An Amarillo family came up with a unique plan to keep a young bird warm until professional rescuers arrived, leading KHOU 11 to proclaim: "It doesn't get much more Texas than this!"
As detailed by the Houston station, the family found the baby bird on the ground and reached out to the Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. As they waited, they feared that the hatchling was too cold, so they did what they could with what was on hand — heating a tortilla on the grill and nestling the bird in a perfectly toasty cocoon.
"Undoubtedly, it was an inventive method to keep the baby warm, and surprisingly, it was effective," the rehabilitation center wrote on Facebook, detailing how it quickly arranged for transport. "... Wildlife Rescue is always filled with lively and unexpected moments."
The center identified the young bird as a Mississippi Kite, which primarily feeds on large insects like cicadas, grasshoppers, and katydids, according to the National Audubon Society. Happily, the young hatchling is on the mend.
"We will be ordering insects and frozen mice for him while he is in care over the next several weeks," the center wrote, posting a donation link for people who want to contribute.
KHOU 11 reported that the Mississippi Kite, now dubbed "Taquito," isn't the only young creature in need of medical attention. The Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center has been "overwhelmed" with more than 1,500 animals injured during Hurricane Beryl, a Category 1 hurricane that also left millions of Texans without power after making landfall on July 8.
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Donating to shelters and calling in the professionals are some of the best ways to take action to assist injured wildlife.
In the case of young birds, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife recommends leaving them alone unless the animal in question has "a visible broken wing, is bleeding, shivering, or has a deceased parent nearby." Always contact a wildlife rehabilitator, as the Amarillo family did.
"I'm so glad our baby is doing well!!!" one of the family members wrote on the rehabilitation center's Facebook post. "Thank you for coming so quickly!"
"That was some quick and clever thinking," the center responded. "He was nice and warm when we got him."
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"Great job, tortilla Mom!" another commenter wrote.
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