News & Events

Birding Events Calendar

wildforlife_avl

As I sit here reflecting on the past week or so, I

As I sit here reflecting on the past week or so, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. After Hurricane Helene tore through our community, leaving so many in need, we found ourselves leaning on the kindness of others. The generosity we’ve experienced in these difficult times truly touches my heart in ways words can hardly express.

We owe a huge debt of thanks to Greater Good Charities. This incredible organization stepped in when we needed them most, donating supplies like towels, cleaning essentials, water, food, and so much more. Greater Good Charities doesn’t just help us—they help all kinds of communities across the globe. From wildlife rehabilitation facilities like ours to supporting veterans, they have a hand in uplifting those who need it most. Their work is a living example of what it means to give without hesitation, without expectation, simply because it’s the right thing to do.

Their mission, to support people, pets, wildlife, and the planet, has a ripple effect that reaches into places like our little center here in Asheville. We are so grateful to them showing up here with so much to give, it really brings one a sense of hope—especially after such devastation. We are relieved that we can continue to care for these amazing birds and provide rehabilitation for many more.

While we’re beyond thankful for the donation we’ve received from Greater Good Charities, I also want to express my deep appreciation for everyone in our community. It’s a blessing to witness neighbors helping neighbors, local businesses offering what they can, and volunteers showing up with their sleeves rolled up, ready to work. The love we’ve seen goes far beyond any one organization—it’s a testament to the spirit of this place we call home.

So from all of us here at Wild for Life, we say thank you. Thank you, Greater Good Charities, for your commitment to making this world a better place. And thank you to our community for your support and encouragement, now and always.

We have a little saying here that we strive to live by: "Do the Most Good"
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#WildforLife #wildlife #birdsofprey
#HurricaneHelene #GreaterGoodsCharities #thankyou #dothemostgood

Our beautiful landscape has been devastated. Our h

Our beautiful landscape has been devastated. Our hearts break for the ones who lost it all during this historic flooding. We have to remember that we have so much to be thankful for. Our community, so so so many have stepped up, brings us hope! This is going to take a long time to come back from but we know we can and we will. We fared fairly well through the storm but we feel the effects. Without power and water, things are much harder here, and there's lot to clean-up. It's an experience shared throughout the area.

Please donate via: https://wildforlife.org/donate/

For found birds, please reach out to us at: (828) 998-2212. This is a temporary number. Our landlines are down but we are still able to help!

We need volunteers! There are many limbs and trees down around the property but the buildings were mostly unharmed. All of our volunteers are safe but we need to fill shifts and to catch up! Enclosure cleaning, grounds clean-up, food preparation, etc. are all needed. Please reach out if you are able to help.

If you would like to donate supplies we need:

Large rain barrels
Towels
Paper towels

Amazon Wishlist:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/F7H8TO755K8H?ref_=wl_share
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#WNCStrong #HurricaneHelene #asheville #wildforlife #wildlife #wildliferehab #westernnorthcarolina #birdsofprey

ATTN: Asheville Birding Community! We are once aga

ATTN: Asheville Birding Community!
We are once again partnering with @wbusouthasheville and joining them for an afternoon of education, fundraising, raffles, live music, and local brews at @turguabrewing company!
The event will begin at Noon on Saturday, June 15th and run until 4:00 pm.
Events:
1:00 pm - Wild Birds Unlimited will talk about the Joy of Bird Feeding and how to make your backyard a great place for birds!
2:00 pm - We (WFL) will introduce you to some fantastic and resilient birds of prey! See them up close and ask our handlers the questions you've always wanted answered! We will also have touch tables set up with skulls, feathers, mosses, and examples of local trees and plants.
All donations we collect go to the care of injured wild birds of prey and the housing of our resident Ambassador birds.
3:00 pm - Raffle winners announced!
3:30 pm - Live music from Appalachian Sky Bluegrass!

We hope to see you at Turgua Brewing Company in Fairview!

🌟 Urgent Call for Help! 🌟 Dear Wild For Lif

🌟 Urgent Call for Help! 🌟

Dear Wild For Life Community,

We could really use your support! Our beloved red-shouldered hawk resident, Penny, needs our help. 🪶💔

Penny, one of the birds of prey under our care, has been experiencing issues with the feathers on her right wing. Despite her resilient spirit, this ongoing problem appears to stem from a previous injury that rendered her non-releasable and brought her into our sanctuary. To provide Penny with the best care possible, we are reaching out to you, our compassionate supporters, for assistance. She is scheduled for a comprehensive veterinary examination including pain assessment and lab work, with Dr. Rhyne of Birdhouse Mobile Avian & Exotic Vet next Friday, May 3rd. From there, we will pursue further diagnostics such as x-rays and bilateral feather biopsies. The anticipated cost for Penny's essential veterinary care could be $500 or more.

As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Wild For Life relies solely on the generosity of kind-hearted individuals like you. We receive no federal or state funding and operate with the dedication of our volunteers. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a significant difference in Penny's well-being and the future of our rehabilitation efforts. Please consider making a donation through PayPal to support Penny's upcoming veterinary care costs. Your contribution will directly impact her quality of life and enable us to continue our vital mission of protecting and rehabilitating native birds of prey.

🔗 Donate via Paypal here: https://b.link/wildforlifedonate

📬 Donate via check mailed to: 33 Possum Trot Asheville, NC 28806

Together, we can ensure Penny receives the care she deserves and continues to inspire us with her resilience and grace. Thank you for standing with us in our commitment to wildlife conservation and rehabilitation.

With heartfelt gratitude,

The Wild For Life Team

#WildForLife #RaptorRescue #DonateNow #WildlifeRehabilitation #HelpPenny #PennytheRedShoulderedHawk #BirdsofPrey #CommunitySupport #Compassion #Gratitude

Get those feeders ready! The Hummingbirds are on t

Get those feeders ready! The Hummingbirds are on their way!
Visit hummingbirdcentral.com to see an up-to-date map of the latest reported hummingbird sightings as they make their way north for the summer months!

#springmigration #hummingbird #nectarfeeder #trochilidae #rubythroatedhummingbird #archilochuscolubris #birds #birdconservation #birdrehabilitation #ecology #seasons

Here's to 365 new opportunities. Happy New Year! .

Here's to 365 new opportunities. Happy New Year!
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#WildForLife #WildlifeRescue #WildlifeRehab #BirdsofPrey #Raptors #Community #nonprofitorganization #GoLocal #GiveLocal #Asheville #WNC #NewYear2024

We wish you and those you hold dear a very Merry C

We wish you and those you hold dear a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Hey Asheville! One of our local bird businesses is

Hey Asheville! One of our local bird businesses is looking to hire in the new year! The store is wonderful and the owner is one of the best wildlife partners we have in the city.
Check them out!

Happy Holidays! We hope the winter festivities are

Happy Holidays!
We hope the winter festivities are in full swing for you and yours!
A reminder that we'd be happy to take your LIVE trees, wreaths, and garland, FREE OF TINSLE AND ORNAMENTS, when you decide to put your decorations away for the season. Give us a call and we can schedule a drop off time! 828-665-4341

#wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehab #wildliferescue #wildlife #wildlifeconservation #birdconservation #reducereuserecycle #enrichment #asheville #communitysupport

Witness the hunting prowess of Augustus as he devo

Witness the hunting prowess of Augustus as he devours his meal in this video! 🦅 Known for their impressive hunting skills, red-tailed hawks like Augustus are crucial in maintaining a healthy ecosystem by controlling rodent populations. That's why it's so important to raise awareness about the threat rodenticides pose to our wild neighbors.

☣️ ☠️ Rodenticides, while designed to control rodent populations, pose severe threats to birds of prey. These chemicals often find their way up the food chain when rodents that have ingested them are consumed by predators like hawks. This secondary poisoning causes serious harm or even death to these majestic birds.

Birds of prey are particularly susceptible to rodenticides because they feed on smaller mammals that may have consumed these toxins. Once ingested, these poisons can interfere with blood clotting, leading to uncontrollable bleeding and other lethal effects.

The widespread use of rodenticides in urban and rural areas further exacerbates the issue, impacting not only the targeted rodents but also inadvertently harming the natural predators keeping these populations in check.

Safer pest control methods are crucial to protect these hawks and maintain ecological balance. 🦅 🐁 🌎 ⚖️

This footage, captured by our dedicated volunteer, Mary M., sheds light on the carnivorous nature of raptors. At Wild for Life, we specialize in rehabilitating and caring for birds of prey like Augustus, ensuring their well-being and aiming for their eventual return to the wild. Augustus is a retired educational bird that came to WFL in 2005 after a gunshot wound tragically left him unable to survive in the wild. Your support directly aids in our conservation efforts. Discover more about red-tailed hawks and our initiatives by following us on Instagram and Facebook. You can find ways to support us at 🔗 linktr.ee/wfl_avl
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#AugustusTheRedTailedHawk #BirdsOfPreyConservation #SayNotoRodenticide #WildlifeRehabilitation #WildForLifeWNC #RaptorsOfInstagram #HawkConservation #WildlifeRescue #NaturePhotography #BirdsOfPrey #ProtectOurWildlife #ConservationEducation #WildlifeSanctuary #ProtectOurEcosystems

Happy Giving Tuesday! We know we've all been Black

Happy Giving Tuesday!
We know we've all been Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping, but we hope you'll remember WFL in your holiday gifting! Just follow the link in our bio to find all the places you can help us!
Our efforts to rehabilitate and release wild birds depend on the support of our community and you've always pulled through for us!
We have a PayPal set up to accept donations and an Amazon Wishlist with examples of the supplies we always need.

#givingtuesday #donation #communitysupport #fundraiser #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehab #wildliferescue #wildlife #asheville #buncombecounty #birdsofprey

We are thankful for you! We would not be able to d

We are thankful for you! We would not be able to do what we do without the support of our community! 🥰

We hope you are enjoying the crisp weather and good food with those important to you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

#thanksgiving #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehab #wildliferescue #wildlifeconservation #wnc #asheville

Link to Donate: https://givelocalguide.org/nonprof

Link to Donate: https://givelocalguide.org/nonprofits/wild-for-life/

🌟 We're excited to share that Wild for Life has been selected again for WNC's Mountain Xpress Give Local initiative. Did you know that Penny, our cherished Red-Shouldered Hawk resident, has been with us for over five years, captivating everyone with her majestic presence? She's one of our seven ambassadors, non-releasable due to the injuries she endured, leaving her unable to survive on her own in the wild.

Your support plays a crucial role in our mission to provide rehabilitation and care for birds of prey like Penny. 🌹

Here's what you can look forward to:

👕 The first five donors contributing $50 will receive a special Wild for Life T-shirt.

🎁 Donors contributing $100 or more will be entered into a drawing to win a range of gift cards, including options from popular restaurants, Lowe’s, Visa, groceries, Barnes & Noble, and Ace Hardware.

Join us in protecting and preserving our local wildlife. Your contributions make a real difference. Click the link to donate and support our cause today! 🌿💚

https://givelocalguide.org/nonprofits/wild-for-life/

#WildForLife #GiveLocal #MountainXpress #WildlifeRehabilitation #BirdsofPrey

We hope to see you there on Saturday! #ReviveandR

We hope to see you there on Saturday!

#ReviveandRestore #GeneticRescue #DeExtinction #ConservationCloning #BiotechnologyforBirds #UNCAEvent #PioneeringScience #conservation #wildlife #WildforLife

Update! Just correcting a few errors on the flyer.

Update!
Just correcting a few errors on the flyer.
Unfortunately little miss Elizabeth Ann will not be joining Ben at the talk.
We're looking forward to seeing everyone there!

@americanbirdconservancy Be familiar with the sig

@americanbirdconservancy
Be familiar with the signs!
During migration season window strikes are much more common than other times of the year.
Remember birds don't understand reflections and will try to land on the image of a "tree" reflected in a window or try to escape to the "open sky".
Lights Out! Be familiar with when they need a helping hand!

Treat yourself! And Wild for Life! 🥰 Our wishl

Treat yourself!
And Wild for Life! 🥰

Our wishlist is chock full of supplies the center needs! (Link in our bio!)
Any donations, big or small, are always welcome!

Our success depends on you!

Come out to The Rueter Center on the UNCA Campus f

Come out to The Rueter Center on the UNCA Campus for a talk by Ben Novak about conservation!

Date: Saturday, November 11
Time: 7:00 PM

Admission is $25, $20 for students.

Proceeds will be donated to Wild for Life!

Everyone else: Having a normal day. Me: Listen to

Everyone else: Having a normal day.
Me: Listen to this bird hiss! 😃

Turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) are one of 2 vulture species in the US. The other species, the Black vultures (Coragyps atratus), is also a member of the family Cathartidae, but is in a different genus, Coragyps. The other two species in the genus Cathartes with the Turkey vulture are both South American species, the Greater yellow-headed vulture and the Lesser yellow-headed vulture.
All of these species are New World Vultures (family Cathartidae) and they all lack a syrinx, a bird's vocal organ. Because of this, they are all generally silent except for some hissing or grunting noises.
What New World Vultures *do* have is a very good sense of smell, a trait uncommon in birds. They search for the smell of ethyl mercaptan, which is a gas produced when animals begin to decay.

#wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehab #wildliferescue #wildlife #wildlifeconservation #birdconservation #turkeyvulture #tuvu #cathartesaura #cathartidae #asheville #wnc #wfl #wildforlife #westasheville

Our front garden is coming together nicely thanks

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