I am not sure I can tell you anything you dont already know, but I - PDF document

Slide • I am not sure I can tell you anything you don’t already know, but I Towhee Talk 1 can share with you what we do and what we have learned about Dana A. Glei Rehab Volunteer, Bird Rescue Center rehabbing towhees. California Passerine Rehabilitators Gathering Napa Valley Community College • (And, of course, I have lots of pictures to help entertain you.) February 18, 2017 • Then, perhaps we can exchange ideas about possible Presented and Coordinated by: improvements. Native Songbird Care & Conservation Co-Hosted with Napa Wildlife Rescue www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide • I think it is safe to say that Towhees vex all rehabbers. Towhees are “Special” 2 • Who among us here has had difficulty with towhees? Perhaps the better question is: who hasn’t? Towhees vex all rehabbers • So, you tell me: What problems have you had? www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide • Towhees are easily stressed to begin with. Trauma X Captivity  STRESS! 3 • Add in trauma combined with captivity and the result can be • Do not fare well in captivity • Easily stressed deadly. • Most were “catted” (poor prognosis for any bird) • As they enter the pre-fledgling stage, “ they discover they are Towhees ” (Francoise at Wildcare) – That is, they become reluctant to gape. – If they don’t eat, they will die. www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide • 2016: BRC admitted 194 towhees (142, CALTs, 7 SPTOs); 103 babies 68% of Young Towhees were “Catted” 4 (100 CALTs, 3 SPTOs). • 2015: 183 towhees (169 CALT, 14 SPTO), 76% were young towhees, 69% were fledging or younger • 61% were catted (68% of young towhees) • 15% were found on the ground helpless (9% of young ones) • 5% dog-related (6% of young ones) • Remainder: FFN, orphaned, bird-napped, hit window/CNS, rat/mouse trap Slide 5 www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide Although the sticky trap cases are less common, they are horrific for Sticky Traps 6 the bird (and follow-up care can be long because they may need to regrow so many feathers). www.BirdRescueCenter.org

Slide • We seem to get a lot of towhees with toe issues 7 • I don’t have a picture of it, but we have had many towhees that have had to endure a cardboard “boot”. Perch splint applied to nestling with flattened toes www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide What Stresses Them? 8 • Pain: Being catted is very painful. A bird in pain may be reluctant to eat. [We administer painkillers along with antibiotics to all catted birds.] • Excessive noise from humans or predatory species (e.g., jays) • Inadequate housing: overcrowded; dirty; lacking enrichment (i.e., natural greenery, comfortable perches, dirt tray, leaf litter, & water bath that encourages normal development) • Incorrect, inadequate diet : irregular/infrequent feeding schedule • Dirty feathers/feet/face www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide Returning Them to the Wild Early 9 Does Not Solve the Problem Unless we can reunite them with their parents, returning them to the wild too early would be a death sentence. • CALTs mature slowly and need to learn many survival skills before they can thrive on their own: generally, 6-8 weeks from hatchling to release. • In comparison, some bird species can be released at a younger age. www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide • I think it is helpful to first understand their natural environment in 10 the wild. What is their • Only then can we think about how best to emulate that natural environment environment in a rehab setting. like in the wild? www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide Where do they live? 11 • Among the most wary & furtive of all birds • Live close to the ground, often hidden in dense bushes – Chaparral scrub in coastal slopes & foothills – Along streams & canyon bottoms among oaks, manzanita, madrone, etc. – Shrubby backyards & city parks • If you hear rustling in the leaf litter, you can bet it is a Towhee • LOVES bathing www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide • Here are some pictures from my backyard, which appears to Key Elements of Towhee Habitat 12 be prime habitat for both CALTs and SPTOs, judging from the number of towhees I see there. 1) Dense shrubs to provide shelter (e.g., Ceanothus/Blue Blossom, Coyote Bush); • These are two native plants that are great for towhee and quail habitat: These are two native plants that are great for towhee and quail habitat: Ceonothus griseus horizontalis (on the left) and a prostrate form of Baccharis pilularis (on the right). www.BirdRescueCenter.org

Slide • And here are two of my favorite native bunch grasses: 2) Seed Food Sources 13 Muhlenbergia rigens (Deer grass, on the left) and Festuca • Native bunch grasses (e.g., CA Fescue, Deergrass) california (on the right). • Note: CALTs in my yard seem to prefer native CA Fescue seed to the “bird seed” we use at BRC. • As you can probably guess, CA native plants are another passion of mine. www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide 3) Lots of leaf litter 14 www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide …and 4) Taller trees for escape 15 If you are lucky enough to have a mature native oak, treasure it—our feathered friends certainly do! www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide What do they eat & feed their young? 16 • <10 days old : Entirely insects (mostly grasshoppers & caterpillars) • 10 Days old : >90% insects (including beetles & wasps); <10% vegetable (largely fiber, little fruit) • 2+ weeks old : >90% insects(largely beetles, wasps & ants) • Adult Diet : mostly seeds/grains (~80%) with ~15% insects (esp. beetles & grasshoppers) and ~5% fruit • Got Poison Oak? Often build their nests in poison oak and feast on the pale white berries www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide How do they behave? 17 Nestling Stage • At 2-3 days old: will raise heads & gape in response to nest vibrations • At 8 days: will cower rather than beg when approached; will jump from nest if disturbed • Fecal sacs removed by adults, nest kept clean until fledging www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide How do they behave? 18 Fledgling Stage • Stay with parents up to 6 weeks (but if parents renest, they may drive away fledges at 4 weeks) • Cannot fly at fledging, but capable runners • Spend several weeks hiding in vegetation near nest site while being fed by parents • At 3-4 weeks, young begin foraging for themselves www.BirdRescueCenter.org

Slide How do they communicate? 19 • Many variations of the basic “tsip” note: – Territorial display call (metallic “tsip”) – Contentment/contact call (sparrow-like “tssip”) – Distress call (long peep sounds, squeaking) – Alarm call (loud warning note) – Feeding calls (loud peep crescendos at regular intervals into a short staccato call) • Hunger call: “puhlee” for as long as 30s at a time peaking at 20s. www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide • I *think* this is an example of the “Feeding call”, no? 20 • Honestly, I cannot distinguish between all the variations of the “tsip”. Feed me… Feed me NOW! • But, young towhees can be very vocal with their metallic cheeping. www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide 21 Lesson #1 Setting the Mood www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide The Right Environment Helps a Lot 22 • Try to emulate their natural environment as much as possible in a rehab hospital setting. • Provide a calm, quiet space (keep them separate from the “loud mouths”, particularly jays). • Group single baby birds with a buddy of the same or compatible species (SPTO, AMRO, NOMO, BHCO). • If solitary confinement is necessary, add a mirror. • Use brown (rather than white) paper liners. White stresses towhees. www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide Age Appropriate Housing 23 • As soon as it is developmentally appropriate, move them to a: 1) Reptarium (simulate a more natural environment: greenery, dirt tray, leaf litter) 2) Aviary (allow more flight practice, encourage foraging and learning other skills they will need to survive) www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide • Don’t forget to give them a place to hide. 24 • Yes, the greenery makes feeding them more difficult, but they will appreciate having a place to take shelter. Needs a Place to Hide www.BirdRescueCenter.org

Slide • At BRC, towhees get their own special dishes. We have special “Towhee” dishes 25 • Ideally, they get a dirt tray as well (if you can fit it in their housing). • Shallow with low edges: able to get in/out easily • Broad trays with mix of seed and worms where they can practice the “towhee two-step” www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide • Note: They take advantage of the bungee cord perch and the Reptarium 26 (once they can thermoregulate) greenery. www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide • Here is a “model” reptarium (that I set up just for the purposes of Reptarium 27 (before they cover it with poop) taking a pic for the presentation). • After you put birds in it, it will never look this nice again. www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide • Later we move a towhee “cohort” (group of towhees that will Aviary 28 eventually be released together) to an aviary. • Need to include water bath, dirt tray with leaf litter, and plenty of places to perch and explore. www.BirdRescueCenter.org Slide • Don’t forget to provide places to hide. Aviary 29 • I like to set up a shelter in the corner that they can hide under if needed. Slide • Seed & worm dish is placed in the dirt tray where they can scatter 30 their food and forage for it later. www.BirdRescueCenter.org