Hi, thank you for stumbling across this page. We always need a few very different types of volunteers (voluntary means unpaid work). Unfortunately, at this time we are not in a position to take people inside our home to help, however, we do need voluntary drivers and people who love being at their own home most of the time and don’t mind early mornings to feed fledglings until they’re weaned.

Lets dive into more details:

Drivers:

We always need volunteer drivers to collect from local areas. Usually collecting from Vets but sometimes from finders. The areas we mainly cover are: Lytchett, Dorchester, Poole, Purbecks, Wimborne. Occasionally Bournemouth and Weymouth. Sometimes, there may be a bird located even further away.

You would be under no pressure to collect anything as we encourage finders to do their best to bring birds to us or take to a vet to cut down our stress trying to organise drivers and collections.
This is literally if and when you are free and able. You would be added to our private WhatsApp Group and when I put a call out, only those who are able to help reply, and we go from there.

We encourage all finders to box the bird ready for collection. However, on some rare occasions the bird may need catching and boxing.

Just send me a text or WhatsApp message if you are interested 07719658751

Raising Baby Birds

If you are prepared to give up your life and summer to raise some babies voluntarily then get in touch. Everything will be provided for you, cages, food, and incubator if needed. Full support and training will be given. Ideally you will be located within a half hour radius of Wareham Forest.

Every year we see influxes of baby birds needing to be raised but before you jump and say ME! ME! YES! YES! …. lets look at the sacrifices you need to be prepared to make…

Raising young birds requires a strict routine to adhere to so if you go out to work, enjoy days out in the summer, days out at the beach, BBQs with friends and family, looking after young children, and long lay ins, this job is not for you. Sorry.

We will raise the hatchlings and nestlings to fledgling age as they are very vulnerable. Your job will be to continue to hand feed them and raise them until they are weaned and ready for soft release.

Criteria:

Small Birds for the VERY dedicated:
(note if you have an emergency we can take the babies back)

  • Voluntary role at your home from May until August
  • Feeding small bird fledglings from 5.30am until 8.30pm/9pm 7 days a week, every 30 to 60 minutes (depending on species).
  • Handling and feeding live foods such as wax worms
  • Each clutch can take 2 to 4 weeks to wean
  • No days off
  • No sick days (yep you still have to put the birds first, even if you feel like dying)
  • No lay ins
  • No watching films in its entirety
  • No going out for more than half an hour unless its after 8.30pm/9pm when babies are asleep
  • No days out or long naps during the day
  • No regular visitors seeing or interacting with the birds
  • No handling of the birds or posting on social media and exploited for likes and attention
  • No day time alcohol/getting high or on medication that makes you drowsy
  • No smoking in the same house as the birds
  • Quiet household with no children under 15
  • No cats or dogs in the house (unless the birds are strictly housed in a room that they have absolutely no access to)
  • Separate quiet room (no TV on etc in the room) to house the babies in with natural daylight
  • Netting at all windows that open
  • No air fresheners, no plug ins or use of non-stick pans/teflon
  • Possible in taking of fledglings if finder cannot bring to rescue

Larger Birds for those who cannot sacrifice whole days e.g.: Pigeons
(note if you have an emergency we can take the babies back)

  • Voluntary role at your home all year round
  • Hand feeding fledgling pigeons three times a day 7 days a week (6am, 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm) until they start picking up seeds, then feeds can be reduced until weaned.
  • No necessary live food handling, just seed etc
  • Each pigeon can take 2 to 4 weeks to wean
  • No days off
  • No sick days (yep you still have to put the birds first, even if you feel like dying)
  • No going out for more than 5 hours
  • No regular visitors seeing or interacting with the birds
  • No handling of the birds or posting on social media or exploited for likes and attention
  • No day time alcohol/getting high
  • No smoking in the same house as the birds
  • Quiet household with no children under 15
  • No cats or dogs in the house (unless the birds are strictly housed in a room that they have absolutely no access to)
  • Separate quiet room to house the babies in with natural daylight
  • Netting at all windows that open
  • No air fresheners, no plug ins or use of non-stick pans/teflon
  • Possible in-taking of fledglings if finder cannot bring to rescue

It is imperative that the baby birds are not interacted with, held, cuddled, kissed or tamed in any way, shape, or form. No more than two carers. They are wild birds and MUST be kept wild. By imprinting a bird onto a human or having many people around them you are sentencing the bird to death as it will not learn proper survival skills and have no fear of humans. Not all humans are nice. We have to respect their way of life, wild means wild, and it is legally required they stay wild. Pigeons can become quite attached to their feeder so the only interaction you should have is only during feeding and cleaning out to minimise the imprinting.

Soft Releasing with Outdoor/Garden aviary

If you have a safe garden (no dogs or cats in the vicinity) and can put up a rat proof aviary outside, with shelter at one end, we could do with your help to soft release. 

During the busiest times we sometimes run out of aviary space to soft release. Soft release means having a large rat proof outdoor aviary, covered at one end, double slabbed and with a door and a hatch that can be opened separately. Once weaned the young birds go outdoors into an aviary where they can learn to fly, forage and socialise with others. You will be responsible for cleaning the food and water every day and scraping off any droppings and faeces from the ground, roosting areas and perches.

Once the babies are all flying strong, eating well by themselves and showing signs they are ready to go, the hatch can be opened and left open. It is up to them to decide when they are ready to leave. For at least 3 days you will keep the hatch open and keep fresh water and food topped up so they have a safe space to return to until they find their own little home in the wild. If you have a lot of cats in the area, or dogs running around, soft releasing birds on your premises is not a viable option.

Feral pigeons will tend to return and never leave. If you fancy your own free flying flock of feral pigeons and doves that can have a safe place to roost and call home, please get in touch as this is a permanent commitment.

Ideally you will live within a half an hour radius of Wareham Forest.
Experience not necessary as full training will be provided. 
We need dedicated souls to do this job as it is a full time, unpaid, sacrifice.

To apply, please message Sandy on 07719 658 751

Looking forward to hearing from you 🙂 – Sandy and the Team at Wild Bird Rescue Dorset