Here in the VINS Wildlife Services department, we see a wide variety of bird species come into our care, but some patients are more unique than others. On April 29th, we received this tiny warbler, also known as a northern parula. These small songbirds are one of the many migratory species that return to Vermont each spring. This little guy flew into the window of a building and suffered some mild head trauma. After a few days of treatment and some R & R, we returned this warbler to the wild.
This bird was particularly exciting for me, for I am an avid warbler watcher. I find that these songbirds are one of the surest signs of spring. They arrive just as the trees are budding, which makes it slightly easier to see and identify them. But warblers are such a challenge, with their small size, constant movement and high-pitched songs, I find myself chasing them for hours just to get one good look with my binoculars. In this case, it was nice to see one of these beautiful birds up-close and personal, without the chasing!