Early in October, we received a call about a Pileated Woodpecker (pictured above) that was found in the middle of the road in St. Germain. After getting a couple of pictures and a video of the bird, we knew it needed to come in for care. While it is impossible to know how this guy got injured, we suspect it was hit by a vehicle. We all associate pileated woodpeckers with pecking trees to get at the bugs they crave, but sometimes they want an easier meal and will eat insects along the side of roads.
Once the rescuers brought the patient into the Center, our rehab staff gently cleaned and treated the wounds. Our rehabbers also administered a little pain medication to keep the patient comfortable and ease its anxiety. As with any kind of pain medication, it’s important to keep the dose as low as possible, but keeping wildlife comfortable and calm is important in aiding their recovery.
After a day or so of rest in the clinic, the woodpecker perked up and responded very well to treatment. With its injuries healing and all other signs looking good, we were optimistic for a quick turnaround and release back to the wild. So the next step was to move the woodpecker outside for a couple of days. After being cared for indoors, it is best to let a wild animal acclimate to the weather before releasing it. It also gives us a couple more days to monitor the patient for any unexpected changes. But everything went well, and we were happy to release it after just a few weeks of care.