Hurricane Helene crashed into Florida with 140 mile per hour winds and storm surge of up to 15 feet. Within two weeks, Florida was hit again by Hurricane Milton, which packed wind speeds of 120 miles per hour when it first made landfall. Storm surge of up to 10 feet also inundated coastal areas as this second storm passed through. While the human and pet impacts are well known, wild birds have also been heavily impacted. You’ve helped us provide aid for them.

Thanks to your clicks, trivia participation, shopping for a cause, and direct donations, we’ve been working with Greater Good Charities to provide urgent support and supplies to bird sanctuaries across the Southeast. So far, that’s included sites in Florida and North Carolina.

Seaside Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores, Florida, is among the sites we've helped. It was walloped twice, by Helene and then Milton. The organization works to rescue, rehabilitate, and, if possible, release injured, orphaned, and sick native birds. In all, their hospital cares for about 3,500 birds each year. They also have nearly 100 permanently injured residents, including brown pelicans, a variety of shorebirds, and birds of prey. As both storms came through, staff and volunteers worked to secure their facility and transfer their residents off-site to weather the storm.

While Milton was making its way toward Indian Shores, a team from Greater Good Charities (GGC) was among those helping transfer the birds, primarily to an off-site warehouse further inland. Fortunately, the birds all survived both impacts. However, the organization has been left with a lot of work to do.

Though they didn’t lose any of their animals, their facility has suffered substantial damage, which has involved ongoing work to repair. A GGC team has helped lend a hand here, too, as well as providing supplies needed to handle quite a few new arrivals.

Their hospital has been swamped, with birds suffering from wind-induced injuries, including a red-tailed hawk. There have also been many suffering from red tide-related illness. Red tides are harmful algal blooms that produce toxins which can kill fish, make shellfish dangerous to eat, make air difficult to breathe, and sicken or kill other animals. That includes birds.

While hurricanes don’t cause a red tide, their churning of sea water can help accelerate their growth and move them further inland to impact shore birds. The victims this time around included a young ruddy turnstone and sanderling, which were brought to the sanctuary following Helene.

As the sanctuary has worked to care for birds like this, and sort the damages to their facility, we’ve been able to help, with your support!

Further north, where Helene’s intense rainfall dropped up to two feet of rain, we’ve also worked with organizations trying to sort out the continuing devastation. That includes Wild for Life: Center for Rehabilitation of Wildlife in Asheville, North Carolina. Wild for Life focuses on rescuing and rehabilitating injured and orphaned birds of prey, with the ultimate goal of releasing them back into the wild. They also work to educate the public on these animals and the need to protect them and the environment.

When a GGC team visited to provide cleaning supplies, towels, food, and clean water, which they lacked, Mary from the organization described the aftermath of the storm.

She said, “It just hit us. It looked like a war zone. We couldn’t get out of our driveway. No electricity. No water. Then we became quite inundated with injured birds.”

This came as their property needed TLC, as well, with fallen limbs and trees that required attention along with the new arrivals. There has been a need for enclosure cleaning, food preparation, and other efforts to ensure birds get the care they need. Fortunately, volunteers from around the community have stepped up to help, along with GGC.

Wild for Life thanked both groups in a Facebook post, saying, “We owe a huge debt of thanks to Greater Good Charities. This incredible organization stepped in when we needed them most, donating supplies like towels, cleaning essentials, water, food, and so much more. Greater Good Charities doesn’t just help us—they help all kinds of communities across the globe. From wildlife rehabilitation facilities like ours to supporting veterans, they have a hand in uplifting those who need it most…

“While we’re beyond thankful for the donation we’ve received from Greater Good Charities, I also want to express my deep appreciation for everyone in our community. It’s a blessing to witness neighbors helping neighbors, local businesses offering what they can, and volunteers showing up with their sleeves rolled up, ready to work. The love we’ve seen goes far beyond any one organization—it’s a testament to the spirit of this place we call home.”

These stories are possible thanks to you. If you’d like to continue to help sanctuaries that care for birds, click below!