Wildlife carers urge care this spring

WITH Spring now in full swing across Australia, so is breeding season, and local rescuers are calling for help to protect wildlife.

The next generation of baby birds are making their way into the world, and many can be seen on the ground as they learn to fly.

During breeding season and throughout October, birds are at their most vulnerable and are at risk of serious illness or death.

Caw-Vid Corner magpie and raven rehabilitator Melissa Fitzwilliam has warned traffic and dogs are the biggest killers of baby birds.

“During breeding season, once the babies come down out of the nest, they flutter down and then they transition into what we call branch lay,” she said.

“When they are branch laying, they are learning to fly and what we call moving into fledge, during that time they spend about seven days on the ground, unable to fly.”

During the time the birds are on the ground, they become an open target and as their parents trying to protect them, swooping also increases.

Ms Fitzwilliam said wildlife rescuers are also urging people to leash their dogs.

“We are aware that there are other dangers,” she said.

“I feel that the message about the dogs has been missed in the community and we need the community to band together for these three weeks to protect our native wildlife.”

The wildlife carer encourages everyone to think about magpies as being part of the community and understand that as animals they are generational, staying in the same areas.

“People are starting to become aware that in swooping season, we try not to walk the path we know that the magpies swoop.

“If we can get that secondary message across of these baby birds go to the ground and are vulnerable — they are babies, they cannot get out of the way — we are giving them the best chance.”