Here's how to help the young people in your life discover a lifelong connection to nature.

At Avian Haven, we don't name our patients — and that this small practice is one of the most important things we do.

Rodenticide poisoning is one of the most widespread — and least visible — threats to birds of prey and other wildlife. When a mouse or rat consumes rodent poison, the danger doesn't end there. It travels up the food chain.

It's fledge season in Portland and across Maine, and young gulls are everywhere right now: on rooftops, in parking lots, wandering around on the ground. They can't fly yet. That's normal. It takes them several weeks to build the strength to get airborne, and during that time they'll walk, flap, and rest in places that make people worry.

Birders, and those who dedicate their life to wildlife, have a story about the moment a bird stopped them cold. A bird that made them look up, lean in, or turn the car around. We call that bird a "spark bird" — the species that lit the match.

This week, we asked members of the Avian Haven team to share theirs.

Every spring and summer, our phones ring with concerned callers who've discovered a nest tucked into a wreath, a gutter, a porch light, or a hedge — sometimes in the most inconvenient places imaginable. And every time, we share the same message: please leave it alone. That's not just our advice. It's the law.

Right now, Avian Haven is caring for more than 100 baby birds. Crow fledgelings, gull chicks, and goslings. Owlets and eaglets. Ducklings and Woodcocks tinier than a fist. Each one arrived injured or orphaned — and each one carries a hidden vulnerability that shapes every decision we make about how we feed them, house them, and interact with them.

This week, Avian Haven will cross a milestone: our 1,000th patient of 2026. That number represents a thousand birds found injured, orphaned, or ill — and a thousand decisions by people across Maine to stop, pick up the phone, and ask for help.

11 bird documentaries that will delight you, make you laugh, and show you the magic of birds

Maine's swallows are disappearing. Learn why aerial insectivores are in steep decline and what you can do to help — from your backyard to your barn.

Avian Haven supports birds from along the Atlantic Flyway who are injured or get sick on their stopover in Maine

North America has lost nearly 3 billion birds since 1970. This post looks at what Maine’s Breeding Bird Atlas is telling us about the birds that are holding on, the species that are struggling, and why rehabilitation matters.

Found a baby bird on the ground? Before stepping in, learn when a fledgling is exactly where it should be, when rescue is needed, and how Avian Haven can help you make the right decision.

The long journey to rehab a Peregrine Falcon, with support from our Consulting Veterinarian and their team, and a falconer in Maine.

Introducing: the Wings Forward Legacy Circle, a group for those committed to Avian Haven’s future

Your guide to native plants to support birds in Maine

Before the busy season begins, the Avian Haven team headed to Fields Pond in Holden for a morning of birding, team reflection, and one unforgettable encounter with a nesting American Woodcock — and the reminder she offered about when not to help.

Woodcocks and other birds need your support this spring - what you can do to protect them

Dr. Avery Berkowitz is raising the bar on care at Avian Haven

Karen Silverman is one of our 150 volunteers who ensure every bird gets the treatment it deserves