"Since beginning this internship, I’ve been allowed the chance to do things I never thought I would get to do. I have helped to bandage a turtle’s fractured shell, I have assisted a blood draw of a fledgling bald eagle, and I have caught a goose. Even so, I believe that the most significant case to me was a Northern Cardinal.
"This cardinal was one of the first outdoor birds I had the chance to work with. At this point of the internship, I was extremely nervous about working with animals alone. Before this experience, the only time I got alone with animals that were not my pets was when volunteering at my local humane society walking dogs. I had never worked with birds before; however, I understood how fragile they are and did not have full confidence in myself. Then I met this bird.
"Every time I went into this cardinal’s enclosure, they would be so excited for food. They would bop up and down and chirp so loudly into my ear. Over a couple days, this bird became what I looked forward to most during the day. They were the Barbie to my Ken, if they looked at me, I had a good day. As they began getting weaned off of hand feedings, I got to witness the first time this bird ate a berry. I felt so excited for them but overall knew that my time with this cardinal was coming to a close. Some say that a cardinal is a sign of good luck, others believe it is a message from a loved one who has passed. No matter what brought this cardinal to the Wildlife Center, I will forever be grateful that I got a chance to work with them."
- Ashlyn Cywinski, Summer Wildlife Rehabilitation Intern
"Working with all the species at the Center has made an impact on me. I think that the raptors have taught me the most about wildlife. Before this experience, I didn't really know much about them. I thought that they were big, tough, and almost invincible in a way. As I got to work with them, I have begun to understand how delicate they can be. I have a new appreciation for them. Honestly, I have gained more respect for all wildlife so far. I have learned about their role and how they help each environment they live in."
- Morgan Stadler, Summer Wildlife Rehabilitation Intern
"The very first songbird I hand-fed was a hatchling house finch, euthanized after almost a month in care due to an eye injury or abnormality that never healed. Even knowing that the end of his journey would have been euthanasia, if I had the choice to care for this house finch again, I would do it.
"This patient reminded me of the resilience of wildlife in rehabilitation, especially the orphaned songbirds. Many hatchlings manage to grow and survive, even with all the odds stacked against them— a traumatic event that brought them into the Wildlife Center, unfamiliar sensations, frightful sounds, or painful injuries. Most of all, they face the absence of their natural parents, whose instincts often surpass the abilities of human rehabilitators.
"I noticed his swollen eye almost immediately and was reminded of the Wildlife Rehabilitator Code of Ethics for releasing animals. While I could see an animal sustaining such an injury in the wild and adapting, it would not have been ethical for us to knowingly release him with one good eye. Still, I chose to treasure the time that he was in our care, hoping that his eye would get better.
"Many things about this house finch reminded me of the fragility and preciousness of wild animals, not limited to but including: the wispy, rhythmic chirps while gaping, his wobbly head, and his uncoordinated legs. I watched as he grew into a fledgling, hopping and flying around his cage, Sunflower. His left eye was now sunken in, and I could tell that he was blind in that eye. At that point, I knew that it was only a matter of time before he would be euthanized.
"This house finch was an example that life, no matter how brief or imperfect, matters. He showed me that providing comfort, nourishment, and a safe place, even temporarily, has meaning. His case helped me realize that animal care isn’t necessarily meaningful based on happy endings alone, but because it requires me to show up with compassion, consistency, and care, even when it hurts. With every songbird release, I’m reminded of how I would have loved to release a fully sighted HOFI 25-0330."
- Isabel Liao
