Holiday Greeting Cards
For each donation of $10 or more to help injured and orphaned wild birds, we will send a beautiful full-color holiday card to someone on your list. Each card features a photo of an actual Alabama Wildlife Center patient along with a story about its care.
On the order form, please indicate how many of each design you wish to order and the gift amount ($10, $15 or $20) for each. Along with the order form, please include a list of your recipients' names and addresses. If ordering more than one design, be sure to indicate your design choice for each person on your list.
Click here to print an order form to mail or fax.
Allow two weeks for delivery. Shipping is domestic only via USPS first-class mail. All shortages and damages must be reported within 30 days. All orders must be received by December 9 to assure delivery before Christmas.
The six cards feature the birds and their stories below:
Northern Flicker: A nest of four Northern Flickers arrived at AWC, after having lost their home when their nest tree was cut. They seemed to be healthy and active fledglings. One of the babies, however, must have withstood damage to his wing when the nest tree was cut down and was suffering from a fracture. With his wing wrapped and the fracture healing, it was bittersweet when his siblings were released without him, but one month later with his broken wing healed, he too was released to the wild.
Please avoid cutting trees during the spring and summer months, when birds are nesting and tending young.
Staff photo
House Finch: Although not a patient, this male House Finch was photographed when a beautiful snow covered the grounds of Alabama Wildlife Center. House Finches are a familiar backyard bird and can be commonly seen at birdfeeders, crushing seeds with their strong conical beaks. They are small bodied with short wings and shallow notched tails. Males are washed with red around the head and breast while females are a streaky grayish-brown. Being a gregarious species, they can be seen in numbers at feeders but will also forage on the ground or in trees. House Finches nest early and are sometimes the first nestlings to arrive at AWC’s bird nursery in the spring.
Staff photo
Carolina Chickadee: This Carolina Chickadee was found in Homewood, AL, surrounded by free-roaming cats. Finding a young fledgling on the ground is not at all unusual, in fact, it is quite the norm and intervention is typically not needed. With the threat of the cats, however, this little one was removed from danger and brought to AWC for care. Ordinarily, a healthy fledgling such as this Chickadee would have been sent back to the location where found so the parents can resume care of it. Because the homeowners were unwilling to keep their cats indoors, the decision was made to rehabilitate the juvenile Chickadee at AWC. This little one was successfully rehabilitated and released to the wild.To protect wild birds, please keep your cats indoors at all times--good for the birds, good for your cat.
Photo by Ted Tucker
American Kestrel: A veterinary clinic contacted the Alabama Wildlife Center when an immature male American Kestrel was dropped off at their office with no background information. Our initial examination revealed several broken toes and infection in both feet. The toes had healed prior to his arrival at AWC but were not properly aligned. Although the cause of injury could not be determined, it was clear the mal-positioned toes would interfere with his ability to hunt. Since returning the young kestrel to the wild was not a possibility, “Legacy” became a permanent resident and is now a valued member of AWC’s education program.The American Kestrel is North America’s smallest falcon. They are commonly found in open areas covered with short ground vegetation where they hunt from tree snags, fence posts and utility wires along the roadside. Their diet consists mainly of insects and small rodents making this bird of prey a favorite in rural areas.
Staff photo
Hooded Merganser: A Hooded Merganser was found crossing a busy highway in Alabaster, AL. With hopes of reuniting the Merganser with its mother and siblings, a search later in the day would sadly find no sign of the young duckling’s family. In the wild, Mergansers forage for food by diving and can be a challenge to rehabilitate. Additionally, they are very skittish in nature and can succumb to stress easily. Another shy duckling, a Wood Duck (Aix sponsa), had been admitted to AWC a few days prior to the Merganser’s arrival and it was decided to house the two ducklings together. It was immediately obvious that the companionship from each other was just what these little ones needed and they thrived under our care. They were released together in Oneonta, AL.
Staff Photo
Red-tailed Hawk: A nestling Red-tailed Hawk was discovered by a wrecker service operator early one April morning after its nest tree was struck in an automobile accident. Weak and cold upon arrival at the Alabama Wildlife Center, the little hawk was not a candidate to be returned to his family. During the rehabilitation process, it became evident that complications from the impact of the initial fall would prevent the young hawk from surviving in the wild. Now named “Ireland,” this majestic bird helps AWC educate others about the importance of preserving our native wildlife.
Red-tailed Hawks are found throughout Alabama and North America. During the winter months, many northern-dwelling birds migrate to southern states where food sources are more plentiful, temporarily increasing the numbers seen in Alabama. Noted for their beautiful red tails, this species is a highly adaptive and generalist predator.
Staff photo
Click here to print an order form to mail or fax.
