HISTORY

Over a quarter of a century ago, responding to local concerns about injured birds, a small group of Sonoma County residents began a rehabilitation response effort.  At its start the Center primarily worked with sick and injured birds of prey with the goal to rehabilitate and return these beautiful and ecologically essential animals to the wild.

The Bird Rescue Center incorporated in 1976 through the efforts of local Audubon Society. In 1980 two of the founding members, Martha Bentley and Alida Morzenti went seeking a permanent home for the Center. The effort was successful and resulted in support from the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors who provided a site with a small building on County property near the Sutter Hospital. With the help of residents, students and faculty from University of California at Davis, the site was renovated to accommodate our needs. Additionally, special housing (mews) were erected to lodge a permanently non-releasable group of birds-of-prey (raptors) that were transferred from the Raptor Center at UC Davis by Alida Morzenti. 

In the beginning The Bird Rescue Center primarily worked with locally found sick and injured birds-of-prey. In response to growing needs the Center gradually expanded its scope and opened its doors to native wild birds of all species. Today The Bird Rescue Center is the only treatment center in the North Bay area that exclusively specializes in the care and rehabilitation of wild birds.

Through the efforts of trained volunteers and supporting veterinarians, a healthy percentage of the 2500-3000 injured native birds that come to The Bird Rescue Center each year, are rehabilitated and released back into the wild. In 2004 the Bird Rescue Center received over 2,200 birds representing over 120 species at our facility in Santa Rosa.  The Bird Rescue Center remains committed to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of orphaned, injured or ill native wild birds and is licensed by State and Federal Fish and Game.

OUR STAFF

BOARD of DIRECTORS