NWBR: Our Facility's Future

Have you ever wondered what happens to injured wildlife? Who cares for them - who advocates for their well-being, comfort, and medical care? Imagine the stranded owl, clipped by a car, no longer able to fly or hunt because his wing has been severely broken and mangled; or the Bald Eagle, stumbling and dizzy, a victim of lead toxicity unfortunately caused by human presence. The presentation and cases of these native birds are, unfortunately, not uncommon. Avian wildlife is injured daily, with many of the presenting clinical signs directly correlated to human presence. Northsong Wild Bird Rehabilitation believes these animals deserve the medical care, treatment, and rehabilitation chances that we and our domestic pets do. NWBR’s project focus for 2023 focuses on creating a quality medical and rehabilitation center for NWA where our wild avian patients will receive sustainable care for years to come. 

Northsong Wild Bird Rehabilitation (NWBR) is a Northwest Arkansas based 501c3 organization dedicated to providing medical care to injured avian wildlife and promoting environmental conservation through community education. Throughout 2022, NWBR admitted and consulted on 126 songbirds, waterfowl, or raptors, and generated a release rate of 47%. Our medical team consults on injured wild birds, providing free examination, diagnostics, and treatments (surgeries, medication, etc.) to patients with the goal of returning them to the wild. NWBR simultaneously promotes environmental education and conservation by hosting community events with state parks, local schools, local organizations, senior learning institutions, and youth programs. We believe accessible education is incredibly important - conservation without education is impossible, and therefore NWBR prioritizes hosting educational programs for all ages, genders, races, etc. throughout NWA.

This year, NWBR is opening a licensed medical facility in Fayetteville, AR, that will be funded from grants and donations. This rehabilitation will be federally licensed and will have a hospitalization wing, a surgical suite, a pharmacy, and outdoor aviaries for flight conditioning. We are aware this is a large undertaking, but with the support of our community we can make NWA a conservation hub for avian wildlife of various species. We are overjoyed for the next phase of our mission and look forward to being able to provide more consistent and inclusive care and education to our community.

1. Create a trained team of volunteers and staff that will promote avian conservation and rehabilitation
2. Design and renovate the space leased for NWBR's rehabilitation facility
3. Ensure a fully stocked hospital with necessary medical equipment
4. Build aviaries needed to intake certain species based on the USFWS regulations
5. Obtain required USFWS permits for education and rehabilitation practices
6. Begin intaking patients and providing quality medical care and husbandry

NWBR is working on a public facility, with aviaries free and open to the public to see the birds receiving care/interacting with ambassador birds. The public can also attend releases, learn about conservation, volunteer, etc. The grounds are open to the public as well, and they are working with Northwest Arkansas Land Trust in some capacity. There is also the related effect that the project will expand NWBR’s capacity to serve more injured or sick birds, benefitting neighboring parks and public spaces and the local environment.

When I was in 3rd Grade, I read My Side of the Mountain, a story by Jean Craighead George that tells the tale of a boy who ran away from home and survives the mountain region with the help of a falcon. They create an intense bond and the book captures the beauty of the wilderness and the importance of the preservation of the animals within it. While not everything in that book was factual or recommended based on modern animal welfare, the impression that George left on me has never faltered.

We are responsible for our Earth and the lives on it. As our nation continues to grow and develop, we must advocate for the animals and plants that we are displacing, the nonverbal organisms that cannot stand up for themselves. Northwest Arkansas is becoming one of the "best places to live," and we are grateful for the opportunities this area presents. However, for a region growing so rapidly and located in the Natural State, we must accept responsibility for the wildlife being impacted. Avian wildlife are being hit by cars, caught in barbed wire fences, suffering from lead-toxicity, killed by cats, and more. Northsong Wild Bird Rehabilitation is a solution to the problem of injured avian wildlife - we ensure these animals receive the medical care they need or the dignity they deserve during end-of-life care.

A federally permitted, wild bird facility in our region will allow for a sustainable solution to suffering avian individuals. We hope that our community will see the importance of preserving our environment for generations to come, and we look forward to the numerous lives we will save throughout this journey.