Bird self-admits to rehab after wings singed

A little sparrow is now on the mend and in the right place after it admitted itself to an animal rehab centre.

On October 29, staff at the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre in Ile Des Chenes just outside of Winnipeg had a visitor.

"We had a tiny little house sparrow that just hopped into our wildlife rehab centre. Talk about a walk-in clinic," says Zoe Nakata, the Executive Director of the centre. 

They've never had an animal in need admit itself, making it a unique circumstance. Especially for a bird, which naturally stays away from people or danger. 

"Our team was doing their normal duties, going in and out of the centre, and as the doors were open, in hops this sparrow."

The team was shocked to see a bird come into the centre, on its legs rather than fly into the building. 

"The team picked it up and as they're examining it, they see that in fact it is injured. It makes the story that much more interesting that the bird walked into the place that it needed to be," says Nakata.

The sparrow's wings and tail feathers were singed from fire or heat, upon examination. 

"Now we have a care plan all laid out for it."

The sparrow's wings should grow back over time and then the staff will release it. If it hadn't come to the centre, a predator most certainly would have taken advantage of its disadvantage. 

"For sure it was at the right place at the right time," says Nakata.