Category: Conservation

Beyond the Incubator, Spiny Softshell Turtle Edition

Spiny Softshell Turtle recent hatchling sitting in the hand of a Wildlife Medical Clinic volunteer.

Spiny Softshell Basics

Spiny Softshell Turtles are considered one of the largest freshwater turtle species within the United States. Their unique appearance makes them stand out among other turtle species. As their name suggests, their carapace, or top shell, is flat, flexible, and has spines along the front surface. Their webbed feet and long nose enable these turtles to spend most of their time in the water, either swimming or remaining submerged for extended periods. A typical hunting strategy of this species involves ambushing the prey. They accomplish this by burying themselves in the soil or mud and waiting for food items to swim by. They are generally carnivorous, eating fish, invertebrates, or insects as they see fit.

Arrival to the Wildlife Medical Clinic

Spiny Softshell Turtle hatching from an egg.

On July 22, 2025, a good samaritan presented 18 spiny softshell eggs to the Wildlife Medical Clinic after being found at a construction site. Due to the possibility of the eggs being destroyed during construction, they were not returned to where they were found. The eggs were promptly placed in an incubator with temperature and humidity monitoring but were also monitored daily by our staff and volunteers. We candled the eggs to check viability. This is when you carefully put a light source up to the egg to check for signs that the egg is developing, such as blood vessels. This is a delicate process, as rotating the egg could cause damage to the developing embryo. Reptile eggs, unlike bird eggs, do not need rotated during incubation. After weeks of monitoring, on September 2, our staff and volunteers celebrated as three turtles hatched from their eggs. As the days went on, more turtles emerged, with a total of twelve turtles successfully hatching!

Hatchling Care

Newly hatched Spiny Softshell Turtles in a small plastic carrier with wet towels as substrate.

As our turtles emerged from their eggs, we kept them contained inside an incubator with damp cloth and misted them daily. We did not immediately move them into a larger enclosure, as freshly hatched turtles have a fragile yolk sac that will absorb over a few days post-hatching. To ensure the yolk sac did not break, the turtles were not handled unless necessary and were kept in a well-controlled environment until the sac was absorbed. Once the yolk sac was absorbed, we moved the turtles into an aquarium with substrate that allowed them to burrow, vegetation to hide in, basking spots to warm up under, and appropriate lighting. The turtles were offered a variety of food options like shrimp, bloodworms, and small feeder fish. We continued to monitor the turtles daily, observing their food intake, water quality, and overall behavior. We just needed to ensure they were healthy and eating before we released them back into the wild.

Release

Several Spiny Softshell turtles in a small aquarium with artificial plants and log to bask on.

Once our staff veterinarian gave them a clean bill of health, they were approved for release. We had to strategically choose a location to release them, as we could not return them to the construction site they came from. We chose a release site directly into the lake next to which their eggs were found.  On September 14, after confirming a proper release site, the turtles were released back into the wild. Our team is incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity to care for these turtles from the incubator to release and hope they have a long, happy life in the wild!

You can see footage of their release on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1FxPqwULpr.

Written By: Riley D., Class of 2027

Wildlife and Domestic Cats

Mourning Dove sitting on a towel between two gloved hands during a veterinary exam.

Wildlife Medical Clinic Overview

Each year, the Wildlife Medical Clinic at the University of Illinois provides care to around 2,300 wildlife patients and about 120 different species. We take all native Illinois wildlife, excluding skunks and bats. While these animals arrive for a variety of reasons including injury, illness, and being orphaned as youngsters, the most common reasons include: collisions with vehicles, habitat destruction, infectious disease, and altercations with domestic animals. These altercations include one of the most preventable injuries and those are injuries inflicted by domestic cats.

Mourning Dove Case Overview

Young Mourning Dove in hand having its left wing examined by Wildlife Medical Clinic staff.

Recently, a juvenile mourning dove arrived at the clinic after being attacked by a domestic cat. The bird arrived frightened, bleeding, and unable to fly. Upon examination, volunteers discovered multiple puncture wounds on both wings. These injuries were consistent with bite and claw marks. Radiographs, or x-rays, were taken to assess how extensive the injuries were. The imaging revealed fractures in two key bones responsible for flight: the coracoid and the clavicle. To make matters worse, the mourning dove had also lost a significant number of flight feathers, further impairing its mobility and making escape from predators impossible.

Treatment began immediately. Under the guidance of our staff veterinarian, volunteers worked swiftly to administer pain relief and disinfect the wounds, as cat bites are prone to causing serious bacterial infections. This patient is currently recovering under close observation, and while healing will take time, we are hopeful for a full recovery and eventual release back into the wild once the bones mend and the feathers grow back in.

Domestic Cats and Their Effect on Wildlife

Sadly, this mourning dove is far from an isolated case. Domestic cats kill an estimated 2.4 billion birds annually in the United States alone! When combined with ongoing habitat loss, pollution, and climate change, predation by domestic cat’s places tremendous pressure on already vulnerable bird populations.

Keeping pet cats indoors is one of the most impactful ways individuals can help protect local wildlife, and it also significantly reduces risks to the cats themselves. Outdoor cats face a range of dangers, including vehicles, predators, disease, poisoning, and the potential to become lost. Fortunately, there are safe and enriching alternatives. Catios (cat patios) and leash training allow cats to enjoy the outdoors in a controlled environment that keeps both them and wildlife safe.

Help Wildlife by Keeping Cats Indoors

The Wildlife Medical Clinic is committed to providing medical care to sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife, offering training to veterinary students, and taking an active role in conservation by educating members of the community about safely coexisting with native Illinois wildlife. Preventable injuries like those seen in this mourning dove remind us that small, responsible actions, such as keeping pet cats indoors, can have a profound impact on the health of our shared environment.

For more information on domestic cats and wildlife, check out the American Bird Conservancy at https://abcbirds.org/strategies/cats-birds.

Written By: Lily M., Class of 2029

Eerie Creatures- Scary or Misunderstood

Captive Barn Owl sitting on a gloved hand.

As spooky season approaches, we want to talk about a few animals that get a bad rap for being scarier than they truly are.

Owls

Owls are often associated with death and bad luck and were once thought to be messengers of witches. One owl in particular, the barn owl, takes the brunt of some of this folklore. Due to its nocturnal nature, ghostly white color, habit of resting in barns, and loud screaming calls, these creatures were thought to be a ghost.

The reality is these animals don’t want to be around people at all. They are great predators that help to control rodent populations, which in turn helps to stop the spread of zoonotic disease that rodents may be carrying.

Virginia Opossum

Virginia Opossum joey tucked under the fold of a blanket. Opossum is looking forwards but right side of body visible from under the blanket.

These nocturnal animals are often misunderstood and thought of negatively. Common opinions are they are aggressive towards people, not intelligent, dirty and disease-ridden.

This could not be farther from the truth. These animals try their hardest to avoid people but when this is unavoidable, their defense can look somewhat intimidating. They hold their mouths open and hiss. In most cases, this is a bluff, and they will then attempt to run away or hope you walk away so they can flee. These animals are not dirty and in fact spend a lot of time grooming to keep clean. Being the only marsupial or pouched mammal in North America makes them quite unique and they have a slightly lower body temp compared to other mammals, making it very difficult for them to get rabies. In addition to this, they are also immune to most North American snake venom, scorpion, and bee stings. These animals are actually very important in the environment and in addition to fruits, vegetables, greens, and insects, they will also eat carrion, or dead animals. This helps to stop the spread of disease and clean up the environment. They also help to prevent tick-borne illness by eating a large number of ticks as they groom themselves. They play a role in dispersing seeds and are a food source for other animals such as owls, hawks, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, and bobcats. So, as you can see, these misunderstood creatures are not scary but in fact super beneficial in the environment.

Toads

American Toad close up image of head. Toad looking forwards with both eyes open.

Toads have been said to give you warts if you touch them, but this is not true. In fact, the bumps on their back actually secrete a mild toxin to ward off predators. Because of this, they were often associated with witches and said to be used by them to craft poisons.

I can see where this would sound scary but, in all reality, toads are very beneficial to the environment. These animals are great at consuming insects, especially in your garden or around crops. They also are great indicators of ecosystem health as their skin is permeable and it makes them vulnerable to toxic substances and drought, which means a decline in numbers can show environmental problems. Even though they can secrete a mild poison, some animals are immune to it or have figured out the safe areas to eat, so toads serve as an important source of food for these other animals (Ex. crows, red shouldered hawks, snakes, and even Virginia opossum).

Bats

Two Bats resting on the glove of a wildlife rehabilitator in Texas. One bat is sleeping and one is yawning.

Bats were first connected to the spooky season after Dracula was written in which vampires were said to shapeshift into bats and then drink blood from humans. There are only three species of bats (common vampire bat, white-winged vampire bat, and hairy legged vampire bat) that feed on blood, and they are found in Central and South America. There are also a few species of carnivorous bats that feed on birds, mice, lizards, frogs, and fish. But the vast majority of the close to 1,400 species of bat feed on insects, fruit, and nectar. These animals are very important for pollination and seed dispersal and many of the bat species, especially ones found in our area, are great at pest control, consuming large amounts of insects each night. These animals account for just over 20% of all the mammal species in the world, which means 1 in 5 mammals are bats!

**Unfortunately, the Wildlife Medical Clinic is unable to accept bats, as it is illegal to rehabilitate this species in the state of Illinois due to the risk of rabies exposure. If you encounter a sick or injured bat, or find a bat in your home, please do not handle it and contact your local animal control agency as well as your physician.**

Snakes

Caduceus the Brazilian Rainbow Boa Ambassador roaming in the grass next to some flowers.

Snakes often receive a bad reputation and are thought of as evil, slimy, and dangerous. Throughout history (mythology, religion, and storytelling), snakes have been portrayed as evil. These creatures have scales instead of fur, lack eyelids so they cannot blink, and have no appendages so they slither across the ground flicking their tongue to smell and assess their environment.

These creatures are actually very beneficial to the environment as many eat rodents, which helps to reduce the spread of zoonotic disease. Some smaller snakes like Dekay’s brown snake and garter snakes’ prey on insects and help to keep your garden free of pests. In addition to being a predator, these animals are also prey for many animals such as larger snakes, birds of prey, and some mammals.

Of the 3,900 species of snakes worldwide, about 600 or 15% of them are venomous. While these few snakes have the potential to cause bodily harm to a human, most just want to be left alone and will not go out of their way to engage with humans. They don’t want to use their venom unless they must and ideally that would be for catching prey. Otherwise, most interactions with snakes, venomous or not are when we find them basking in the sun to warm up, moving through the woods or our yards foraging for food, and hiding under an object near our home. Once spotted they do their best to either flee, feign death, or be defensive in hopes of scaring us away. So next time you see these misunderstood creatures, give them some space and let them be on their way as they have an important job to do.

Coyote

Coyote Wildlife Patient in a stainless steel enclosure sitting next to a blanket.

While wolves are more commonly associated with spooky season and said to shape shift into werewolves, we would like to highlight this local and lesser known canid.

Coyotes were once thought of as an ominous sign. Native American Navajo people believed you should turn back if one crossed your path. They also admired the coyote as well for its intelligence and aptly named it the trickster since they can be funny or fearsome. These animals are also thought to be dangerous to humans, which is generally not true and if seen out in the day, people often think these animals are rabid, which usually is also not true.

While these animals are very intelligent and curious, they are quite shy and fearful of humans. They are top predators and help control the populations of smaller mammals and rodents such as rabbits, skunks, raccoons, foxes, and sometimes deer. This helps with maintaining a healthy ecosystem and species diversity in the environment. Surprisingly, coyotes are omnivores and will eat fruit and vegetables too, especially when meat is scarce. These animals are most commonly crepuscular, which means they are active at dawn and dusk. However, they are opportunistic, so based on food availability, they may be out during the day or night. If you see them out during the day, it does not mean they have rabies, they are more than likely just searching for food.

These animals are very important in the environment and help to keep the ecosystem balanced. While it is not common, they can pose a threat to some of our smaller domestic animals, such as cats and dogs, not horses and other large farm animals. To keep coyotes wild and away from your pets, it is best to feed your pets inside, keep your cats indoors, and make sure to supervise your dog(s) when they are outside. While coyotes don’t actively seek these animals as prey, they would not turn down the opportunity if the animal was easily available. There is no need to fear a coyote but just be aware and alert if one is near your property and smaller pets.

Appreciate and Respect Wildlife

We hope you are less fearful of and have a better appreciation for some of these species after learning about how important they are in the environment. In the future if one should cross your path, admire from a distance, and let it be on its way as it has important business to tend to and a special place in the ecosystem and food web!

Written By: Sydney O., WMC Program Coordinator

Deceptively Endangered? – The American Golden Plover

Golden Plover Graphic with common and scientific name listed below images of a male and female plover. Image retrieved from Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Photo credit: Briansmallphoto.com

General Information and Characteristics

Considered to be one of the fastest flying shorebirds, reaching speeds of up to 60 miles per hour, the American Golden Plover is a common migratory bird species found traversing the state of Illinois, as well as throughout the Midwest region. Each year, hailing from the Arctic Tundra, these elusive migratory birds begin their nearly 20,000 mile journey. This yearly journey begins in Northern Canada and Alaska where they embark on a circular path to South America before crossing back over the Atlantic Ocean to return to the Arctic Tundra. During the breeding season, American Golden Plovers can be identified by their black feathers ventrally, dark feathers with black and yellow markings dorsally, and a question-mark shape of white feathers that begins above the beak trailing down around the eye and down the neck. The non-breeding morphology for this species is gray-brown with the dorsal aspect being darker than the ventral aspect and white speckling throughout the body.

Golden Plover in non-breeding plumage feeding in shallow water.

Pictured above is the non-breeding morphology for the American Golden Plover. (Picture retrieved from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, photo credit to SteveByland/pond5.com.) Pictured below is an American Golden Plover hunting an earthworm (Picture retrieved from birdsoftheworld.org; photo credit to Graham Gerdeman.)

Young golden plover with worm in mouth leaning back some as it pulls the rest of the worm from the ground.

American Golden Plovers are primarily insectivores, but do enjoy the occasional berry, mollusk, and crustacean. They are typically found enjoying grasshoppers, beetles, and earthworms. During the spring, berries are of high importance being one of the few foods available to them. Interestingly, some studies have suggested that American Golden Plovers retain seeds in their digestive tract to help fuel themselves during migration. However, there has not been any promising evidence for this claim currently.

Deceptively Endangered?

During migration periods, American Golden Plovers utilize only a few habitat types, mainly grasslands, mudflats, and shorelines. They have been seen utilizing more man-made environmental areas including tilled farmland. However, due to the increases in farmland and infrastructure, native habitat options are decreasing. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the American Golden Plover is a species of least concern; however, population levels are trending down.

Map of the United States with number of HPAI detections in Wild Birds in 2022.

According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, there are times when over half of the world’s population of American Golden Plovers reside in a handful of eastern Illinois counties during their spring migration. The duration that American Golden Plovers spend in this region is around 45 days, with the individual spending around 24 days on average. In the grand scheme of things, a 45 day stopover duration may not pose any concerns. However, it should be of note the proportion of the population that potentially consolidates in this small region. It is common knowledge at this point that the country is in the middle of a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak. In the event that the American Golden Plover population could be afflicted by HPAI during their stopover in Illinois, a huge proportion of the population could be wiped out.

Conservation Efforts

There are a variety of ways that members of the public can get involved and contribute to the conservation of avian species like the American Golden Plover among others. One way is to connect with your local Audubon organization to stay up to date on relevant information and help distribute reputable educational materials. A direct link to find your local Audubon has been included at the end of this post.

Staying up to date on laws, regulations, and movements as they relate to conservation is also of importance, as they may not always reflect the best interest for wildlife.

SCARC, or Shorebird Conservation Acreage via Drainage Runoff Control Program, is an example of an initiative that has been explored to help make stopovers for various migratory species more welcoming and habitable. This program offers a monetary incentive for farmers to temporarily flood areas of their farmland to provide areas for migratory birds to rest and forage during their stopover. The program includes implementation of structures that allow water levels to be controlled in these areas during specific time frames. Once migratory species continue north, farmers can utilize these structures to release the water with minimal impact to their farming endeavors.

Local Audubon Finder

References

Written By: Rachel E., Class of 2027

Birds and Migration

Swallow-tailed Kite in flight.

Avian Migration

Whether you’re an avid bird-watcher or a person who avoids parking under trees so that you don’t have to wash the droppings off of your car for the nth time this week, you’re bound to have noticed that bird populations seem to ebb and flow with the seasons. You might be wondering, “where do they go?” Some might even notice that a few of these birds are only around during certain parts of the year, such as the famed Swallow-tailed Kite in the southeastern U.S. Then, you might be wondering, “why don’t they stick around?” As the seasons change, so do the food sources and the climate. Birds don’t have the luxury of bringing out-of-season foods back to their home or adjusting their thermostat with the changing temperature like we humans do, so they resort to travel. Each species’ resource needs will dictate where they go during migration and how far they need to travel for it.

Fall Migration

We are actually right in the middle of the fall migration season, which runs from approximately August 1st to November 30th. Each night, up to 45 million birds fly over Illinois on their way south to the southern U.S., Central America, and South America to escape the cold winter and lack of food supply. During these migratory seasons, species that are not normally seen in your area might be coming through, such as the Magnolia Warbler and the American Redstart, which are on their way south to Central and South America.

Side view of a male American Redstart perched on a branch.

What Can You Do to Help?

Plant native trees and flowers

Because of the long journey, birds need to be able to get food along the way. With decreasing diversity of flora in urban and suburban areas, ample food sources, such as bugs and seeds are increasingly difficult for migratory species to come by. Pesticide use and monoculture agriculture is turning their travel route from an all-you-can-eat buffet into a Nevada desert gas station scavenger hunt. Imagine Forrest Gump making his trek across the U.S. with only the occasional French fry; it wouldn’t happen. So, how can you help the birdies out, you ask? Plant some native flora! Diverse flowers attract diverse insects, which help feed the immense variety of bird species that come through Illinois (not to mention the native bats!).

Build shelters and nests

Nobody wants to get caught out in the rain when they’ve got business to do, and that includes our avian friends. Building nest boxes and shelters helps our friends have a dry and safe night’s rest before continuing on the air highway. Some species also nest here in Illinois during the spring, so building nest boxes also helps them to have a safe place to raise their young; and if you planted some native plants near the box, they’ll have food delivery, too!

Put decals on your windows

Birds more than likely don’t understand the concept of windows on our homes, and so they don’t know to be looking out for these invisible barriers. As a result, they often fly straight into them and suffer severe head trauma – a major reason a lot of birds end up here at the Wildlife Medical Clinic (WMC). Placing decals on your windows helps them to see the window and at least slow down before attempting to fly through it, which can potentially save their lives.

Want to learn more?

Cornell University and their Ornithology Lab have put out some incredible free resources for us bird lovers, such as Merlin and eBird. Merlin functions as a bird-identifying app through use of sound and step-by-step visual identification tools to help you figure out what obscure bird it was that you just heard or saw. Once you figure out the little bugger, you can hop over to eBird, Merlin’s sister-app, to record the bird you saw and at what location. This is a way to help contribute to the ongoing research of bird migration seasons, which even helps us out here at the WMC! We can use the information learned from species-specific migratory seasons to know if it is okay to release a bird or if they have to over-winter; we want to make sure we’re sending them out with a band of their mates to find their feeding grounds for the winter.

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy seeing a new bird or two!

References

“American Redstart Overview, All about Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology.” Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, TheCornellLab, www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Redstart. Accessed 16 Oct. 2024.

“Illinois – Birdcast Migration Dashboard.” BirdCast, TheCornellLab, dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-IL. Accessed 16 Oct. 2024.

“Magnolia Warbler Overview, All about Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology.” Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, TheCornellLab, www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/magnolia_warbler. Accessed 16 Oct. 2024

Written By: Rylan D., Class of 2028

Scavengers Aren’t Scary

Young Virginia Opossum sitting on a blanket, looking forwards.

Sydney Oliveira, WMC Program Coordinator, and Roxanne Lisowsky, Wildlife Ambassador Care Coordinator and DVM candidate 2027 talk about scavengers. They also introduce us to the Wildlife Medical Clinic’s newest ambassador animal, a young male Virginia Opossum.

Should you rescue that animal? Understanding injured wildlife

Young Virginia Opossum wildlife patient being held for an examine in the Wildlife Medical Clinic.

Sydney Oliveira, WMC Program Coordinator, had the pleasure of chatting with Illinois Extension educators on their podcast, Everyday Environment.

Some topics that were discussed include the following:

  • What to do if you find injured wildlife
  • How to prevent common injuries to wildlife
  • The vital role rehabilitation and education play in conservation

To listen to the podcast or read the blog, check out the links below.

Chronic Wasting Disease in White-tail Deer

Two White tailed deer fawns touch noses as they rest in a straw filled enclosure.

White-tailed Deer

White tailed deer fawn, resting in straw in a rehab enclosure.

In addition to being named the state mammal, the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is the only native deer species present within Illinois and is the largest herbivore species in the state.

As prey species, these animals commonly travel in herds and spend most of their day camouflaging within wooded areas and heavy brush. However, deer are considered browsers and will leave the safety of the woods, heading for open fields where preferable vegetation is available, feeding at dusk and dawn (crepuscular). They can be identified by their tan to gray fur and their notable ‘white tail’ which, when upright, can signal to other deer in the area that danger is near.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)

While the white-tail deer is susceptible to a multitude of illnesses and different types of disease, one disease of particular concern in the state of Illinois is Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). CWD is a prion disease. A prion is a protein that, when created, was formed incorrectly and leads to the protein acting inappropriately or abnormally. Prions lack any form of DNA and are not considered living organisms like bacteria or parasites, however, when normal functioning proteins encounter prions, the prions manipulate the proteins, causing them to act abnormally, and functionally turning the protein into another prion. Other examples of prion diseases include Mad Cow Disease in cattle and Scrapie in sheep and goats.

Prions can be found both within an organism and within that organisms environment. In many cases, prions can be found in the soil, water, grass and even rocks and can thrive in these environments for years. Prions can also be found in infected fluids from infected individuals including presence in the urine, feces, saliva, and blood. Animals can become infected with this disease either via exposure to prions in their environment or via prions present in animal excretions and fluids.

Symptoms of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)

Once an animal has become exposed to the prions, proteins within the body will become infected, ultimately changing their functions and causing physical symptoms in the animal. Symptoms of CWD in deer include dramatic amounts of weight loss (also called wasting), uncoordinated movement, drooling, ‘dazed’ appearance, excessive drinking and urination, droopy ears and decreased fear of humans or other predators. While prions associated with CWD can infect multiples tissues of the body including lymph nodes, spleen and muscle, the neurological symptoms present in cases of CWD are primarily caused by accumulation of prions in the brain and spinal cord.

While infection of CWD can occur at any time, accumulation of prions in the body takes time and therefore, it can take anywhere from 16 months to 4 years before symptoms are appreciated. Additionally, once an animal is infected, they can shed the disease and spread it to other members of their herd, regardless of whether symptoms are present, making it difficult to track and detect the spread of this disease. Currently, there is no vaccine, treatment or cures available to fight CWD and therefore infection of this disease is lethal.

Be informed and help stop the spread of CWD

CWD was first identified in a captive deer population located in Colorado in the 1960’s and since then has spread to thirty-two states, parts of Canada and most recently, Europe. CWD is also able to infect other animals belonging to the cervid family which includes elk, moose, reindeer, and other species of deer such as the red deer, the mule deer, and the black tail deer. While there is no evidence to prove that humans can contract CWD, more research needs to be completed. For hunting, it is recommended that deer carcasses be tested for CWD prior to consumption. If a carcass is found to be infected with CWD, any products from that animal should not be consumed and the state DNR or DWR should be notified. Yearly reporting on CWD in Illinois is available by county through the Illinois DNR website. While diseases such as CWD present in wildlife can be scary, identification of disease and proper reporting are the best ways that you can make a difference in helping to better manage and stop the spread of disease in your area.

Written By: Emma S., Class of 2027

Works Cited

Chronic Wasting Disease Management. (n.d.). Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved October 17, 2024, from https://dnr.illinois.gov/programs/cwd.html

Chronic Wasting Disease in Animals | CWD. (2024, May 13). CDC. Retrieved October 17, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-wasting/animals/index.html

Escobar, L. E., Pritzkow, S., Winter, S. N., Grear, D. A., Kirchgessner, M. S., Dominguez‐Villegas, E., … & Soto, C. (2020). The ecology of chronic wasting disease in wildlife. Biological Reviews, 95(2), 393-408.

Wagner, K., Pierce, R., Gordon, E., Hay, A., Lessard, A., Telling, G. C., … & Zabel, M. D. (2022). Tissue-specific biochemical differences between chronic wasting disease prions isolated from free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Journal of Biological Chemistry, 298(4).

White-tailed Deer. (n.d.). Wildlife Illinois. Retrieved October 17, 2024, from https://wildlifeillinois.org/identify-wildlife/white-tailed-deer/

**Images in this article do not depict deer with Chronic Wasting Disease. These are healthy orphaned deer fawn.**

Window Strikes in Birds

Injured thrush bird in a temporary carrier awaiting its triage exam.

According to the American Bird Conservancy, it is estimated that collisions likely kill between 365 million to 1 billion birds annually in the United States. The total number of window or glass strikes is likely far greater. In many cases, after colliding with glass, birds suffer internal hemorrhage, concussion, head and eye injuries, and temporary stunning.

How To Prevent Window Strikes in Birds: What You Can Do At Home

Mourning Dove in a towel nest with artificial plants to hide behind.

Birds are often drawn to windows because they are tricked by the reflections they see in the glass. Start by going outside and looking at your windows from a bird’s point of view. Do you see branches or sky reflected in the glass of the window? If the answer is yes, then that is what a bird flying by sees too. To a bird, your window looks like a good place to land or a space it can fly through.

The following are some ways you can help prevent bird window strikes at your home:

  • Move indoor plants away from windows to reduce their reflection in the glass.
  • Turn off indoor lights when you are not actively in the room; this can reduce reflections, make the window less inviting to the bird from the outside and is also a great way to conserve energy.
  • Install and maintain screens on the outside of all windows. The screen will provide a softer surface for the bird to bounce off and reduce the likelihood of injury to the bird. This also reduces bugs in your house when your windows are open.
  • You can buy or make your own window decals or stickers to place on the outside of your windows to break up the space and make it look less inviting to the bird. These can be anything, including stripes, sun catchers, dots, or silhouettes.
    • Often, a single decal or sticker is not enough; they work best if there are multiple, and they are spaced close enough together that the spaces in between are too narrow for a bird to fly through. The overall goal is to create the appearance of a cluttered environment that a bird would not be able or want to fly through. You can visit Acopian BirdSavers to buy or learn how to make your own birdsavers.

Have You Found a Stunned Bird or Witnessed a Bird Strike a Window?

Junco bird sitting in the corner of a soft sided kennel with artificial plants to hide in.

Often the bird will be stunned or unable to move well. You can carefully pick up the bird, using both hands, gloves, and a pillowcase, and move the animal to a dark, quiet place. Cardboard boxes with lids work well. The box you use will need adequate ventilation; to achieve this, you can use a pen to poke holes in the top and sides of the box to allow for proper air movement for the bird to breathe.

Written By: Caroline M., Class of 2027

Wildlife Medical Clinic
John A. Coyne South Clinic
2100 South Goodwin Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
217-244-1195
College of Veterinary Medicine