What is critical to monitor during rehabilitation of wild birds?

Monitoring a bird's weight during rehabilitation is critical because it provides vital information about its overall health and recovery progress. Weight is a direct indicator of a bird’s nutritional status, energy levels, and can reveal underlying health issues. A significant change in weight can suggest that the bird is not eating adequately, may be dehydrated, or could be suffering from an illness or injury that is affecting its ability to eat or digest food properly.

Maintaining an appropriate weight is essential for the bird's survival chances upon release back into the wild. Weight loss can happen rapidly in birds, especially if they are under stress or not receiving proper care. Regular weighing allows rehabilitators to adjust feeding regimens and ensure the bird is gaining weight and recovering as expected.

While factors like vocalization, flying ability, and social interactions are important in assessing a bird's rehabilitation, they do not provide the same critical, immediate insight into the bird's physical health and recovery status that weight monitoring does. Thus, weight monitoring is a fundamental aspect of wildlife rehabilitation that influences decisions regarding care and readiness for release.