Dear Friends,
I’ll never forget the first time I tube-fed a wild bird. It was a Western Grebe — big and beautiful with fierce red eyes, but oiled, sick, very noisy and not exactly happy to see me. I was a fairly new volunteer at International Bird Rescue’s care center in Los Angeles. Staring down at this bird with a temporary leg band labeled R67, I felt the kind of dread that usually comes with final exams and root canals.
But with the expert guidance and support of a mentor volunteer, I succeeded with the tubing. And I had to adopt this bird to celebrate.
International Bird Rescue’s Adopt-a-Bird program is a wonderfully symbolic way to support a variety of birds cared for by our non-profit — some 5,000 have been treated in just the past year alone. Adoptions make unforgettable holiday gifts for all the wildlife lovers in your life.
How do adoptions work? Simple. Just click here for our adoptions page to get started. There are several species of birds and giving levels to choose from, starting at just $25. And your gift is tax-deductible.
With your gift, we’ll send you an official adoption certificate. You can email it, print it out and send to a loved one, or we can create a personalized certificate in full color and mail wherever you’d like us to send it (please make your adoption by December 15 so we can make sure to send in time for the holidays).
R67 was healthy and ready for release a few weeks later, thanks to the teamwork that makes International Bird Rescue so exemplary. I remember placing him back in the water and grinning as he quickly dove out of sight, accompanied by several of his friends and Catalina Island floating out in the distance. My dread had given way to joy.
Warmest wishes this holiday season,
Andrew Harmon
Board of Directors
International Bird Rescue
P.S. — There are many ways to support International Bird Rescue’s work, which has never been more critical for wildlife in need. Find out more at birdrescue.org.
