We love releases! This Wilson's Snipe was released after 16 days in our care. When brought to CROW, the bird exhibited wing droop in both wings and a wound on the patagium which is the skin flap that assists in obtaining lift while the bird is gliding. After treatment and supportive care by our hospital and rehabilitation team, the Snipe was cleared for release. Note: although we give them release instructions on how to exit the boxes gracefully and in full view of the camera, they don't always

Meet Wesley Snipe, a Wilson's Snipe found here in Sitka, Alaska, after being found unable to fly. Wesley was named after the Actor Wesley Snipes, and after a few weeks in our clinic, Wesley is ready to head back out into the wild! Though the long tradition of “snipe hunt” pranks has convinced many people otherwise, Wilson’s Snipes aren’t made up creatures! These plump, long-billed birds are among the most widespread shorebirds in North America. They can be tough to see thanks to their cryptic br

A Wilson's Snipe bouncing and grooving along while poking about in the mud for food. The strongest hypothesis for this motion is to deter predators. This bouncing motion is done when when the bird is being watched, and it is done in open habitat where it's more likely that a predator would spot them. The Snipe has detected a potential threat and is letting the predator know that this bird has plenty of energy to fly off and escape, so it's not even worth the attempt. There's another possible exp