. This is our frontline to the public and the starting point of our rehab process.
During the baby season we operate the helpline for 10-12 hours/day, 7 days/week mostly supported by volunteers. Our volunteers review photographs to assess patient status, provide information to the finder regarding how to assist the animal, and ultimately will make a determination as to whether the bird requires rehabilitation. Our mission is to save wildlife, and many times this can be accomplished by providing guidance and direction to a finder for them to address the situation remotely.
We have many cases of talking with the public to explain how to build a nest for a clutch of baby birds who have fallen after a storm. We provide information to callers to help them mitigate bird risks in their own backyard such as planting and applying window decals to avoid window strikes. We coach finders regarding what to look for when assessing whether a wild bird actually needs assistance, and when we receive calls for help for animals we don’t treat, we will refer the caller to other organizations for assistance.
Our success isn’t measured by the volume of patients we treat inside the walls of our facility. We firmly believe that a wild animal’s best chance of survival is in the wild. Having this program to assist the public and potentially reduce the need for intakes is critical for our mission and long-term strategy. While our intake volume this year is on par with last year, our text/call volume this year has already reached last year’s total.
We have an enthusiastic team of volunteers who give their time and knowledge supporting the public in this function. It is such a rewarding experience to be able to be a part of the rehabilitation process without needing to be physically onsite with patients – beyond the boundaries of our walls.
Your support enables us to offer this program and continue to maintain our knowledge repository and network of rehabbers around the state.
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