The Adopt a Bird program at the Wildlife Hospital in the University’s School of Veterinary Medicine continues to care for injured wild birds including bald eagles and turkey vultures.
The Adopt a Bird program has been around for more than 15 years with assistance from Vet School students who care for the birds by feeding them and cleaning the cages, according to Javier Nevarez, assistant professor of zoological medicine and director of the Wildlife Hospital of Louisiana.
The six resident birds, which cannot be returned to the wild because of permanent injuries, are often used in educational presentations, such as church and school groups.
Nevarez said the purpose of the presentations at schools is to provide an educational message for children. In return, the children will adopt a specific bird as a group project.
“Many times elementary school classes will raise money to adopt and sponsor a bird,” Nevarez said.
Nevarez said the Wildlife Hospital is currently caring for 10 to 12 birds that are in rehabilitation for future release.
One of these birds includes a bald eagle with a wing fracture. Nevarez said this is a common injury among birds.
From the time the birds are brought in and until their release, the rehabilitation process for a single bird can cost anywhere from $50 to $100, he said.
The adoption funds can be used for both resident and rehabilitating birds.
Since no state or federal funding is provided to care for the birds, the program is 100 percent funded by the public with an occasional private business donation.
Donation amounts differ among the birds depending on the amount of food the bird consumes. For example, expenses for Hilary, a Harris hawk, cost about $200 each year while Brize, a Mississippi kite, only costs $100.
Popular adoption birds include Squirt, an Eastern screech owl and Morgan, a red-tailed hawk.
Morgan, who is missing a wing, was brought to the Wildlife Hospital in 1985 as an adult. Morgan is estimated to be about 30 years old and is retired from presentations.
Many of the residential birds are accustomed to being handled by people and have similar characteristics to pets. Nevarez said Sydney, a turkey vulture, enjoys playing with toys, especially his LSU tennis ball.
Jenna Alfonso, kinesiology freshman, said she had never heard of the Adopt a Bird program before, but she thinks its a good cause.
“This is really great,” she said. “I think the state should help out with some of the funding, and the Vet School should look into finding more sources for funding to help out more