April is Wildlife Month, and what better way to celebrate than by helping to protect the new birds born this season?
During spring, ducks and geese lay eggs. After the babies hatch, the families march from their nests to nearby ponds and streams. The ducklings and goslings then begin their busy lives of swimming, foraging and eventually starting their own families!
But what if a busy street separates the nest site from the water?
If you’ve ever seen a mother duck or goose trying to cross a busy road with her babies, check out these helpful tips on what to do.
• Contact the police non-emergency line to help stop traffic. • Ask your parents or a trusted adult if they can slowly and calmly herd the family to safety. Never rush into traffic or try to stop traffic yourself! • Do not attempt to capture the birds. • Brush up on bird knowledge. Check out what to do if a duck or goose nests near your pool or on your roof, and how to tell if a baby is a duckling or a gosling. • If you see an injured bird, call the BC SPCA wildlife hotline at 1-855-622-7722.
In Canada, more than 25 million birds are injured by flying into windows each year. This is simply because birds can’t see or recognize windows. Glass reflects the landscape and the sky, so birds often believe that they can fly right on through.
To help save bird lives, ask your parents if you can decorate your window. Draw designs with a bar of wet soap to cut reflections on the glass, or use shiny Mylar tape streamers to prevent birds from flying too close.
Another fun way to help is by designing your own window decal. To make this fun, bird-friendly craft, you will need: • Fabric paint • Clear, flat plastic from your recycle bin • Decal printouts (design your own, or see BC SPCA WindowAlerts for inspiration)
Steps: 1. Place your recycled plastic on top of your window decal printouts. 2. Using the printouts as guides, trace the designs directly onto the plastic with the fabric paint. 3. Let the paint dry for 24 hours. 4. Peel off the decals. Place them on your windows 2-4 inches apart.
The newest issue of Bark! magazine will soon be springing into your mailbox! Here are just a few things you’ll find inside:
• What to do if you think you’ve found an orphaned fawn or seal pup • How to be a snake hero • Your dog’s greatest superpower • Changing the world with "kindness rocks"
Not a Bark! subscriber? Signing up is easy! Just visit spca.bc.ca/kidsclub. For $15, you’ll get Bark! mailed to your door four times a year, plus an awesome welcome package filled with posters, a membership card and other fun goodies!
Greater white-fronted geese are birds that breed in the Arctic tundra. During the winter, they are found in large flocks in wetlands, lakes and croplands across Canada and the United States. These birds are very social, and form strong bonds.
One day, a Good Samaritan found that a young goose was separated from her flock. She had fractures in her shoulder and feet, and was too injured to fly away with her friends and family! Her wounds had caused her to become quite thin and weak. She was also infected with parasites.
Luckily, the Good Samaritan stepped up and called Wild ARC, the BC SPCA’s wildlife rehabilitation centre on Vancouver Island! The goose was rescued and received medical treatment. She made a full recovery. Now, she has been released back into the wild with a flock of her kind. Because of the kindness and quick-thinking of a stranger, this lovely girl has a second chance at life!
If you ever see injured wildlife, call the BC SPCA wildlife hotline at 1-855-622-7722. Geese like this one will be glad you did!
Spring has just begun—but that doesn’t mean you can’t look ahead to summer! Registration is now open in select locations for our summer camps, where animal lovers like you can gather for a fun-filled and action-packed week.
Camps fill up fast, so register today to join in on awesome animal-themed games, crafts and activities! You’ll also hear from animal expert guest speakers and get the chance to spend time with animals in our care. Register today!
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