Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge

Found an injured or abandoned animal?

The USFWS/Refuge does NOT rescue, rehabilitate or accept injured or orphaned animals. 

Although difficult, sometimes the best course of action is to do nothing and let nature take its course. 

If you wish to intervene, below is a list of resources that may be able to assist you.

First Things First

It is illegal to remove a bird or other wildlife from a state or county park, or other open space. If the animal in question is located in your yard or other private property, you may contact a licensed wildlife rehabber (listed below).

As a reminder, it is illegal for non-permitted individuals to possess or care for injured, sick, or orphaned wild animals. We repeat: DO NOT keep the animal and try to nurse it yourself.

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What to do if...

You found a baby bird

Identify the type of bird (feathered fledgling, naked nestling, or a duck or gosling).

Unless the bird is injured, place it back where it was found to be re-united with the parents and siblings.

Fledgling birds found on the ground should be placed in a dense bush that will provide protection until the parent can find it.

An online self-service portal for injured wildlife can be found at: https://www.paws.org/wildlife/.

You may watch to this video from the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW). (Please note that this is a webinar and not meant to serve as formal guidance.)

You may also refer to the Living with Wildlife page on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) website.

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You found an injured bird

Birds can become injured and sick for a multitude of reasons. The most common reasons include getting attacked by house cats, window collisions, being hit by cars, and bacterial and viral illnesses contracted at bird feeders.

The only time you should even consider intervening in any wild animal’s life is if it is clearly sick or injured – or in the case of a baby, if you are certain the parent is dead. If it flies off when you try to approach, it does not need your help.

Signs of adult songbird in need of help:

• On the ground not moving 
• Does not fly away when approached
• Easily picked up
• Extremely fluffed up or ruffled feathers 
• Eyes closed, squinted, crusty, weepy, swollen, bleeding
• Evidence of blood or wounds
• Panting, shivering, vomiting
• Obvious injured limb (dangling leg, drooping/hanging wing, wings not symmetrical)
• Tries to fly but can’t

Before you intervene,pleaseremove any and all cats, dogs and other pets from the area to avoid further injury to the bird. Direct small children to stay away to avoid stressing it.

If a bird has hit a window, it may just be temporarily stunned and needs a little time to regain its senses. Leave it alone and it may be able to fly away on its own. If it’s still not moving on its own within 15-30 minutes, it may help to put it in a more sheltered place.

If the bird is a small species (not a raptor or bird of prey) that you feel you can safely handle, use gloves to pick it up and carefully put it in a towel-lined cardboard box with a lid or a towel over the top. Keep the box in a cool, quiet, safe place.

In the case of a window-collision stunned bird, with no signs of any other kind of injury, open the box every 15 minutes to give it a chance to fly away.

Whatever the injury, when you periodically check on the bird’s condition, don’t be surprised if it dies. Birds go into shock very easily when injured, and often die from the shock.

Do not try to force feed or give water to any bird or animal that you’ve confined to a box.

Do not attempt to treat or raise a wild animal yourself – it could be harmful to the animal or to you, and it’s against state and federal laws. If you are not properly trained, you could make an animal’s situation worse or even kill it. If kept improperly, animals may lose their natural fear of humans and become more vulnerable to predation or injury.

You found a dead bird with a band

Report band number online at www.reportband.gov

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You found a deer fawn

Leave the deer alone unless you are certain the deer is dead, or the fawn is clearly sick or injured.

Do not handle a fawn until you have called a wildlife rehabilitator. If you have handled a fawn, rub an old towel in the grass and wipe the fawn to remove human scent. Using gloves, return the fawn to where it was found. Fawns can often be returned to their mothers if taken back to where they were found within 24-48 hours.

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Washington Wildlife

For issues with mammals, non-listed fish, game animals, fishing licenses:

Call Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) at 509-892-1001 or 360-902-2200 

To report wild animals on freeways:

Contact the Washington State Department of Transportation at 509-324-6585

To report injured wildlife or other wildlife-related emergencies:

Contact the Washington State Patrol at 509-456-4101

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Washington Rehabbers

You are allowed to bring injured wildlife to one of the listed rehabbers or vets who accept these animals. You may take the animal to another vet, but there is no guarantee they will accept it. The reporting party must call the rehabber and confirm they will accept the animal before bringing it.

There is no pick-up service in the region. 

You will need to bring injured wildlife to a rehabilitator or vet yourself. This Good Samaritan act is covered under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (detailed below). 

Alternatively, you may contact Spokane Audubon's Save A Bird Team and a volunteer may be able to relocate the animal for you. You may email them at spokanebirdrehab@gmail.com. 

WDFW has a searchable map of rehabbers on their website.

USFWS also has a searchable map of bird-specific rehabbers.

*WSU will accept wildlife from WA and ID without an import/export permit, BUT all wildlife from ID must be re-released in ID. Note: absolutely no cervids coming to WA from out of state will be accepted. If an out-of-state animal is to be released in WA, a permit is needed from the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Eastern Regional Office in Spokane might know of additional resources. You may contact them at 509-892-1001 or TeamSpokane@dfw.wa.gov. 

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Partners

Idaho Wildlife

For issues with mammals, non-listed fish, game animals, fishing licenses:

Call Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) at 208-334-3700

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Idaho Rehabbers

You are allowed to bring injured wildlife to one of the listed rehabbers or vets who accept these animals. You may take the animal to another vet, but there is no guarantee they will accept it. The reporting party must call the rehabber and confirm they will accept the animal before bringing it.

There is no pick-up service in the region. You will need to bring injured wildlife to a rehabilitator or vet yourself. This Good Samaritan act is covered under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (detailed below).

Refer to the IDFG FAQ for injured or orphaned wildlife.

USFWS also has a searchable map of bird-specific rehabbers.

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Partners

Laws & Regulations

For law enforcement (illegal activities)

If you wish to report a suspected wildlife crime, call 1-844-397-8477 or email fws_tips@fws.gov.

For Washington residents, contact information for law enforcement is available on the WDFW website.

For Idaho residents, suspected wildlife crime can be reported online via the IDFG website. 

If you have a specific question regarding suspected illegal wildlife activities, contact the regional USFWS law enforcement office at 503-231-6125.

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Migratory Bird Treaty Act

Most birds are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). It is illegal for any person to take, possess, transport, sell, or purchase them or their parts, such as feathers, nests, or eggs, without a permit.

Active nests with eggs or chicks may not be touched or destroyed without a permit from the Service.

Exceptions to Permit Requirements

Per, 50 CFR 21.12 General exceptions to permit requirements, Licensed veterinarians are not required to obtain a Federal migratory bird permit to temporarily possess, stabilize, or euthanize sick and injured migratory birds. However, a veterinarian without a migratory bird rehabilitation permit must transfer any such bird to a federally permitted migratory bird rehabilitator within 24 hours after the bird's condition is stabilized, unless the bird is euthanized. If a veterinarian is unable to locate a permitted rehabilitator within that time, the veterinarian must contact his or her Regional Migratory Bird Permit Office for assistance in locating a permitted migratory bird rehabilitator and/or to obtain authorization to continue to hold the bird…“

Unprotected birds

House sparrows, pigeons, European starlings, and domestic ducks (e.g., Muscovy) and domestic geese are NOT protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

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Lacey Act

The Lacey Act is a US conservation law that was enacted in 1900 to prohibit the illegal trade of fish, wildlife, and plants. Under the Act, it is unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce any wildlife, fish, or plant. In other words, it is illegal to transport biological specimens across state lines without a permit.

Exceptions to Act Requirements (AKA the "Good Samaritan" rule)

There are some exceptions for wildlife rehabilitation. Per 50 CFR 21.31 Rehabilitation Permits, "any person who finds a sick, injured, or orphaned migratory bird may, without a permit, take possession of the bird in order to immediately transport it to a permitted rehabilitator.” In most cases, only a signed Certificate of Veterinary Inspection is required. However, not all facilities can accept wildlife from out of state.

All wildlife transported across state lines for rehab purposes must be released in the animal’s state of origin.

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Import/Export

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is a global treaty to ensure international trade in wild plants and animals is legal, traceable, and biologically sustainable. CITES covers more than 37,000 species of animals and plants, including their derivatives and products, listed in three Appendices based on their conservation status and the level of trade protection they require. Much of the import and export of wildlife, including for rehabilitation purposes, is governed by this treaty.

Questions: 703-358-2104                 

Permits: 800-358-2104

Washington Species Import Requirements

https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=16-54-180

Idaho Species Import Requirements

https://agri.idaho.gov/main/animals/other-species/other-species-imports/

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Additional Resources