BOISE, Idaho — As spring arrives across the Treasure Valley, a Boise foothills nonprofit is preparing for its busiest season — caring for thousands of injured and orphaned birds.
The Ruth Melichar Bird Center hosted its annual “Baby Bird Shower” on Saturday, bringing together community members to learn about native species and support rehabilitation efforts.
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The event focused on educating the public about birds such as mallards and red-tailed hawks, while raising funds to help the center continue its work.
“We are not state funded, we're not federally funded, so we’re really relying on the community to offer this service,” said director Jennifer Rockwell. “We get about 3,000 wild birds each season.”
The center rehabilitates birds with the goal of releasing them back into the wild. Staff and volunteers provide intensive care throughout the spring and summer months.
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“We make our own formula, and we feed them 12 hours a day, seven days a week, all summer long,” Rockwell said.
Birds play a key role in the ecosystem, acting as natural pest control and pollinators. However, rapid growth in the Treasure Valley has led to habitat loss, forcing many species into unsafe nesting areas.
“Mallards are our biggest customer. We’re logging about 750 ducklings in a season,” Rockwell said. “They’re nesting in strip malls and small bushes, then trying to cross major roads to reach water. Often the mother doesn’t survive, and we end up caring for the babies all summer.”
The center also follows guidance from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and does not accept birds infected with avian flu, which has been found among some waterfowl.
Volunteers say community members can play a key role in helping wildlife by knowing what to do when they encounter an injured or abandoned bird.
“If you find a baby bird and you don’t know what to do, call us and we can walk you through it,” said Oscar, a seasonal volunteer at the center.
