Healdsburg Firefighters Swoop In, Rescue Baby Green Heron

HEALDSBURG, CA — Firefighters are known to rescue adorable kittens from precarious positions, but it is not very often they can say they rescued a baby green heron. That is just what the firefighters aboard Healdsburg Fire Department Engine 6381 did Monday.

It happened in the midst of a busy day as they were returning to the station after their seventh call. Engine 6381 was stopped near Healdsburg Plaza at Center and Matheson streets when Engineer Brian Crabb noticed a baby bird fall out of a tree and land in the crosswalk.

Crew 6381 sprung into action. They stopped all oncoming cars from entering the busy intersection, then swooped in and plucked the little bird out of harm's way.

With the rescue complete, the crew was puzzled about what to do next.

They decided to call the the Bird Rescue Center of Sonoma County and were advised that the bird should be put back in the nest or, if the nest could not be located, they should bring the bird to the rescue center.

The nest could not be located, so Captain Sullivan arranged for safe transportation to the Bird Rescue Center in Santa Rosa — but not before the bird posed for a photo with one of its new friends, Healdsburg firefighter Bennett Leda.

The Bird Rescue Center did find some bruising on the baby bird's chest, Executive Director Ashton Kluttz told Patch. The center usually gets around 20 green herons per year, but this was the first one this year and was only a few weeks old, she said. After giving it some medical care for the bruising, the baby green heron was transferred to the International Bird Rescue Center in Cordelia, Kluttz said.

According to Audobon.org, baby green herons begin climbing around their nest within 16-17 days of hatching, then usually make their first flight at 21-23 days old but are still fed by their parents for a few more weeks.

Sonoma County birdwatcher Colin Talcroft writes that green herons are fairly common throughout the county, and even more so in the summertime. They live near freshwater streams, lakes and ponds, such as Spring Lake, where there are trees nearby. They are usually solitary and prey on various small fish, insects and invertebrates. They nest and roost alone in trees rather than in colonies, Talcroft says.