It’s not every day that someone stumbles upon a baby bird, and one family in Amarillo used creativity to keep its new feathered friend safe.
Katie Adlong and her family were entertaining friends at their home in Amarillo last weekend when she noticed something in her front yard. As she approached it, she heard chirping sounds and realized it was a baby bird, per the Dallas Morning News.
Adlong’s husband Shea was grilling outdoors, which gave her the idea to use a Mission tortilla lightly warmed on the grill to wrap up the tiny bird, which was shaking and appeared to be cold.
She called a local wildlife rehabilitation organization and reported that she had found what she thought was an orphaned baby barn owl.
Rehabber Christy asked Adlong if the bird had been placed in a box but was somewhat taken aback when Adlong replied, “We wrapped him in a warm tortilla,” according to the wildlife rescue Facebook page.
Five minutes later, rehabber Aimee from the Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center arrived at the family’s home to retrieve the bird, which was later identified as a Missippi Kite, a small bird of prey.
The rehab center posted the story of the bird, which they named Taquito, on social media, and it has since gone viral.
“Only in Texas and maybe Mexico,” the center commented on Facebook. “Undoubtedly, [the tortilla] was an inventive method to keep the baby warm, and surprisingly, it was effective.”
“The hatchling is currently en route back to the facility. Wildlife Rescue is always filled with lively and unexpected moments,” the rehab center said.
Adlong said that her family has been surprised by the attention the story has garnered, but she dismissed her kind act as nothing out of the ordinary.
“I’m a mom,” she said, according to The Dallas Morning News. “I just did what any mom would do.”
In a later update, the rehab center said the bird is maintaining a healthy appetite and has become quite popular online.” Taquito will remain under the center’s care for two months, where she will be provided with insects and frozen pinkie mice for nourishment. Anyone who wishes to donate to donate for her care or to the rehab center in general may do so at the organization’s website.