KAYLEE’S SILVER AWARD PROJECT

Girl Scouts of Northern California

Girl Scout Troop 31602


Helping Our Feathered Friends

My mission is to help small, wild birds by educating

the community on ways to protect them; and if necessary, get these feathered friends proper care so they can return back to their natural habitat.

Introduction

My Silver Award Project was to educate the community on how to care for small, wild birds, from ones who are healthy to those who are sick, injured, distressed, and/or abandoned. The rescued birds who need extra care can be rehabilitated at a wildlife rehabiltation center, such as Ohlone Humane Society. My project also provided movable perches, food, and supplies for these rescued birds undergoing rehabilitation. I received funding for these items with my money earning event, which involved selling homemade felt bookmarks with bird designs. More information about Silver Award Project, OHS, wild birds, rehab process, money making event, and perch building can be found throughout this website.

What is a Silver Award project?

The highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn!


Requirements

Criteria

  1. Complete a Cadette Journey and Take Action Project.
  2. Take the Highest Award and Silver Award trainings.
  3. Build Girl Scout Silver Award team (1 to 4 girls).
  4. Submit paperwork by September 30th after 8th grade is completed.


General Information

Steps to Take

  1. Explore the community.
  2. Identify issues and root causes.
  3. Develop the project.
  4. Make a sustainable plan and put it into motion.
  5. Reflect, share the story, and submit final report.
  6. Celebrate accomplishment!
A Snow Covered Mountain Under the White Sky

background

Before I began my Silver Award Project, I listed out all the topics I was passionate about. Working with animals was one of those topics. Around the same time, my mom saw an Open House event posted on the Ohlone Humane Society Wildlife Rehab Center Facebook page. We attended that event and met Ms. Kelli Di Bene. She’s the manager, and the person who spoke to us on what we could do for their center. Ms. Kelli suggested that the small, wild birds undergoing rehab at OHS could benefit from having some movable perches in their cages. The perches can be moved from one area to another, making it easier for the birds that are injured to hop up on. I happily accepted that request. This was the birth of my project. I took the perch idea onto another level by making educational videos for the community on how to handle sick, injured and/or abandoned wild birds. I wanted my project to have a sustainable impact and a long lasting solution to the root cause (which is the lack of information on how to properly care for small, wild birds).

Partnership with OHS

Ohlone Humane Society

Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

For more information on rehabilitation, visit: OHS Wildlife Rehab Center

I was fortunate to have partnered with Ohlone Humane Society Wildlife Rehab Center for my Silver Award project. They are a center with “trained rehabilitators who give specialized care for injured, orphaned, displaced, and/or distressed urban wildlife in order to release them back into their native habitat.” Some of the wildlife cared for are the wild birds that are focused in this project. They rescued hundreds of birds such as house sparrows, Western Bluebirds, and American Robins. Manager Ms. Kelli mentored me on what wild birds need and what the community can do for them. In return, I made movable perches, and donated supplies and bird food for the wild birds staying at OHS.

Importance of Wild Birds

Why should we care for them?

Food maker

Essential pollinators to spread seeds of many plants, especially native plants. The bird leave the seed through their droppings, providing the seed with vital nutrients to help them grow. This helps us get fruit and vegetable crops.

Protector of farm crops

They eat insect pests that can destroy crops and vegetation. For example, a single bird can save up to 24 pounds of coffee beans

per acre each year from pest damage.


Balance population and ecosystems

They feed on a variety of insects, rodents, and other small animals. This keeps those populations in check and ensuring a proper balance in their ecosystem.

Issue, Root Cause , and Solution


Issue

The issue of the project was that there are too many injured, sick, and/or abandoned small, wild birds out there in the community. They get harmed by humans and other animals,

such as cats. In fact, rehabilitators at OHS Wildlife Rehab Center get at least one wild bird turned in to them per day during the months of April through October. These wild birds need rehabilitators to nurse them back to health so that they can be released back to

their natural habitat.

root cause

The root cause of the issue was people do not have the information on how to care for small, wild birds, whether healthy, injured, sick, and/or abandoned. In turn, humans can accidentally or purposely hurt / sicken these birds. For example, people can destroy their habitat or handle them improperly. These birds end up dying or suffering until help comes.

SOLUTION

The solution to the root cause was to educate the community on how to care for small, wild birds. The educational videos will teach the viewers ways to handle both baby and adult wild birds. Video #4 gives tips on how to prevent hurting these feathered friends. For example, rehabilitator Ms. Kelli advises the community to avoid having clear,reflective windows; drive safely on the road; make sure pets (ie cats) are not recklessly roaming around chasing birds; etc. These helpful tips and how-to guides will ensure the safety and well-being of these small, wild birds.

Educational Videos

Nestling baby birds are those with no feathers. In this video, I demonstrated how to make a substitute nest for a nestling baby bird who has fallen from a tree. I also advised on the steps to take after building the nest.

In this video, I demonstrated the steps to take when one finds an injured baby bird, from preparing a container to calling a rehabilitation center. These are important steps to take in order to save an injured baby bird.

Fledglings are fully feathered, but still have a very short tail and short wing feathers. The adult parent birds will usually come back for their baby bird. In this video, a fledgling baby bird needs help. I demonstrated how to put it back on the tree and advise to observe a couple of hours to see if the parent bird comes back.

Rehabilitator Ms. Kelli graciously gave a full tour of OHS Wildlife Rehab Center. She also sat down and answered some helpful questions that our community can learn from about wild birds and rehabilitation process itself.

*For videos #1, #2, and # 3, detailed information can be found on: I Found a Baby Bird

Wild Bird injury prevention

Tips on living with our feathered friends

  • Keep your pets under control; i.e., keep cats indoors.
  • Hang large decals or ornaments in windows to reduce the risk of collision injuries. Keep blinds partially closed.
  • Install window screens.
  • Check for nests before you trim bushes or cut down trees.
  • Drive carefully and watch the road for wild birds.
  • Keep bird feeders clean.
  • Get rid of hazardous household products properly.
  • Do not litter. Pick it up if you see it.
  • Respect wild birds and not capture them (plus it is illegal to do so in some states!)



Money Earning Event

In order to build movable perches for small, rescued wild birds undergoing rehabilitation at Ohlone Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, I needed the funds to buy the materials and supplies. To do so, I created a money earning event where I crafted and sold fun felt bookmarks with bird designs (as seen with the photo on this page). These bookmarks came in either brown or green color, and sold for $3/each. The proceeds I received also provided bird food and supplies for these feathered friends. At the end of the event, I was able to sell 56 felt bookmarks!

Snow Covered Trees

Making the Perches (part 1) - Preparation

Sketching perches

After researching DIY bird perches, I went to Lowe’s and searched for materials. Per Ms. Kelli’s specifications, I was able to sketch two different perch sizes that I can build.

Collecting branches in nature

I needed branches for the top part of my perches. Luckily, branches are free in nature. I recruited a few Brownies and my sister (who is a Cadette as well) to help me find those branches. Before our outing, I researched which tree branches are safe to use for DIY bird perches. I gave instructions to my sister scouts, and we searched based on the information. This was part of my leadership demonstration for my Silver Award project.

Shopping for supplies

After I received all the proceeds from my money earning event, I headed to Lowe’s and picked up the materials and supplies needed to build the movable bird perches.

Making the Perches (part 2) - Building Process

  1. saw the stick

2. sand

to smooth

3. drill hole

4. glue bottom

5. attach to base

6. screw down

7. prepare vinegar

mixture

8. trim down

& soak branches

9. dry branches

in the sun

10. clip to resize

dried branches

11. nail down

branches

FINAL RESULTS!

Photo Gallery

More project photos!

About Kaylee

I am currently a sixth grader and a first-year Cadette. I really enjoy being a Girl Scout because I get to learn many important life skills and lessons; and I can help the community in many ways. Also, I value the opportunity to practice leadership with the younger girls in the troop. Aside from scouting, I love animals in general. This is why I have three cats at home! My love for animals led me to do my Silver Award project on birds. I hope to inspire others on protecting and caring for wild birds.

Acknowledgements

Ms. Kelli

My project advisor, Ms. Kelli, was such an amazing mentor. She was always there whenever I needed her expertise on wild birds and rehabilitation. In fact, she gave me the suggestion on making bird perches for OHS. That sparked the initial process of my Silver Award project. Ms. Kelli was truly a sweet and thoughtful advisor.

Ms. Selvia

From reviewing my project proposal to helping me with my money earning event, these are examples of ways I received help from my troop leader, Ms. Selvia. She always made sure I had everything I needed for my project. Much appreciation goes out to her.

Ms. Linh

I’d like to thank Ms. Linh, my mom, for being very supportive of my Silver Award Project every step of the way. From taking me to OHS Open House to advising me on each steps of the project, I really appreciate her support and guidance.


Bookmark customers

Without my bookmark customers, I wouldn’t have the funds to build the movable perches or buy supplies and food for the wild birds at OHS. I am grateful for their support of my project.

Fellow sister scouts

A special thanks to my fellow sister scouts, Anisha, Carla, Silvia, and my own sister, Ellie. They helped me collect the branches for my bird perches at a local park. We had a wonderful time doing that activity.

Mr. Benny

I learned alot about wood work from Mr. Benny, my dad. He taught me how to saw, drill, and sand down the wood. My dad also showed me how to assemble the felt bookmarks. Without his crafty guidance, I wouldn’t be able to complete this project.

Organic Semi-Lined Hummingbird
Organic Semi-Lined Hummingbird

Thank you for visiting this site! For questions and/or comments, please send emails to: gs_wildbirds2024@yahoo.com

PROJECT UPDATES

March 2024:

This hummingbird was brought to the Ohlone Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center around February as a nestling. It is currently being taken care by Rehabilitator Ms. Kelli. After a couple of weeks, it is no longer a nestling. It is all grown up and thriving. This little hummer is even using one of the perches from this project. Keep up the good work, hummingbird!