Wildlife Care Resources

This page helps guide you to appropriate action when you find sick, injured, or dead animals or baby animals.

Washington State allows a maximum of 24 hours for non-permitted citizens to transport wildlife to a licensed and permitted facility. This grace period is to allow for transportation flexibility, not an allowance for people to try and care for these animals themselves.

Tyler Bansbach is a licensed falconer and Whidbey Island resident who is trained to capture and transport wildlife up to and including large raptors, and volunteers to provide transportation of injured birds and wildlife to the wildlife centers listed below. Call (425) 212-8142 for more information.

  • www.paws.org

    13508 WA-9, Snohomish, WA 98296

    Hours of Operation:
    8:00am-5:00pm daily October - March
    8:00am-7:00pm daily April - September

    Phone: 425-412-4040 ext. 917

    There is a 24/7 self-service form on the website that instructs people on the initial steps to help injured wildlife until they can speak with us directly.

    PAWS Wildlife Center is open 7 days a week. We accept birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians who are sick, orphaned or injured. We do have some species limitations that fluctuate with season/space availability, so it is best to call ahead or use our online self-service form before bringing in an animal. During our open hours, our Wildlife Admissions Specialists are also available via phone to help citizens resolve wildlife conflicts, provide expert capture or handling advice, and more. Currently we are the closest permitted wildlife center to the South end of Whidbey Island.

  • www.sarveywildlife.org

    13106 148th St NE, Arlington, WA 98223

    Hours of Operation: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm daily

    Phone: 360-435-4817

    We accept all species of birds and mammals. People should call us for wildlife related concerns, and we take in patients during our normal business hours. We ask that if it is after hours, people contain the animal in a quiet, warm place overnight and bring to us in the morning.

  • www.wolfhollowwildlife.org

    Friday Harbor, San Juan Island

    Phone: 360-378-5000

    We serve all of San Juan County, Skagit County, and the northern part of Whidbey Island. We have a network of Animal Transport Volunteers who help rescue animals or pick them up from the public, then arrange transport out to San Juan by ferry or plane. How fast we can do that depends on the number of volunteers we have in an area and who is available at any given time, then on the ferry and air schedules.

    We treat a wide range of animals including songbirds, raptors, waterbirds (when HPAI is not an issue), and small/medium mammals. Despite our name, we can't treat larger animals like wolves, cougar, bears etc.

    Our rehab center is open 7 days a week to receive calls and animals (timing varies depending on the time of year), and after hours, staff members take it in turns to carry a cell phone so we can respond to emergencies.

Photo of a sick goose

Avian Flu Outbreak

Dead Snow Goose
Photo courtesy of Kersti Muul

There is currently an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) or simply, Avian Influenza. Juvenile snow geese have so far been the most susceptible to infection. Locally, sick and dead birds have been seen on Skagit Flats and Whidbey Island.

How to recognize:

Twisted neck, corneal opacity (cloudy eyes), diarrhea which can often be bright green, sneezing, labored breathing, grounded, shaking head, wobbly walking, lethargy, being hunkered down, swimming in circles, and seizures in late stage.

The Whidbey Audubon Bird Specimen Library is NOT accepting deceased birds as of February 1, 2025. For information contact Specimen Library Lead Robin Llewellyn.

Twisted Neck
Photo courtesy of Kersti Muul

Twisted neck
Photo courtesy of Kersti Muul

Encountering a sick or dead bird:

If you come upon a sick bird or a dead bird and are not prepared to dispose it following the safety recommendations below, do not touch the bird.

Here is a CDC link for more information about Avian Influenza and potential risks to humans: CDC Guidance and Information. In short, be cautious, assume that sick or dead birds have Avian Influenza and act accordingly.

Always report sick birds using this Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) link: Report Wildlife Observations. This allows WDFW to monitor the outbreak and respond accordingly.

Disposing of a dead bird:

Infected waterfowl can infect eagles, which are very susceptible. If you choose to dispose of a dead bird (duck, goose, swan, chicken, raptor) take the precautions in the infographic below. If you do dispose of a dead bird, still report it using the WDFW report link above.

Information and photos courtesy of Kersti Muul, Urban Wildlife First Responder, Seattle Audubon.

  • It’s not uncommon to find baby birds out of their nests during the spring and early summer. While often, no human intervention is needed to save or protect the bird, sometimes you can make a difference. Check out the I Found a Baby Bird Flowchart to learn when to take action and when not.

    Read what Whidbey Island veterinarian and noted wildlife expert Dave Parent has to say about baby animals and human interaction in Finding Baby Animals.

  • Trumpeter and Tundra Swans are susceptible to poisoning from lead shot. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has a Swan Hotline to help it assess the impact of this poison on swan populations. The hotline is generally open November - March when swans are migrating through or wintering over. Read about the hotline and what you should do if you find a dead, sick, or injured Swan.

Killdeer Chick by Jann Ledbetter