Sea Bird Saved

When Michael Campbell and his father were travelling back from Double Cone Island on the weekend, they spotted a little white bird in the water.

Noticing that it didn’t move or fly away when they passed, the pair turned the boat around to take another look.

“We went back and scooped it out of the water,” said Michael.

“It seemed very relieved and exhausted, it was covered in lice, soaked to the bone and spent the rest of our trip home to Airlie sitting up the front of the boat.”

When they arrived home, Michael jumped on the popular community Facebook page, Whitsundays Chat, and asked for advice.

He was soon put in touch with Di Forster from Fauna Rescue Whitsundays who said that the little bird was likely waterlogged and would have died if they had not rescued it.

The bird was identified as a juvenile Torres Strait Pigeon that migrates and was due to fly north later this month.

Di cared for the little bird and hand-fed it for 24 hours.

The next day it was transferred to her aviary and when she gave it a ‘test flight’ she could see it was ready to go.

On Tuesday morning, Di released the little pigeon back into the wild and she hopes it will now be healthy enough to migrate.

Fauna Rescue Whitsundays are a non-profit, voluntary group that cares for and rehabilitates sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife.

They provide a 24-hour wildlife hotline service and anyone who sees an animal in distress is encouraged to call 4947 3389.

You can also view their full range of services on frw.org.au.

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This water-logged pigeon was rescued by Michael and his dad over the weekend. Photo supplied

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