As the weather gets colder, mice and other pests tend to get into homes and we see increased use of glue traps. This Carolina Wren was the unintended victim of such a trap. It was the second wren to come in on a glue trap in the past 3 days.

Please remind family and friends that glue traps are indiscriminate and inhumane. Slowly and brutally killing unwanted "pests" without addressing the reasons they are coming into the home is a futile exercise that wastes your time and results in an endless cycle of death.

For practical tips on removing mice from the home (and keeping them out!) with humane lethal or non-lethal methods, check out this website: https://www.hsi.org/news-media/humane-rodent-solutions/

The finder did a great job – covered the animal to reduce stress and got to us quickly. To help further, we'd recommend finders cover the sticky parts of the trap with cornmeal, tissues, or similar materials that will prevent the animal from making their situation worse.

Please don’t remove animals yourself. We see many wrens that die because well-intentioned finders covered them with oil or broke feathers/wings trying to remove the bird.

Once in care, we were able to anesthetize the bird for safe removal & a bath. After rehydration & 48 hours of monitoring, this bird has now been cleared for release.

Insectivores like wrens (and bats and skinks) are often caught on glue traps that have trapped their food, creating the illusion of a free buffet! Covering them, keeping them warm/dark/quiet, and getting them care as quickly as possible is the best solution.