Wildlife in your Backyard

By Shirley Nowinski Senior Staff Writer

One of the best things about living in Connecticut is the abundant wildlife. The encroachment of buildings on open land and the restrictions on poisons like DDT have brought a resurgence of wild animals to our cities and towns.

This is a very good thing because there is a balance to nature. Plants that are not being poisoned feed insects, birds and animals. Insects feed bigger insects, birds, and animals. Birds and small animals feed raptors (owls, hawks and eagles), and medium sized animals (foxes, fisher cats, and coyotes). Hawks, eagles, fisher cats and coyotes might also eat a cat or small dog. Inside is the safest place for your cat, and small dogs should not be outside unsupervised. When the food chain is upset the natural balance of nature is off. When people put poison out for rodents they are also poisoning the animals that eat the rodents (hawks,owls, eagles, foxes, etc.); with fewer predators to control the rodent population there are more mice and rats (the opposite of what the people intended). Those inhumane glue traps also catch many birds and other animals who die a slow and painful death. Following is the wildlife you are most likely to see or hear in Connecticut.

This summer a mysterious illness killed songbirds in several states including Connecticut. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) asked people not to feed the birds or fill bird baths so that the gathering birds would not spread whatever was killing them. The deaths have subsided and it is now considered safe to resume bird feeding. Bird watching is a wonderful and inexpensive individual or family hobby. Even a simple bird feeder will attract many varieties of birds and learning their names, their songs, and personalities is great fun.The website www. whatbirdsareinmybackyard.com/2019/11/what-are-most-commonbackyard-birds-in-connecticut shows pictures, behavior and particular food preferences for over 19 birds that might visit you. There is even an app for bird watchers; The Audubon Bird Guide App is free and easy to use. Watching the squirrels at the feeders is an added bonus.

If you go to watch the ducks, “supplemental feeding by people is unnecessary and potentially harmful,” according to Maura Robie, Conservation Technician for the Eastern Connecticut Conservation District. They report feeding inappropriate foods (especially bread) results in malnourished waterfowl that suffer from deformities and a weakened gene pool. Bread is not only bad for them, but it fouls the water, and if it gets moldy it can actually kill them. If feeding is allowed several waterfowl experts suggest feeding frozen peas (defrosted but not cooked). Peas contain many nutrients and are an easy size for the birds to swallow, but they can be high in sugar, so remember it is a treat not a meal.

So now that you are watching them, what do you do if you find an injured bird? Many times the bird is just stunned and will recover and fly off on its own. If the bird is bleeding, shows obvious signs of injury, or has not flown away after several hours, it can only be helped by a licensed rehabilitator. Connecticut State Statutes Ch 490 Sec. 26-40a covers wildlife protection and makes it illegal for someone who is not licensed to care for a wild animal; this is for the animal’s protection and supports the goal of proper care and hopefully release back into the wild. Call the DEEP during the day 860-424-3011 or after hours at 860424-3333 and they will advise you where the closest rehabber is. If you can take a picture of the bird it will help the rehabber to appraise the situation.

Did you ever hear screaming coming from the woods? A rarely seen Fisher Cat (which is actually a type of weasel and not a cat at all) is known for its hellish noises. It avoids people and eats mice, voles, squirrels and birds. On occasion it has been known to kill cats and very small dogs. If you happen to see one, consider yourself extremely lucky and keep your distance. While they won’t attack people, they do carry ticks and fleas and can be rabid.

“...supplemental feeding by people is unnecessary and potentially harmful.”

Photo by Jacques Le Henaff on Unsplash

Vector species, which are foxes, skunks, bats, and raccoons, are also a concern, as they are the most frequent carriers of rabies. It is advisable to avoid any contact with them. Do not feed them, and keep garbage cans securely covered. If a juvenile is injured, DEEP can recommend a rehabber, but if it is an injured adult it will be humanely euthanized. Those companies claiming to “capture and re-home” them are lying. It is illegal to relocate a vector species.

Starting in April fawns will be born and well intentioned people will “find” them and try to “save” them. Unless there is a dead doe nearby, leave it alone and stay away. Fawns are born with no scent. Their mother leaves them away from predators often in the middle of a field and will return to feed and relocate them. If you come back and they are gone, it just means the mother came, fed, and moved them. If you are driving and see a deer cross the road, be very careful because they often travel in groups.

Rabbit nests are very shallow, the young are barely covered. Like the deer, the mother (also called a doe) will leave her kits to find food and come back to nurse them. With so many predators to watch for she is skittish, and if you disturb the nest she might abandon her young. The trick to seeing if she is coming back is to place a string in a grid pattern over the nest. If you come back in 24 hours and the string has been disturbed the family is fine. If not, call a licensed rehabber for advice before moving.

Coyotes are a big topic in Connecticut. They have been expanding here since the 1950’s and Facebook is full of pictures of them walking down the sidewalks or lying in someone’s backyard. They typically avoid people. When they are in the breeding season in the spring, and in early summer when they are raising their young they may be aggressive towards dogs. Coyotes live in a small family unit and are opportunistic eaters; dining mostly on rabbits, rodents, frogs, insects, birds, plants, and people’s garbage. If coyotes follow you, it is probably because they have pups nearby and are watching you until you leave the area. A can filled with stones and shaken, or some shouting is usually enough to annoy them into moving away.

Would you like to learn more about wildlife? The Wildlife Division of the Department of Environmental Protection Agency offers a Wildlife Rehabilitation Course (currently a webinar) with downloadable course materials. After attending the course you may sign up to take the online exam. If you score 80% or better you are ready to start the required 40 hours of apprenticeship training for the standard rehabilitation volunteer appointment. Additional requirements must be met to work with specialties like migratory birds, deer, or vector species. For more information on the wildlife program contact CT DEEP wildlife biologist Laurie Fortin laurie.fortin@ct.gov.

It has been one of my greatest privileges to help with the Emergency Animal Response Service of Connecticut. We have captured and transported many wild animals to rehabilitators and veterinary specialists. Before COVID-19 we did frequent animal library lectures, classes, and information tables, from town fairs to the Connecticut Pet Expo and Equine Affaire. Nature has a way of soothing the mind and heart. I hope you will enjoy getting to know the wildlife in your own backyard.

“Coyotes are a big topic in Connecticut. They have been expanding here since the 1950’s.”