A juvenile Barn Swallow was found hanging upside down from its nest by a horse hair wrapped tightly around its leg. The hair was constricting the leg and cut deeply into it. The bird was thin but bright.
It was taken to the CWRC where it was assessed and the decision was made to try and remove the hair as quickly as possible. It was transported to the Central Nova Animal Hospital (CNAH) and was anesthetized for the procedure carried out by Dr. Rock.
The surgery went well and though the was a deep wound from the hair the foot and leg were still functioning normally. The wound was dressed and the bird returned to the CWRC for rehabilitation.
After a week of care it was deemed safe to return it to the wild where it could join other barn swallows starting to migrate south.
Barn swallows are highly endangered in Nova Scotia due to the loss of habit so every animal is critical to their survival.