Here's how a rare hummingbird ended up in a backyard in Saskatoon
While most birds fly south for the winter, one hummingbird decided to spend his winter in Saskatoon.
Costa’s hummingbirds are typically found in the desert. But in October, a young male was found in a Saskatoon backyard and taken to Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation.
“We went and got a feather from the bird, and we used stable isotope techniques to find out where it came from,” Environment Canada Chemist Geoff Koehler told CTV News.
Using a feather analysis, Koehler discovered the bird was hatched near Yosemite National Park.
So how did the Costa’s hummingbird end up in Saskatoon? He may just be bad with directions, according to Koehler.
“If you look at the distance between the northern part of the breeding range where it came from and Saskatoon, that’s about the same distance that it would have had to fly south. So it flew the same distance, just the completely wrong direction,” Koehler said.
With the new information about the bird’s origin, the wildlife rehab staff named the bird, Yosemite Sam.
Jan Shadick, the executive director of Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation, said Yosemite Sam is getting through his first Saskatchewan winter eating fruit flies and a special protein drink.
“He has been doing fantastically with us. He has this very expensive special diet,” Shadick said, noting that he’s been growing new purple neck feathers.
THE PLAN TO RELEASE YOSEMITE SAM
Shadick wants to release Yosemite Sam back in California. But now that the bird has entered Canadian borders, an export permit is required to get him back into the United States.
If the permit request gets denied, Shadick plans to release Yosemite Sam from British Columbia — where the same species have been spotted. But crossing provincial borders with the bird also requires an export permit.
“Otherwise, if we don’t get any of that, then he’s going to have to do his best from being released in the backyard,” Shadick said.
“I do feel like releasing him in Saskatoon would not be the best thing for him.”
As Yosemite Sam waits for the paperwork, to determine his fate, he’s enjoying his first Saskatoon winter in his cage designed to feel like California
“He has full-spectrum lighting, a plant and a waterfall in there,” Shadick said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.