AMARILLO, Texas — It doesn't get much more Texas than this!
An Amarillo family called the Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center for help on Saturday after they found what they thought was a baby barn owl lying on the ground. They were worried because the little bird felt cold. The quick-thinking mom threw a tortilla on the grill to heat it up and then wrapped the bird inside it to keep it safe and warm until help arrived.
The wildlife center sent someone to the family's home and they gave her the baby bird still wrapped in the tortilla.
"Undoubtedly, it was an inventive method to keep the baby warm, and surprisingly, it was effective," the wildlife center said in a Facebook post. "Wildlife rescue is always filled with lively and unexpected moments."
The bird turned out to be a Mississippi kite hatchling. They're described by Audobon.org as graceful birds of prey that eat large flying insects.
We checked on the rescued bird's progress on Monday and the wildlife center said it's doing well. They've named it Taquito.
The wildlife center is also caring for dozens of birds injured or orphaned after Hurricane Beryl hit the Houston area a week ago. The Houston SPCA's Wildlife Center of Texas reached out to Wild West for help because they're overwhelmed with over 1,600 animals injured in the hurricane.
Pilots N Paws flew about 100 egrets and dozens of doves from Houston to Amarillo on Sunday.
Rehabbers and students from the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine are helping treat the birds.
"It is a huge undertaking but with an amazing village, we can do big things," Wild West said.
They're accepting donations to help pay for medication, food and supplies, including incubators, for the little Beryl victims.
