LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Halloween decorations can be fun to look at and make the season special, but some decorations can be a real hazard - especially for birds.
The main culprits are decorative spiderwebs.
Dave Dicks, the president of the board of directors at Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky, said three birds were brought to the organization last year after they got caught in the webs. Two of them didn't survive.
"They just don't see it, and it can be very dangerous for wildlife," he said.
Dicks explained that birds, particularly owls, get focused on what they're chasing and don't recognize the spiderwebs as an obstacle, especially since they're only up for a limited time.
"It can get wrapped around the bird as they are trying to catch prey," Dicks said.
In a post on its Facebook page, the organization explained what happens when a bird gets caught in fake spiderwebs, gauzy fabric or other stringy materials:
"When a bird becomes entangled, the string can tighten causing blood supply to be cut off to parts of the body. This leads to a quick and major toxin buildup. Once the string is removed, the blood flow will return to the area and cause the toxins to flood the body. Plus, when the bird is fighting to free itself, it can also do major damage to muscles, tendons, and bone."
The easiest way to protect our feathered friends is to use other decorations for Halloween. However, if a bird does get caught in your decor, you can call Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky, and staff members can walk you through the process of rescuing the bird.
The rescue line is 502-491-1939.
Then, if it needs medical attention, you can take the bird to Raptor Rehab for its recovery.
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