Pine Grosbeak

Hospital staff was surprised to see a female pine grosbeak come to the wildlife hospital. This grosbeak was found at Silver Lake (near Carson Pass in the Sierra) with a broken wing. The finder, who lives in the Bay Area, picked her up and brought her to the museum. Hospital staff took radiographs and saw that she had a fractured ulna, a bone in the wing. A wrap was placed on the wing to stabilize the broken bone and the grosbeak was placed on antibiotic and pain medication.

Due to the extent of her injury, once the wrap was removed and the bone had healed, she was unable to fully extend her wing. Staff slowly started moving her into larger and larger enclosures allowing her to stretch her wing and rebuild her strength. She is now in an aviary and we are hopeful for her recovery and release.