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Grosbeaks and Cardinals 769

If birds are not moved outside until they are self‐feeding, they should be housed in an outdoor
aviary for at least 14 days to build strength, stamina, and acclimate to the outdoors (weather, preda-
tors, observe natural behavior of wild conspecifics, etc.). A hand‐raised passerine is not ready for
release until it has met appropriate behavioral and physical criteria.

Release

Birds should have excellent feather condition, be aerobically fit, at adult weight, waterproof, totally
self‐feeding, able to recognize their natural diet, able to forage for their natural diet successfully in
the manner appropriate for the species, free of disease and parasites, fully recovered from injuries,
and able to demonstrate a healthy fear of and respond appropriately to all predators, including
humans.
Every effort should be made to release birds back to their natal territory. However, if that is not
possible, select a location with appropriate habitat where the species is present. Releases should
occur in the mid to late morning upon a forecast of 3 days of clear weather.

­ Acknowledgments

Veronica Bowers offers sincere gratitude to the amazing passerines whose beauty and song grace
this earth each day. Jessika Madison‐Kennedy offers great thanks to those who have supported my
avian rescue work over the years, to Janine Perlman Ph.D. for working so closely with me on solv-
ing nutritional issues for different species (as well as reviewing my work), and to the awe‐inspiring
birds, from the common to the rare, that we share this planet with.

­ Sources­for Products­Mentioned

Freeze‐dried insects: Arbico Organics, 10 831 N. Mavinee Drive, Ste. 185, Oro Valley, AZ 85737–
9531, (800) 847–2847, http://www.arbico‐organics.com.
Mealworms, waxworms, dubia roaches, fly larvae, fruit flies and crickets: Rainbow
Mealworms, 126 E. Spruce St, Compton, CA 90220, (800) 777–9676. https://www.
rainbowmealworms.net.
Mesh butterfly enclosures: http://Amazon.com.
Mesh reptariums, logs, and bark: LLLReptile and Supply Company Inc., 609 Mission Ave,
Oceanside, CA 92054, (760) 439–8492, www.http://lllreptile.com.
Recordings of song: Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road,
Ithaca, New York USA 14850 (607) 254–2404 www.macaulaylibrary.org.
Ultracare Mite and Lice Bird Spray: 8 in 1 Pet Products, Hauppauge, NY, (800) 645–5154.

References

Duerr, R.S., Purdin, G.J., and Bowers, V. (2017). Small‐bodied birds: passerines, doves, woodpeckers,
others. In: Topics in Wildlife Medicine, Vol. 4: Orthopedics (eds. R.S. Duerr and G.J. Purdin), 53–74.
St. Cloud, MN: National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association.