On Wednesday, July 11, Austin Wildlife Rescue (AWR) welcomed 60 baby birds after Hurricane Beryl destroyed their nesting and rooking sites. The impact of Beryl on the Houston bird population has been severe, killing hundreds of birds.
AWR is now welcoming 30 Mississippi kites and 30 egrets rescued by Houston wildlife organizations.
The egrets, a common wetland bird in Texas, are expected to be released in late August. The Mississippi kites, a woodland bird that migrates through Texas during the summer months, are expected to be released in September, KVUE reported. Thousands of egrets in Houston have been severely affected by the storm since summertime is their baby season – causing many young egrets to drown in the floods.
The sudden displacement of these birds causes a significant challenge to AWR since they require specialized diets and habitats, which are estimated to cost around $30,000. AWR plans to return the displaced baby birds to their native habitats.
“We are committed to providing the best care possible for these vulnerable birds,” said Jules Maron, certified wildlife rehabilitator and executive director of Austin Wildlife Rescue.
AWR is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rehabilitating and releasing injured or abandoned animals and educating the public about wildlife preservation. Currently, AWR has around 1,600 wild animals in its care and has reached its highest capacity of the year.
The community has raised over $35,000 through the Austin Wildlife Rescue Fundraiser to help the wildlife displaced by Hurricane Beryl.
This article appears in July 12 • 2024.