Birds and Wildfires: You Can Help in Many Ways
The massive fires of this year so far have impacted more than those who have lost their homes and livelihoods. Birds and other wildlife will be feeling the effects of these fires for months and, in some cases, years to come.
Yes, birds can fly away to escape the immediate flames. “Direct mortality is not a big concern,” says U.S. Forest Service research biologist Vicki Saab. In Western forests birds evolved alongside fire and flee it instinctively. But how do they survive the days and months after the fire?
Left: Smoke billows over the mountains
Actually, there is a lot you can do to help birds.
First, birds' normal food sources may be in flames. Biologists say the next few months will be particularly good times to put out food and water for birds, particularly near burn areas.
You also might have a pleasant surprise. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from people that they never saw a certain species of bird at their feeders until there was a big fire nearby,” said Andrea Jones, Audubon California’s director of bird conservation.
Beside food, birds need a source of water. The seeps and streams they used to visit are dry or covered with ash. A bird bath, preferably with moving water and scattered stones where they can perch, can be a life saver. Don’t forget to refresh the water regularly, especially if ash still is falling in the area.
Also important are bushes and trees where birds can shelter. Having a dense bush, even one in a planter, may be their lifeline.
If birds can survive the next few months, with your help, these blazes can be beneficial. A little disturbance to a habitat can be a good thing for many species. Saab says, most wildfires, even intense ones, burn unevenly, leaving behind a mosaic of habitat patches. “Fire definitely benefits a lot of bird species,” Saab says. “It’s not all doom and gloom.”
Wild Birds Unlimited will answer any questions you have about how to provide the food, water and shelter local birds will need to survive after the flames die down. Call us at 424-272-9000. The store is open, and also can take online and phone orders for Fedex delivery. Our online store is at https://order.wbu.com/santamonica.
Wild Birds Unlimited also wishes to support the California Wildlife Center, which was forced to evacuate its facility in Malibu Canyon because of the Palisades Fire. You can donate through their website at https://cawildlife.org/ways-to-support-us/make-a-general-donation/
To find other resources for wild bird rescue, check California Fish and Wildlife's Wildlife Rehab page for advice and lists of approved wildlife rehabilitation facilities. Some facilities will be more busy and crowded than usual. Please be patient and donate, if you can. You also could check our own Bird Rescue and Rehabilitation Page for alternative facilities.