From Christine’s Critters
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
While we’re all celebrating the day with festive green outfits and food, it’s the perfect time to talk about the green many of our patients wear-but the green they are sporting is bruises!
Did you know that instead of turning black and blue like ours, bird bruises show up as green? This is because birds break down hemoglobin differently, producing biliverdin, which gives their bruises a shamrock-green hue. So, if you ever notice a greenish patch on a bird, it might just be an injury they’re healing from!
This St. Paddy’s Day remember all the birds in rehab “wearing” their shamrock green bruises and send them some good wishes! Have a safe and happy St Patrick’s Day ☘️
Both birds have recovered from their injuries according to the captions!
Green hematomas. Nature is always good for a surprise.
I knew of green, blue, purple and transparent blood in animals (OK, I knew blue blood in octopi and googled the rest. :). But green bruises was news to me.
I had to look for confirmation before I shared it. I knew this source to be good so far, but with all the rescues I follow, I had never seen this before and couldn’t believe it hadn’t come up before.
If you make a bird trivia quiz, you can sneak that answer in and people will pick anything other than the correct answer.
When an owl is injured, the bruise will:
- heal within 4.5 hours
- look green
- smell like lavender
Cool fact and I’m glad the birds recovered!
Me too!
Duct further to support your local rehab. Everything they have is from donation.
That is WILD, I had no idea birds bruised green!
Imma punch my bird now and see how it works out!
…wife wasn’t amused, turned black and blue…
(Jesus fuck me that was tacky. I’ve been at work since 5:30AM, forgive?)
Forgive.
Me either! I’m honestly surprised this has never come up in all my post research so far!
This took longer than I thought it would, but I don’t regret a thing.
Ah, glad they were able to mold it back to its natural shape. 😂
