Megan Mosby
Executive Director
NEWS FLASH: Being Outside is Healthy!
No shocker here, but I recently read an article about the health benefits of being out in nature. In short, it touted the following things about improving memory, fighting depression, lowering blood pressure, and potentially reducing the risk of cancers. Big promises but hopeful in any case!
- Nature walks have memory promoting benefits over those walking in cityscapes
- Nature experiences have been shown to lower levels of cortisol, which are markers of stress even to the extent that nature scenes out of windows have shown lower stress levels and increase job satisfaction as opposed to those with no nature present.
- Lower levels of inflammation occurred in subjects spending time in nature.
- Exposure to the restorative impact of time in nature indicated an increase in mental energy.
- Subjects experiencing anxiety and depression appeared to improve symptoms by spending time in nature decreasing anxiety levels and bad moods and relieved symptoms of major depressive disorders. Adding water to the scenario appeared to increase the positive impact.
- Eyesight in Japanese children who played out of doors resulted in half the number of myopia diagnosed as those not playing out of doors by almost half.
- Lowered numbers associated with pulse rate and blood pressure were related to walks in nature.
- ADHD symptoms like improved attention were shown to lessen in those spending time in nature.
- Problem solving and boosted creativity showed a spike by 50% in those spending time in nature as those who did not.
- Lastly, time in a forest has shown to boost the functioning of the immune system.
With all of that being said, we are happy to offer you a chance to improve your health with us… right here in the middle of Phoenix. On March 2nd we have an art, music and nature festival, El Rio Vivo, planned and you can take part. Not only will you be able to walk along the Rio Salado, see wildlife, have birding and nature interpreters, but you will also be able to peruse the creative efforts of local artists, listen to music contributed by local musicians, learn about nature and the river….all in the out of doors. So read again about all of the benefits of being outdoors, and then mark March 2nd on your calendars…starting at 8:30 for the interpretive river walk, followed by music, art and food until 4 in the afternoon. And admission is FREE! See you then.
PS – One more thought… Happy Valentine’s Day…take someone you love and care about out in nature…for their health, and for your yours!
This Week @ Liberty – February 13, 2024
2024 is moving right along. Soon enough, it’ll be the season for heaters in the morning and air conditioning in the afternoon. And before we know it, it’ll just be summer and we’ll all be missing the rainy, cold days of winter. But here at Liberty Wildlife, we’re gearing up for another orphan care season (which you can sign up for if you’re interested in volunteering!), along with a busy end to our education season. Summer will bring the babes, but it’ll also give us some time to make some changes, check in with our animal ambassadors and volunteers, and see how we can do better moving forward.
Because if there’s anything constant in life, it’s that change is always one of them.
A Clean Bird Makes a Happy Bird!
If you’re looking to define the word rouse, you’ll find it says “exciting; stirring.” And while that’s an easy enough definition—and certainly to the point—rousing means something a little different in the bird world.
Birds have a lot of feathers; when I say a lot, I mean a lot. Tiny Songbirds can have 1,500, where Bald Eagles can have 7,000, while Great Horned Owls can have 10,000! It makes for a lot of maintenance, and of course, a lot of cleaning. And while rousing isn’t exactly what you’d call a clean-up job, it can certainly be called a part of the process.
You see, birds help to clean and keep their feathers in good condition through a behavior called preening. If you’ve ever been to public hours here at Liberty Wildlife, or caught us at an off-site program, you may have observed some of our animal ambassadors using their beak to separate individual feathers while standing on a glove. Sometimes it’s a quick nibble; other times it’s a full on grab from the tip of a feather to the very end of it. But, by doing this, it allows the bird to create separations (where wanted), and to clean the feathers of debris and parasites (yes, feather mites are a thing, and yes, they are as disgusting as they sound).
This is where rousing comes in. Some of our birds, while hanging on a glove, are constant rousers. They’ll do it a few times in a span of an education program. Others aren’t always so keen, but this behavior—which is the bird lifting their feathers away from their body, shaking them out, then rearranging them back into normal position—can be seen often times after a bird has finished preening.
Not always, mind you, but a rousing bird is a great way for us to tell they’re comfortable. You see, an uncomfortable bird is not likely to lower their guard enough to perform this kind of act…which means, if you catch one of them in the act, you’re always going to see a smiling face from one of us!
First Official Babe of the Season
It’s official; baby season has begun. Though certainly not in full force, it’s still our sign of what’s to come. And for 2024, our first kiddo is, you guessed it, a Barn Owl.
Barn Owls aren’t super-duper picky when it comes to nesting sites. They’re second cavity nesters, meaning they’re going to find cavities already available to them. This could be cliff ledges, caves, burrows near river banks, as well as church steeples, houses, and yes, barn lofts! A female can lay anywhere from two to eighteen eggs, and can have as many as three clutches in a year depending on the success of the first broods.
Hence the reason Barn Owls are some of the first owls we see (along with Great Horned Owls).
Our newest addition isn’t just an orphan, though; he came to us with a splayed left leg (the leg is bending at an angle that will not allow him to perch/hunt) which then made him use his wings to balance, which then forces the wrist joints to turn out instead of down. Both are fixable ailments, but do take time, especially because he’s growing. A splay leg typically requires a splint, or a body wrap, while the angel wing requires the use of tape to help put the feathers, and wing, in a more comfortable position. And, because Barn Owls reach their grown-up looking phase by around fifty-five days, the tape and bandages need to be redone every two to three days to ensure they’re growing with him.
Needless to say, we’re happy to do the work. But, we’ll be happier when this little guy is on the mend, and can go out to some foster parents to take care of the rest of the job.
Notable Mentions
Is it already almost the middle of February? Well, it is which means you’re here at the end of yet another blog waiting to see some more photos. And since I’m not one to hold off on the good stuff, I’ll get right to it.
Without further ado, here are this week’s notable mentions:
– Daily Care Team Lead Amber finds herself duck-taping her shoe to finish out her volunteer shift. We really do have the best volunteers! (1 picture)
– A field trip gets a nice treat with Joe as he brings out Cochise the Bald Eagle (1 picture)
– The goats find themselves in a bind as they hate water and it rained all day! (3 pictures)
– A Red-Tailed Hawk stops by and hangs for a minute in the rain (1 picture)
– Mr. Bojangles the Pocket Mouse is super cute (1 picture – by Alex)
– Dr. Lamb and Midwestern Vet student Max pin a humerus on a Coopers Hawk (1 picture – by Alex)
As always, thanks for making it to the end! And remember, Public Hours is still in full swing on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-1pm. Plus, we have the Orphan Care Baby Shower happening on March 16th during Public Hours with all kinds of fun activities to participate in (and hopefully we’ll see you there!)
Oh…and happy early Valentine’s Day, everyone!
Until next time!
Posted by Acacia Parker
Public Outreach Coordinator