By Melissa Oaks
There are over 355 species of birds that migrate through or live in New York City. Many of these birds are injured in the course of their travels by buildings, cars, humans, and other wildlife. The Wild Bird Fund, a non-profit organization led by Rita McMahon and Karen Heidgerd, has been working to help rehabilitate these injured aviators. Ms. McMahon began the fund over twelve years ago, after struggling to find help for an injured bird she had rescued. The fund, along with the donated services and facilities of Animal General and the Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine, now treats over 1,000 birds each year.
Currently, the Fund relies on volunteers and fosters to care for and house the injured birds, and Ms. McMahon personally fosters more than 40 birds in her Upper West Side apartment. Despite considerable demand, New York City is the only major U.S. city without a wildlife rehabilitation center. The Wild Bird Fund, with generous donations and the assistance of many volunteers, is trying to change that.
The Wild Bird Fund Rehabilitation and Education Center will open at 565 Columbus Ave (at West 87th Street) in April. The Center was slated to open last fall, but encountered construction delays. The state-of-the-art Center will allow the Wild Bird Fund to double its rehabilitation capacity, while continuing to utilize the volunteer services of veterinarians at Animal General.
The lower level of the Center, which will not be open to the public, includes a surgical room, over 30 individual cages (each capable of becoming a sealed ICU), a songbird room, and laboratory facilities. The street level includes several exam rooms, which will be viewable from Columbus Avenue, a waterproof room with a pool for the swimming birds, visible from the large waiting room, and habitats for some of the Center’s permanent residents, like Edward the white-ringed pheasant. The Center’s emphasis on education is apparent from the design – everything that can be open to public view (practically and legally) is open.
To kick off the opening of this groundbreaking facility, the Wild Bird Fund will be holding a fundraising event on April 3, 2012 at “Birdie” Vanderbilt’s Mansion (60 East 93rd Street). The event will include wild avian guests, wine and hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, and a performance by the Dzul Dance Company. Tickets are $100 each and can be obtained online. To donate, volunteer, or learn more, visit wildbirdfund.com and follow the Fund on Facebook and Twitter.
Melissa Oaks is a small business attorney and food blogger residing on the Upper West Side. Photos by Fred R. Cohen.
