Bird Injury Prevention
The vast majority of birds that Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research receives are injured as a result of human activity. There are many things you can do that will help reduce injuries to birds and other wildlife.
Bird Injury Prevention
The vast majority of birds that Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research receives are injured as a result of human activity. There are many things you can do that will help reduce injuries to birds and other wildlife.
Tips on living with wildlife
- Keep your pets under control, and keep cats indoors.
- Hang hawk silhouettes, decals, or other ornaments in windows to reduce the chance of impact injuries.
- Look before you lop! Check for nests before you trim bushes or cut down trees. Better yet, do your pruning in the winter– it’s better for the plants!
- Keep your bird feeders clean.
- Drive carefully and watch the roadsides for wildlife, especially at dawn and dusk.
- Cap your metal-lined chimney and install an approved clothes-dryer vent cover.
- Use natural or organic alternatives to chemical pest control or lawn care. Many birds die each year from exposure to these chemicals.
- Pick up litter, especially fishing line and plastic six-pack rings.
- Dispose of hazardous household products properly.
- Educate children to respect wild birds and not capture them.

Spotted Lanternfly numbers have been increasing since this non-native and highly destructive insect was detected in 2014 in Pennsylvania. To date, they have spread to the mid-Atlantic region. According to Penn State Extension, Spotted Lanternflies feed on the sap of a plant and when there are high populations of them, they can cause significant damage and economic loss. They feed on over 70 plants, including important forestry and agricultural crops. The most damage to date has been observed in vineyards, ornamental nurseries, and people’s backyards. The chart below shows their life-cycle; in our region they are currently in the early and late Nymph stage. If you see them in your yard, squash them if possible. If you need to use a trap, please DO NOT use sticky tape. Wildlife such as birds, bats, and squirrels can become adhered to the tape and suffer an agonizing death. We have received numerous patients that were adhered to tape traps, and they often had such horrific injuries that humane euthanasia was the only choice we had. Here is a link on how to build a simple Spotted Lanternfly trap that will not capture the wildlife we love. https://extension.psu.edu/how-to-build-a-new-style… Image courtesy of Penn State.