Bright yellow marks the spot! Baby birds often have brightly colored mouths, ranging from yellow, orange, red, or pink, that act like targets for their parents. These vivid colors help adults quickly see an open mouth when it's time to feed. For some birds, the nestling that stretches up the highest or begs the most flagrantly gets fed first. In others, parents hone in on the brightness of the gape. These bold colors are especially helpful in dim lighting conditions, making that hungry mouth hard to miss.

Feeding time gets even more interesting when you watch *who* is doing the feeding, because it’s not always just mom and dad. Barn swallows are known to participate in cooperative breeding. This means sometimes unrelated adults hang out around the nest feeding the babies, although they typically act like body guards mobbing any nearby predators. They’ll even help build nests or incubate the eggs!

Of course there has to be some advantage for these unrelated adults putting in this work, right? It turns out that nests that have more adult helpers are typically occupied by older females, and those helpers tend to be males. So it’s thought the males are possibly hoping to swoop away with this successful lady one day.

These adults aren’t always tolerated though, and are often shooed off by the breeding pair. However, extra juveniles are also sometimes in the mix! These tend to be young birds from that year’s previous brood helping out their parents and siblings. Unrelated juveniles are also known to help out too, so maybe they’re in it for the same reasons as the unrelated adults, or maybe their youthful brains get a little confused and decide to just go along with the flow. ... See MoreSee Less

Want hands-on experience in wildlife rehabilitation? We're now accepting applications for August - October internships!

Interns are an essential part of our team during late baby season. You’ll gain hands-on experience with diet preparation, daily animal care and enrichment activities, enclosure cleaning, medication administration, and other aspects of wildlife rehabilitation. We have an incredible staff that’s ready to teach you the ins and outs of wildlife rehabilitation!

Before applying, here are a few important things to know:

- This is an unpaid internship.
- We are located in Joelton, Tennessee.
- We work with wild animals. That means no cuddling, petting, or baby-talking any patients. Our goal is always to keep them wild so they can successfully return to their natural habitat.
- Wildlife rehab is messy! Expect dirty, smelly animal care with infinite laundry and dishes to wash.
- This is a physically demanding role. You'll spend most of your shift on your feet, often working outdoors in the Tennessee heat while caring for the animals.
- Rabies vaccination is not required for all animal care, but it is required for working with rabies vector species like raccoons, foxes, skunks, and coyotes.

If you're passionate about wildlife, eager to learn, and ready to work hard, we'd love to hear from you!

Please email your resume and cover letter to AsstManager@waldenspuddle.org. ... See MoreSee Less