Wildlife rescuers have saved two magpies that were struggling and trapped in a glue spill in a fast-food restaurant car park.
Leonie Sorrentino from Wildlife Rescuers was called to the rescue behind a fast-food restaurant on Barry Road, Campbellfield on Friday 16 January.
“It didn’t look like glue … it looked like a puddle of water … but there were so many feathers and blood around both of the magpies … they’d been struggling for a while,” Ms Sorrentino said.
She said she got a towel and put her hands underneath the first, female magpie to separate her from the ground.
“I started cleaning the glue substance off … and got a whole chunk off her legs, her feet and her wings.”
She said freeing the second, male bird was not so quick and easy.
“I used olive oil but the towel started sticking to its feathers … he lost a lot of feathers on his chest.”
Ms Sorrentino decided to take the male straight to the Green Cross Vets in South Morang.
“I was not holding out much hope for the male bird,” she said.
“Then [the vet] sent me a photo of them in the incubator both standing up … it was amazing.”
She said the birds have been cared for at a local sanctuary and are set to be released together.
“They are flying around the aviary now… the male’s feathers still haven’t grown back … but it’s time for them to go home.”
If you see an animal injured on in trouble, call Wildlife Rescuers on 0417 506 941
