American Kestrel Found in Winnipeg City Hall

A wild bird ended up in a stairwell at Winnipeg City Hall on Saturday, but was safely rescued and removed by animal control.

In a video taken by City of Winnipeg Animal Services, a young American kestrel can be seen on the steps of the Susan A. Thompson Building. An Animal Services worker then catches the bird in his net.

Leland Gordon, director of Animal Services, says he doesn’t know how the bird got into the building, but he’s glad emergency responders were able to save it.

“We don’t think it was in that stairwell for very long because so many people use the stairwells in these buildings,” Gordon told CTV News.

The bird was taken to the Pembina Veterinary Hospital for examination before being admitted to the Prairie Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.

“(The American kestrel is) what we consider an immature or teenage stage where they’re learning to fly, but they’re not the best at it yet, and they’re still learning how to hunt,” said Lisa Tretiak, president and co-founder of the Prairie Wildife Rehabilitation Centre.

Tretiak said the center’s goal is to have the bird gain weight before it can be released.

“Right now it weighs about 90 grams,” she said. “And we want it to be much heavier, closer to 120 grams.”

When asked if American kestrels are native to downtown Winnipeg, Tretiak replied that this is not uncommon.

“We usually see the kestrels on the outskirts of Winnipeg … or in areas outside of Winnipeg,” she said. “The downtown area is a little bit different for us, but that doesn’t mean they don’t nest in and around that area.

“They like old trees and old buildings, where they can make their nests in holes and cavities,” Tretiak said.

If people see animals where they don’t belong, Tretiak says the first thing they should do is call or text the Prairie Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.

“The more information we can get, the faster we can get help to that animal,” she said.