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April 30, 2005:  Handouts from Training for volunteers -- Monitoring Protocol  --  Rescue Guidelines

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From:  Paul Hunter, web page editor
5/1/05:  This page was a handout at the training session for volunteers held on April 30, 2005 at the Wisconsin Humane Society by William Mueller and Scott Diehl.  I have posted it for the convenience of the trained volunteers.
To participate in this project you MUST be formally trained. 
DO NOT collect or rescue birds until you have received training.

6/12/05:  The official copy of this Monitoring Protocol is now on the Wisconsin Humane Society Web Page:
http://www.wihumane.org/wildlife/documents/MilwaukeeBirdCollisionMonitorsRescueProtocol4-2005.pdf

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Wisconsin Night Guardians for Songbirds (WiNGS)
Milwaukee Bird Collision Monitors
Rescue Protocol
April, 2005

Supplies needed:

• Fine-mesh net.
• Large bath towel or other large, clean cloth.
• Brown paper grocery bags (unwaxed).
• Paper toweling (for hand cleaning and to line the paper bags).
• Field Report Forms; Rescue Labels for bags.
• Pen
• Cell phone.
• Hand-cleaning solution.
• Flashlight.
• Large paper clips, binder clips, or clothespins (to keep bags shut)
• Latex or vinyl gloves.
• Cardboard box (to keep bags with birds upright and covered or transport larger birds, e.g. Am. Woodcock, Sharp-shinned Hawk, etc.).
• Lightweight leather gloves (optional – for handling grosbeaks and small raptors).

Rescue Procedure:

• SAFETY FIRST!  Be careful: watch out for traffic; work in pairs whenever possible; be aware of your surroundings.
• Treat every bird as if it were a live bird until it is stiff and cold.
• Line a bag with two layers of paper towels.
• Wear gloves when handling birds and wash up immediately after you’ve finished handling birds.
• Approach birds slowly and quietly, from behind if possible.  Use flight barriers such as alcoves and walls to help you contain the bird if it should try to escape.  DO NOT approach the bird in such a way that it might hop or flutter into a hazard such as traffic or a sewer grate.
• Carefully place the net over the bird, and then gently grasp the bird through the net mesh, or pinch-off the net to contain the bird in the bottom of the net.
• Reach into the net (be careful to prevent escapes!) and gently grasp the bird around the body, with the wings in their natural position against the bird’s body.  If the bird seems to have its toes caught in the net, carefully free them from the netting.   Lift the bird out of the net and place it into the paper bag, being careful to keep the top of the bag closed around your forearm to prevent the bird’s escape.  Quickly withdraw your hand and fold the top of the bag over two or more times, then clip the top of the bag shut.
• Do not take the time to examine the bird yourself to try to identify it!  Get it in the bag immediately.  Do not further stress the bird by re-opening the bag to look at it for identification.
• Completely fill out the Rescue Label and attach it to the bag.     If you don’t know the bird’s species, that’s OK – someone at the rehab center will identify it.
• Place the bag in a secure position in your car so it can’t fall over or slide around.  Do not put live birds in the trunk!  Keep the bags out of direct sunlight and don’t let birds sit in a hot car!
• Keep the car radio off and keep talking to a minimum during transport to the rehab center: these birds are already highly stressed, and further stress (e.g. human voices, music) can be deadly.
• The bird(s) should rest quietly in the bag(s).  If a bird is fluttering inside the bag, try covering the bag with your towel; a bird will usually rest if it is kept in the dark.
• DO NOT release a bird on your own!  If you were able to catch it, it is injured and needs to receive expert assessment before release!