The whitethroat, injured with his foot casts – credit, Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital via SWNS
A bird that was hit by a car is undergoing a rather curious rehabilitation procedure.
The animal hospital it was taken do designed a pair of specially-built casts made of cardboard and tape.
It’s a bit makeshift, but the bird is said to be making good progress and will be released back into the wild once he has fully recovered.
“He was found last Saturday by some people who then called us and brought him in. We have used this technique before with other baby birds—but its usually when they have nutritional deficiencies,” said Amy Blower, at the Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital.
The whitethroat was found by a couple lying stunned in the road following a collision last Saturday.
His was taken to Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital where it was found his feet were curled up and unable to grip due to nerve or ligament damage.
The whitethroat, injured with his foot casts – credit, Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital via SWNS
Staff then decided to make him some tiny casts of cardboard, cotton wool, and micropore tape to hold his feet steady and allow him to stand while they heal.
“We put a little bit of cotton wool between the feet and the cardboard to add a bit of cushioning and then use micropore tape to secure them,” said Blower. “It seems to be doing the trick and he is making a good recovery.”
ANIMAL HOSPITAL STORIES:
“Other than the issue with his feet he was uninjured so we’ll release him hopefully in a few days when he is better. It’s unusual for us to get whitethroats as they are only around in the summer and migrate from Africa.”
The whitethroat is listed as an amber species of conservation concern in the UK, requiring monitoring and potential intervention but not the urgent action.
This one will be grateful the action was, however, urgent—and clever to boot.
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