Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water... 🦈 These hatchling snappers may be lurking in the water with a monstrous appetite, but there's no need to fear... unless you're a tiny insect, worm, or veggie on their menu! 🦗🪱🥦 #turtles #snappingturtle #washdc

Yesterday's mystery toes belonged to an #AmericanCoot! 💚 Found on a balcony in DC, we believe he crash-landed and became stranded. These birds require running takeoffs across water to fly. With no signs of injury/illness, he was released into a body of water with other coots! #nature #birds

Whose toes are those?? 🤔 Comment a wild guess! 💭 A few hints: ❔They are often described as chicken-like. ❔Their lobate toes are specialized for swimming, diving, and walking on aquatic vegetation. ❔They are almost exclusively herbivores. Tune in tomorrow for the answer and this patient's story! ♥️

What a difference a day makes! 👀 This #EasternGraySquirrel and his sister (not pictured) are our youngest patients in care. After a fall from the nest, they were found helpless on a sidewalk with signs of internal trauma. With treatment, the duo is doing well and growing rapidly!

This #EasternCottontail came to us weak and struggling to stand. She was found lying in someone's #WashingtonDC backyard. Examination revealed head trauma (that cocked head is adorable, but it indicates injury to the brain 🤕), a facial fracture, and ticks! We suspect she was struck by a vehicle.

We have #CommonSnappingTurtle babies! 🐢🥚 Their mom came to us in summer after a vehicle strike in DC. Sadly she didn't survive, but she laid all her eggs! Now, 36 have hatched and 3 are unhatched. Many were released when the weather was warm enough, but we will need to keep the rest until spring!

🫵 You can help save the world's #birds during #GlobalBirdRescue. Join us to rescue & document birds that have collided with buildings. Visit globalbirdrescue.org In DC, also report window strikes to [email protected]. Alive? Call us at 202-882-1000 (9-5). After hours, call DCACC 202-888-7387 ext.3

Glue traps are indiscriminate & inhumane! This #CommonYellowthroat was southbound when she spotted a buffet of bugs. Little did she know that beneath was a deadly trap. Several of her primary feathers & her tail are destroyed. She will not be able to complete migration. 💔 #birds #nature

🚨 Peak migration is here! 🚨 Many more high traffic nights, and sadly window strikes, are on the horizon. Migrating #birds face perilous journeys due to threats like: 🌃 Window/building collisions 💡 Light pollution 🐱 Domestic animals 🌱 Habitat loss & food scarcity Read on for how you can help👇

We are deep into squirrel season with nearly 50 #EasternGraySquirrel babies currently in care. 🐿️💚 Read this thread for more about these squirrely patients... cute pictures included! 👇 #babysquirrel #squirrelsky #washdc #nature

Remember this #EasternBoxTurtle? After 396 days in care recovering from a vehicle strike, she's back in the wild! As an IUCN Vulnerable species (high risk of extinction in the wild), every individual counts greatly. Turtles will soon be on move to find overwintering spots! Please drive cautiously.

It's #InternationalVultureAwarenessDay! The DC has 2 species-- Turkey Vultures & Black Vultures. As one of nature's most impressive janitors, #vultures prevent the spread of disease by efficiently consuming carcasses that could otherwise breed pathogens. 🦠 Read on!👇 #birds

Windows aren't just a threat for migrating birds! 🤕 This #BeltedKingfisher was found unable to fly on the sidewalk outside of a medical center with a glass facade in Washington DC. There's little doubt he struck one of its highly reflective surfaces. 💔 #kingfisher #birds

🚨 >1 MILLION migrating birds just passed through DC. 🚨 With them comes a surge in window strikes. >80% of American birds migrate at night. Artificial light distracts & disorients them, luring them to our hazardous cities. 🌃 Learn how YOU can protect these travelers! 🧵👇 #birds #nature #migration

A much waited update on this #albinosquirrel from late Dec. She was released in early April! 🙏 The District of Columbia has a uniquely high population of albino & leucistic squirrels. We have high hopes that this feisty girl has continued to spread her gorgeous & rare genes! 🐿️🤍

THANK YOU to all who participated in our first $5 Friday last week 🙏💚 We raised almost $500! This is invaluable support as baby squirrel season and fall migration ramp up. Stay tuned for a $5 Friday mid-Sep. If you would like to donate beforehand, see citywildlife.org/donate/

We figured it was time for another #pigeon appreciation post! 🕊️ This short thread shows just a few of the pigeons currently in our care. The diversity of their plumages might surprise you! Do you have any interesting pigeon sightings or stories to share? Drop them here! 👇 #birds #washingtondc

Good afternoon to everyone who loves Metro pigeons.

It's #babysquirrel season! 🐿️❤️ Our incubators are already filling up with infant squirrels who are injured, orphaned, or could not be reunited with their mothers. Luckily, most squirrels out of the nest too early CAN & SHOULD be reunited with mom through re-nesting. Read on🧵 #nature #squirrels

It’s $5 Friday! 💚 What better way to wrap up the week than supporting local wildlife?  If you are able to donate or simply share this thread today, you are helping to make a difference for our urban wildlife.  👉 Scan the QR code or visit venmo.com/u/CityWildlife #nonprofit #nature #birds

12 years into operation, our clinic doesn't see many firsts anymore. But this #AcadianFlycatcher was our first infant of his species! 😮 Admitted as a mere 12g nestling, our staff got to work identifying this little stranger. A positive ID is critical to ensuring proper care. 🩺 #birds #nature

Yesterday's mystery patient was a #PileatedWoodpecker, the largest living woodpecker species in North America! ❤️ This male (see the red stripe on his cheek) was found disoriented outside of an apartment complex in #WashingtonDC. He most likely struck a window. 🤕 Read on!🧵 #birds #nature

Can you guess the species? 🤔 Here are some hints: ❓Their main call is described as a "maniacal laugh." They also communicate WITHOUT vocalizing! ❓Males have a red stripe on their cheek. ❓Favorite foods are ants & beetle larvae. Answer & patient story to come TOMORROW! 👀 #birds #nature #rescue

Anyone else having a sleepy Saturday? 😴 This #VirginiaOpossum trio arrived in mom's pouch, with 8 other joeys! Mom was suffering from lead toxicity, parasites, & minor abrasions. These 3 had soft tissue injuries that warranted separation for daily wound care & monitoring. #nature #animalrescue

It's #NationalInternDay! ✨Each year City Wildlife hosts spring, summer, & fall interns. These driven students are instrumental to providing high quality care to an influx of patients admitted during these seasons. Scroll for more shots of our summer interns at work! 📸 #wildlife #nature #animalrescue

This Common #SnappingTurtle is one of two receiving treatment for shell fractures from a vehicle collision. 🚗 As aquatic turtles, they can't be out of water for long, but exposing fractures to water is a recipe for infection. That's where beeswax comes in! 🐝 #washdc #turtles #nature #animalrescue

Interested in wildlife rehab? We are seeking fall interns! Gain knowledge and skills in the rehab of wildlife while helping them get a second chance at life. ❤️‍🩹 The fall in particular brings lots of baby squirrels and unique migratory birds! 🐿️🪶 Scan the QR code/visit the link to apply today! ✍️

It's getting hot in here! 🥵🔥 Extreme heat can put a lot of stress on wildlife, especially juveniles and parents working hard to raise babies. But there are ways we can all help wildlife beat the heat! Please read + repost this thread to raise awareness. 🙏❤️ #heatwave #washdc #nature

Our clinic sees all sorts of patients great & small, including this tiny #WhitefootedMouse! 🐭 This pup was found inside a contractor bag dropped off at someone's house. She was lethargic, thin, and dehydrated, likely having been away from mom for some time 💔 #animalrescue #mouse #nature

This Red-tailed Hawk was found unable to fly on the #NationalMall. 🇺🇸 At our clinic, she tested positive for #rodenticide & lead poisoning.💔 Rat poison does NOT just kill rats. It poisons ecosystems. Learn more about the harm of rodenticide & alternatives at raptorsarethesolution.org

Yesterday was #NationalPigeonAppreciationDay! 🕊️ These resilient, gentle, & unjustly maligned #birds certainly deserve this day! As one of DC's most common birds, and thus one of our most common patients, we get plenty of time to observe their many quirks. 🥰 More #pigeons 🧵👇

Did you miss our posts? We're still here, just neck deep in hungry baby birds like these! 🐣 Last year we cared for over 600 juvenile #birds, and we are on track to exceed that number in 2025! 🤯 Read on for how to help if YOU find a #babybird 🧵

After >200 days in care, this #EasternBoxTurtle has returned home! 🐢🎉 In Oct she was found w/ fractures across the back of her carapace. With time to heal supported by nutritious food, laser therapy, & a cozy enclosure mimicking the forest floor, she healed great! 🍂 Read more & watch her release 👇

Thank you all for celebrating World Migratory Bird Day with us! We truly enjoyed sharing our knowledge and spending time with the community, and we hope you all enjoyed it just as much as we did. We would like to thank the Smithsonian National Zoo for inviting us to this wonderful event.

Happy #MothersDay to human & non-human mothers alike! ❤️ Recently this mama opossum came to us in very bad shape. She had puncture wounds on her back & face, lead poisoning, & she was emaciated to top it all off! Despite this, she had 9 healthy joeys growing in her pouch! 😯 #wildlife #rescue

Visit City Wildlife's table at the Smithsonian Zoo's World Migratory Bird Day Event. Join us May 10th for fun activities, patient stories, and cool migratory bird facts! 🪶

This is what peak migration looks like! 🪽 With several million more birds on track to enter #WashingtonDC airspace, please take action to protect these travelers. Read our previous thread for ways YOU can help! 🙏❤️ #birds #migration #migratorybirds #nature #wildlife #conservation

As we enter peak migration, hundreds of millions of birds will fly across the US nightly using a combo of environmental cues to navigate, including the stars. ✨ Artificial light at night disorients these travelers & attracts them to the deadly hazards of urban centers.🪟🚗🐈 Please read this thread🧵

Happy #InternationalCrowAndRavenAppreciationDay! 🐦‍⬛❤️ Today celebrates the importance & magnificence of these birds who are often misconstrued as evil, greedy, or bad omens. We have one Fish Crow in care being treated for a fractured humerus. ❤️‍🩹 Read on for more about crows and ravens! 🧵👇 #birds

Spring migration is in full swing! We're admitting window strike victims almost every day. 😣💔 This #WoodThrush, the official bird of #WashingtonDC, suffered eye & lung damage after a window strike. Help protect migratory birds with a LightsOutDC.info pledge to reduce your light pollution! #birds

We are thrilled to share some exciting news from City Wildlife! Please join us in welcoming Dr. Lorraine Docherty as our new Executive Director.

Tuesday in DC! Details and tickets at www.ticketleap.events/tickets/prof... @wamu.org @wtopnews.bsky.social @wpgc955.bsky.social @washingtonian.bsky.social @wcp.bsky.social @chesapeakebay.bsky.social @thehoya.bsky.social @marinemammalogy.bsky.social @dccitywildlife.bsky.social

This playful pair of #EasternGraySquirrels, clearly enjoying Red Maple seeds, recently graduated from hand-feeding. We usually upgrade juveniles into much larger enclosures once they are fully self-feeding. But one squirrel was being treated for rodenticide exposure & elevated blood lead levels 💔

⚠️🐢 Please watch out for #turtles! 🐢⚠️ Turtles are emerging from brumation in search of food, mates, & nesting sites. Almost all of our #EasternBoxTurtle patients are hit by cars or lawnmowers while on the move. 😢 These two turtles are no exceptions! Read their stories ⬇️

Last night, approx. 599,000 birds migrated over DC. A combined total of 17 MILLION birds flew over the #DMV. 🤯 And peak migration isn't even until early May! 🫣 ❗️We hope you took the lightsoutdc.info pledge to protect migrating birds by reducing light pollution❗️ #washdc #maryland #virginia #birds

Happy #InternationalBatAppreciationDay ! 🦇🖤 Bats are the only fully flighted mammal, and represent ~20% of all mammal species! Bats are crucial pollinators 🌺 and insectivores 🦟 worldwide. But they need our help! Please read on! ⬇️ #bats #mosquitos #conservation

We are excited to announce the launch of lightsoutdc.info ! 🌃 This is a collaborative campaign to promote awareness on light pollution's harm to migratory #birds & human wellbeing. We're launching just in time, with an est. 3 MILLION birds projected to fly through the DC area tmmrw night! (contd.)

This #BarredOwl was hit by a car on Suitland Pkwy. 🦉 Thankfully, someone stopped to rescue him from the road. On intake, the owl clearly had head trauma. 🤕 We also saw blood in his eyes, leg abrasions, shoulder swelling, & a broken R tarsometatarsus (lower leg bone unique to birds) #birds #washdc

#WildTurkeys are not unusual residents of #DC, but they rarely leave its more natural areas. 🌳 Their breeding season is near its peak right now! 👀 We suspect this gorgeous girl was looking for love when she became panicked in the unfamiliar urban #washingtondc landscape. 🏙️ #birds #nature #rescue

🕵️ MYSTERY BIRD ID 🔎 Can you identify one of our current patients just by her tail? 🤔 Comment your guesses below! 👇 (Find two hints on the next post in this thread) #birds #birder #washdc #washingtondc #animalrescue