This raven had trouble flying when she was discovered in Richmond, VA. Maureen Bergin, the woman who found her, kept an eye on the bird over the next few months. Though the raven’s mate still brought her food, it became obvious that her health was steadily getting worse.
Bergin got in contact with wildlife officials, who brought the wounded bird to the Wildlife Center of Virginia. Once veterinarians assessed its condition, they decided to perform a feather transplant, a rare and unusual procedure for the bird.
Tests showed that her condition was due to a mite infestation affecting her skin. She was treated with an anti-parasitic, but was still in too poor a condition to be released.
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Feathers are not only necessary for birds to fly, but also control their body temperature. Vets were able to attach 6 new feathers using a technique known as “imping.”
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Though a couple of them did fall out post-transplant, the procedure was a success and she began flying again.
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(via The Dodo.)
After moving to a large enclosure to rebuild her strength, the raven was released back into the wild this week. This video shows her first triumphant flight:
I’m sure her mate was happy to be reunited and flying with her again. I hope she stays healthy and safe.
