Bird Conservation Story of the Week

Canada goose
(gosling – approx. 2 months old)

Issue: This gosling’s mother nested beside Highway 40 in Pointe-Claire. Once the gosling hatched, the mother got scared off by traffic and abandoned her young. Someone found him (or her), on the service road, and brought him to Le Nichoir.

Treatment: The gosling was immediately rehydrated, fed and weighed.

Result: With the help of a couple from Hudson, Le Nichoir reintroduced the gosling to a pair of Canada geese and their two goslings (who were about the same age). The adult pair accepted the new gosling. The new family grazed then swam away together.

Did you know? Feeding all birds with bread can be dangerous for them. Bread becomes extremely sticky when wet and it can cause crop (food storage pouch in neck) impaction, which can result in death. Bread is very filling and it stops birds from eating more nutritional and natural foods which provide them with the essential minerals and nutrients they need to grow and be healthy. Instead of bread, consider feeding ducks and geese wild bird seed, dry cat kibble, greens (lettuce, broccoli, etc) and corn.

First published in the Hudson/Saint-Lazare Gazette and are reprinted here with permission.

View previous Conservation Stories of the Week

Bird Conservation Story of the Week

Pileated woodpecker (male)

Issue: This Pileated woodpecker injured itself banging the aluminum siding of a home with its beak causing a coracoids wing fracture.

Treatment: The woodpecker’s wing was carefully bandaged for 14 days and pain management was provided.

Result: This bird was released in Sherbrooke (QC) where it was found.

Did you know? Woodpeckers will bang and peck at aluminum roofs and siding of homes and buildings to make as much noise as possible to attract mates. This behavior is only temporary and will last the first few weeks of summer.

First published in the Hudson/Saint-Lazare Gazette and are reprinted here with permission.

Bird Conservation Story of the Week

White-winged scoter
Males are all black except for white around the eye and a white speculum (wing feathers).

Issue: this duck had lead-poisoning most probably from consuming an old fishing lead lure sitting on the bottom of the St. Lawrence River.

Treatment: Le Nichoir provided supportive care such as food, warmth and treated the duck with drugs to reduce the lead levels.

Result: the Scoter was released with a large flock of other Scoters in Valois Bay this winter.

Did you know? Scoters are only seen in the Montreal area during the winter as they migrate from the most Northern tips of Canada to the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.

First published in the Hudson/Saint-Lazare Gazette and are reprinted here with permission.