Hope for Wildlife in Seaforth, N.S., provides advanced care for feathered friends

A lot of unusual patients arrive at Hope for Wildlife in need of specialized treatment. Hope Swinimer, the founder and director of the wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre in Seaforth, N.S., said the birds, including a recent arrival, are among the most interesting.

“We have a beautiful, juvenile northern harrier that arrived a couple of days ago,” Swinimer said. “Badly fractured broken wing,” Swinimer said. “So, he’s undergone some extensive surgery but he’s recovering beautifully.”

Mikaela Jahncke is the veterinarian who performed the surgery. She said the harrier’s recovery is going well one week after the operation.

“All the pins are in place,” Jahncke said. “There’s no discharge and he’s doing well. He’s eating and he’s gaining weight.”

Jahncke said the harrier still has a long road ahead including some outdoor physiotherapy in a few weeks when the pins come out.

Swinimer said considering the extent of the damage to the bird’s wing, Jancke did “an amazing job in the surgery” and they are hoping for a full recovery.

“We often have to put these protective guards on their tail feathers because to keep their feathers pristine is ever so important,” Swinimer said. “Because we can’t release a bird if he’s missing feathers or has damaged feathers so this will help him get back to the wild as quick as possible.”

Swinimer said the harriers are endangered in Europe but there is a healthy population in Nova Scotia that can be observed at Hartland Point or Devil’s Island.

“The males, in their adult plumage are called grey ghosts so they’re just a beautiful bird and they go through quite a colour change,” Swinimer said.

On Friday, the work continued. A peregrine falcon arrived at Hope for Wildlife. Another feathered friend found hiding underneath a car, in need of treatment.

“We knew he must have been in distress to be in that area,” Swinimer said. “We’ll know when the doctor gets that x-ray.”

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