Tualatin River Bird Festival

Female cowbird.  She lays her eggs in the nests of other birds and lets them do all the work, so she has no brood patch.

We went to the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge for their annual Tualatin River Bird Festival.  There were lots of neat things happening that day around town.  But what really made us quite sure we had to go was that Pete Schmidt,  their wildlife biologist, was conducting a bird banding.  Bird banding is really interesting to watch, especially with people who are really excited to share what they are learning! For each band that is attached to a bird, data is collected and shared through an international database.  That data alone is valuable in countless ways, but if the bird is ever caught again it's even more valuable.  It can show migratory patterns, age and sometimes how a bird's weight and feathers change over time. We learned that birds have very thin skin, so thin that through the feathers on their heads their skulls can be seen.  The skulls of most species have two layers of bone, and the second bone grows in slowly in a process called pneumatization.  Parting the feathers on their heads reveals a pattern that changes as the bird ages, so these patterns can be used to pinpoint the age of young birds.  Blowing on the feathers of their tummies can reveal the skin underneath.  Nesting mothers will have a bald spot called a brood patch which helps her keep her eggs warm.  Migratory birds that are just passing through on their way to breeding spots in Canada will have a visible layer of fat which is a startling bright orange. The birds are caught in mist nets, which are 12 meters x 2 meters, strong but gentle on the birds, and really hard to see.  They always walk the entire length of the nets when checking them, because it's really easy to miss a caught bird.  They are banded, data is recorded quickly, and the bird is carefully released.  

Banding the cowbird.

Gently removing a bird from a mist net.

A female yellowthroat.

A volunteer was showing off some neat pond critters and telling everyone all about them.  We stopped to chat about the wonders of pond life and to admire the rough skinned newt larvae with their feathery gills. 

Rangers had brought some rescued turtles which are now serving as educational animals.  It is illegal to capture wild turtles to keep them as pets, and many times they cannot be released again.  They had a lovely little Western pond turtle which was kept with other captive species and could potentially spread diseases if released back into the wild.  They also had a red eared slider and an Eastern pond turtle which are invasive in Oregon.  Sadly, many of the critters they confiscate or catch must be euthanized. The ranger told us she has kept a couple as pets, but has a permit she must renew annually. She advises that she soon experienced why people who haven't done their homework often decide too late that turtles don't make great pets. It takes a great deal of work to keep their homes properly clean. They look terribly cute when they are tiny babies, but they grow quickly and soon require a lot of space. They are definitely best enjoyed by watching them in the wild.

A teeny Western pond turtle. 

A red-eared slider and an Eastern pond turtle. 

The Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife also had a display of contraband.  A ranger explained that items made from endangered species which are illegal to import, sell or posess are often seized.  They must be held as evidence for many years, so Oregon has three huge warehouses dedicated to this task.  Some are used as educational displays but most must eventually be destroyed, which can be quite difficult. This is a sad business.  She told us that rhinoceros horn is the most valuable commodity on the planet today, a fact that is leading directly to their imminent extinction in the wild, and ivory is not far behind. I wondered about the alligator pipe stand and she explained that it's actually made from an endangered caiman. 

Contraband.

Jasper checks out the tiger skin.

An anaconda skin.

They were also giving free casting lessons for anyone interested in learning to fish, and free archery lessons as well.  Jasper was excited to try using a compound bow.

The Audubon Society of Portland was also there with their educational birds, and they did a special show to tell the stories of their rescues and what makes each species fascinating.  The Audubon Society has a veterinarian and two other staff who work with over a hundred volunteers to care for about 3,000 injured animals a year.  They wanted people to know that if you find a baby bird on its own, you should call them before moving it, because in many cases it is perfectly fine.  Since every year they may care for a thousand birds that are injured by cats, they encourage people to reconsider letting their pet cats roam outdoors.  Cats are far more efficient predators than people give them credit for, and song birds pay the price, especially the species that nest on the ground.  (Of course any vet will tell you that cats live much longer if they are kept indoors as well.)  And they want to spread the word that it's both illegal and ill advised to make wild birds into pets.  They don't make good pets and they are difficult to feed and care for properly.  The deformities a few of their educational birds have suffered from being fed a diet of catfood are heartbreaking, and they are all unable to be released. These elegant and regal birds are wonderful to see up close.  Unless they are at a presentation, the birds can be seen at the Audubon Society anytime. Jasper is especially fond of Hazel the spotted owl.

Jack Sparrowhawk.

Hazel the spotted owl. 

Aristophanes the raven.

Ruby the turkey vulture.