Miracles take place each and every day at BRC. And Hospital Manager Katie Miller has a front row seat to experience them all. Find out what story has left a lasting impression on her. It may be the inspiration that gets you to support Team Ops.
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Some stories are so beautiful, you know you’ll carry them with you forever. For me, one of those is a tale of two House Finches … and the unexpected synergies between humans and animals that made their second chance possible.
The first finch to arrive was barely fledged. She was found with a terrible chest wound and a drooping shoulder. She was missing tail feathers and struggling to breathe. While our team acted fast to administer oxygen, triage her wound, and start her on pain medication, the situation was dire.
The first miracle is that she survived at all, but then the focus turned to making sure she would recover fully enough to return to her home in the wild. Dr. Rupiper, our small team of Wildlife Technicians, and I were all determined to give this tiny finch her best shot. Her wound had to be surgically debrided to remove dead tissue and promote healing. Then, once she began to mend, we addressed muscle loss with gentle physical therapy every day. As her recovery continued, we introduced natural vegetation to her aviary to stimulate foraging activity and a variety of perches to provide enrichment. We even placed mirrors in her enclosure to provide "friends" during her convalescence.
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Slowly, miraculously, her wound completely healed, her bruising faded, her tail feathers began to grow back, and even her wing strength returned.
But there was still something missing.
Birds—like people—sometimes need connection to complete their recovery. So when a second finch, this one a young adult, was ready to move into an aviary after healing from her own injuries, we decided to introduce the two.
The transformation was instant.
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Within moments, they perched together and began singing back and forth. Over the next week the older finch became a teacher and a friend—singing, grooming, even occasionally feeding the younger bird, who watched and learned, gaining the confidence necessary for release.
And then came the day that brought tears to my eyes.
I carried them together to the hills above Santa Rosa, into an area that was still in recovery from wildfires. I couldn’t help but draw the parallel between a landscape in recovery and these two survivors. They would nourish the land, and in return, the land would nourish them.
As the carrier door opened, the older finch hopped to the edge, looked up to sky, but refused to fly. She looked back into the carrier as if to say “come on, you can do it,” and waited. The younger finch was hesitant, but the older one was unmoving. I, too, waited. The younger finch finally joined her, and they took off in unison—circling, flitting, singing—celebrating together.
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I remember just standing there, watching the sky. It was one of the most magical releases I’ve ever witnessed, and it happened because everything came together at the right time. Someone in our community cared enough to rescue a helpless baby finch. Dedicated team members at BRC refused to give up on her recovery. And a young female finch accepted an unknown baby, nurturing her, encouraging her and refusing to claim her own freedom until they did it together.
You, too, are part of this story because you make survival and renewal possible. With every gift, you heal wings and restore spirits. You give birds a chance to fly free again. You literally save lives and make second chances possible.
Let’s keep writing happy endings together. Please make your gift today.
With deep gratitude and appreciation,
Katie Miller
Hospital Manager
Imagine the good that will happen by funding Team Ops!
Your gifts will:
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Heal the sick and injured
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Care for orphans until they are old enough to survive on their own
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Give a second chance at life to thousands
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Nurture our Ambassadors
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Enhance our education programs, developing a sense of stewardship for avian wildlife
Your donation today will have a life-altering impact on native wild birds!