This Week at Liberty

The intake total for the year is now up to 585.

Growing up in the military, we lived in a lot of cold places. Germany, South Dakota, Colorado, and yes, even New Mexico had its super cold and snowy weather. I think that’s partly why I love the sun and heat so much; there were a lot of times growing up going outside wasn’t even an option because hey! It was thirty degrees below zero, and the snow was still snowing, and my parents certainly weren’t trekking out in that kind of weather to keep us entertained (thanks, fiction books, for doing that!).

Needless to say, the few rainy days we do have, I’m grateful for. And, as I write this, we’re supposedly getting a few more this week. Which means that new kids who are just hatched, or even some of the older ones, might find themselves on the ground away from mom and their siblings. Make sure to keep an eye out for them this week, because guess what?

It’s about that time of the year…

Well, it’s that time! Slowly but surely, we’ve gotten a few kiddos in. Some Anna’s hummingbirds, a few pigeons, some Eurasian collared doves, and, of course, mourning doves. But nothing says baby season is here quite like a great horned owl AND a barn owl nestling! So, to celebrate the upcoming baby season (aka orphan care season) here are some fun facts about these cute little dudes:

Anna’s hummingbirds: the female finds nest material out of plant down, spider webs, dog hair…anything soft and cozy for a one inch by one and a half inch diameter nest. With two teeny tiny eggs, mom will incubate for about sixteen days, and the kids will fledge about twenty-ish days after hatching.

Rock Pigeons: Males find the nest site, then sit and attract their mate by cooing at the site. They aren’t picky; ledges, cranny’s, nooks, you name it, they’ll nest on it. The pair will also reuse the same nest many times, and since they don’t carry away the kiddos feces, the nest can become a crazy sturdy mound full of goodies.

Eurasian collared doves: In warmer regions (ahem, like Phoenix), these pairs can nest, and breed, all year round (hence one of the reasons for their success). The male will bring his mate material like twigs, grass and roots, which he will then push directly under her, where she then builds the nest.

Mourning doves: Like our pigeon friends, these birds are pretty unbothered; they’ll nest in gutters, eaves, abandoned equipment, and in my case, a shelf on my side yard tucked behind several empty canisters of water.

Great-horned owls: As second cavity nesters, these birds don’t make their own nests, they find those available to them. i.e.: they steal from other birds (like a red-tailed hawk), deserted buildings, and even an indent in the ground called a “scrape.”

Barn owls: Like the great-horned owl, these raptors are second cavity nesters, finding nests in barns, cliff ledges, nesting boxes (farmers do this to help control the mice population), church steeples, hay bales…they’re not picky! With an incubation of up to thirty-four days, the kids will stay with mom and dad for between fifty and fifty-five days.

Interested in volunteering to feed baby birds? Orphan Care needs your help! Apply to volunteer for this seasonal position here; all training is done on-site.

It’s that time again! All these random photos with no place to go, but I have to share them with someone!

Without further ado, here are this week’s notable mentions:

An adult coopers hawk comes in unable to stand…take a look at the radiographs and you’ll see why (3 pictures)

Cheese hangs with his new friends, Triscuit, Graham and Ritz (2 pictures)

Piper the red tailed hawk checks things out on the education trail (1 picture)

Remember we’re open to the public Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-1pm; keep an eye out for that summer schedule, which means hotter days and shorter time here to visit for Public Hours. Our intake window is open rain or shine, seven days a week, from 8am-6pm; of course, if you have any questions, you can call us at 480-998-5550. And, as always, keep an eye out for upcoming events (more to come!)

Until next time!