Wild Bird Fund — Local services in New York

If I could list negative stars I would. I had the MOST HORRIFIC experience with this organization today and would caution and beg anyone to reconsider before entrusting them with any animal in need. I found a precious Sparrow with a broken leg just outside my door this morning and was lucky enough to be able to coax it into a shoebox and called my veterinarian asking what the best thing to do would be to help him. My veterinarian unfortunately referred me to this organization. I took the sweet Sparrow in the shoebox in a taxi up to the Upper West side and walked into an incredibly unfriendly group of people. I spoke to the woman working behind the desk and told her about the Sparrow's condition, saying explicitly that he had a broken leg but that his wings appeared to be in working order. I also offered to house him and care for him if that was needed as I had grown quite attached to this sweet little being and they were clearly overloaded with birds all over. She quickly told me they would be taking him and she grabbed the shoebox that I had been protecting and took it immediately to the side to OPEN IT. They are BIRDS and birds fly and she OPENED THE BOX and of course the Sparrow quickly flew away as any bird in that state would. The Sparrow flew into a room with a wide open door that SHOULD have been closed and into the water with a Seagull who then drowned the poor little Sparrow while this foolish woman who opened the box stood there looking for where the Sparrow might have landed. I took my time and care to protect this little beast who was drowned and gone within three minutes of this terrifying women snagging the shoebox with him in it from my clutches. I wish I had never gone here. I basically brought on this little Sparrow's death within minutes of walking in the door to a woman who sealed his fate by FOOLISHLY opening a box with a flying being inside and then was SURPRISED he flew. It was even more upsetting that she stood there looking for him while a Seagull drowned him to his death literally steps from her. I would NEVER take any animal I was trying to rescue to these people. They treated the sweet Sparrow I found terribly and had no remorse when I left in tears after committing such effort and care to saving him. Get your act together Wild Bird Fund!!!! Your behavior today was a disgrace and I wish I NEVER...

DO NOT bring injured birds to them -- it will likely be the end of the bird's life.

A few years ago, I found a bird (probably a starling) with a broken leg outside my residential building. I managed to catch her and brought her to this place in a shoebox. They accepted the bird and asked me to donate, which I did. They told me that I could follow up with them. Since then, I have written multiple emails to them but received no reply. About half a year later, I wrote to them again in a less friendly tone, and they finally responded, simply saying that they euthanized the bird because she was stressed -- on the same day I brought her in.

???

I am a biologist as well as an experienced bird lover. The bird was definitely NOT in a critical condition where euthanasia was the only option. I would have been able to take care of her myself if they had told me that was what they were going to do. In fact, I wouldn't have even caught the bird if it hadn't been a freezing cold winter at the time. She might have lived longer in the wild.

Nevertheless, the facility appears to be legitimate based on its description, so I could do nothing but move on with a lingering question mark in my mind. That is, until today, when I saw someone suggesting people bring birds to this facility on social media. The memory came back to me, and I decided to dig deeper.

Well, as it turns out I didn't have to dig very deep -- the rating of this facility looks fine on Google reviews at first glance. However, when I read through all the negative comments, I realized that I was not the only one who had this experience. The five-star comments share one thing in common: the people leaving those comments never followed up with the birds...

This place is Fantastic Amazing and LifeSaving! I have history here as well. You see aprox. 5 yrs ago I was fortunate enough to have found an injured baby pigeon and after an exhausted search for help trying to find a place for this injured birdie I came across this Magnificent place called The Wild Bird Fund and Ms. Rita. Immediately I raced on the subway from.Brooklyn all the way to.87th n Columbus Ave. The entire way there praying that my last 45 bucks would miraculously be enough to get this poor baby help. Imagine my surprise, shock and utter relief that these wonderful people took this poor defenseless baby bird and helped him turned out to be a her. The point is The Wild Bird Fund is the only one of it's kind in NYC that will take in ALL.wild birds that are injured free of charge. Donations are most graciously welcomed. And they will do everything including surgery free of charge and then they will rehabilitate and release if at all possible. Lets face it folks Wild Birds have it tough in NYC. Pigeons even worse since many consider them a nuisance. To have a place where these majestic wild birds have a chance to be cared for by people who love and appreciate all Wild Birds Including the poorly misunderstood and underrated Pigeons of NY. The wild bird fund is Priceless. If I ever hit the lottery my money is going here! Pic of my recent rescue. The elf is my blind pigeon Stevie that I adopted from Ms. Rita herself...