Wildlife in Care: Evening Grosbeak 11-0046

On January 18, a man in Bothell discovered this Evening Grosbeak sitting on the ground in his yard. When he moved in closer to investigate, the bird attempted to evade him on foot rather than flying away. The man easily captured the bird and brought him to PAWS Wildlife Center.

At PAWS, a wildlife rehabilitator examined the grosbeak and discovered that both the radius and ulna (bones) in his left wing were fractured, while dried blood was present in his nares (nostrils). The cause of the injuries was unknown, but was most likely a collision with a house or car window.

We gave the bird supportive care and medication to reduce the swelling in his broken wing. His wing was then wrapped to immobilize the fracture and allow it to heal. As of this writing the grosbeak was doing well, and as you can see by the food on his beak in the accompanying photo, he has maintained a hearty appetite despite his ordeal.