They could hear them, but couldn’t see them …
At SkyWatch Bird Rescue in North Carolina, animal experts welcome injured birds through their doors every day. These birds usually arrive by car, in a carrier, so when SkyWatch staff recently noticed a log abandoned on the rescue’s porch, they weren’t sure what to make of it.
Staff members deduced that it was likely left by members of a local tree-cutting service who’d noticed something strange about the branch and decided to do the right thing.
The bird lovers knew they had to get inside the log — and fast.
Carefully, SkyWatch staff sawed into the log, bracing themselves for whatever, or whoever, might be inside.
Finally, they saw them — two orphaned baby woodpeckers, scared and alone.
Taking in their new surroundings, the baby woodpeckers were understandably a bit shaken.
“It’s probably a similar feeling to your house having an earthquake while you’re in bed, then suddenly some giant rips off the roof and pulls you out,” a representative from SkyWatch told The Dodo.
SkyWatch experts advise anyone who finds a similar baby woodpecker nest to follow certain steps to ensure babies like these have the best chance of survival.
“If [you] cut down a branch or tree and realize there’s a woodpecker nest inside, [you] can sometimes still relocate the log [or] branch to keep [the babies] with their parents,” SkyWatch wrote in a Facebook post. “If other trees are available nearby, [tie, tape, or bind] the log vertically onto the nearest tree … Parents will hear them and continue care.”
Safe at last, the birds enjoyed lots of food while nestled inside their warm incubator, where they were surrounded by other babies of the same size. Eventually, the pair regained their strength and moved to an outdoor enclosure, where they had more space to spread their wings. In time, they were ready to return to the wild.
The rescue performed a soft release, meaning the birds were released on rescue property and allowed to come and go as they pleased.
Back in the wild, these birds are surely grateful to be forging a new life on their own, knowing that if they ever need help, the rescue is never far.
“They’re not kicked out,” the SkyWatch representative said. “There are still food plates around in the trees and [around] the property for them to find as a helping hand for as long as they need it.”