Baby blue jay rescued from Bethel Park sewer

Añadido: 2026-06-03

[00:00:01]So, baby there's something in the water in Bethel Park. You see, another baby bird was found trapped deep in a storm drain. KDKA's Megan Shin is actually the person who called for help to get this fine feathered friend rescued and shares the story with us this afternoon.

[00:00:21]>> There's a bird down there, baby.

[00:00:22]>> Stuck in the muck of the sewer system in Bethel Park, my toddler noticed a baby blue jay.

[00:00:28]>> Okay, birdie.

[00:00:30]>> He stopped pushing our stroller Monday afternoon along Bluestone Drive. Well, I called the Bethel Park Fire Department.

[00:00:37]>> Okay, birdie.

[00:00:38]>> Within 15 minutes, two volunteer firefighters arrived, but the great would not budge.

[00:00:44]>> Yeah.

[00:00:44]>> It's sealed with years of road work. The firefighters chipped away hearing rocks would drop down, but they needed reinforcements.

[00:00:53]The great too narrow to reach down and the baby blue jay unable to fly. Part of the road eventually removed.

[00:01:02]The big fire trucks, the fire chief, and about a dozen firefighters arrived.

[00:01:08]>> Hang tight, buddy. We're coming.

[00:01:10]>> Neighbors watched curiously handing tools to the department. It's a feathery rescue familiar to Bethel Park firefighters.

[00:01:19]>> Yeah, there's something with birds in Bethel Park and in drains. This happened to be our second one in the period of two months.

[00:01:25]>> Then nearly an hour later the moment another baby bird rescue.

[00:01:32]>> There you go.

[00:01:33]>> Hand him up this.

[00:01:36]>> They do save lives.

[00:01:38]>> Listen to us, every life matters. You know, every every living thing matters.

[00:01:42]That's what we're here for and that's what we do.

[00:01:44]>> The firefighters don't know why baby birds keep getting stuck down sewer drains in Bethel Park.

[00:01:50]>> Hopefully mom comes back and guide them back to the nest and everybody's good.

[00:01:54]>> But one thing's for sure, these rescuers will respond to save those both big and small.

[00:01:59]>> We're 100% volunteer agency and you know, we responded to 100% of the calls.

[00:02:04]We're just we're happy to be of service to our community.

[00:02:06]>> From Bethel Park, Megan Shin, KDKA TV News.

[00:02:09]>> And we are certainly happy to have you there as well. Okay, so like those neighbors in Bethel Park yesterday, we wondered if there's a reason for so many rescues recently. So we reached out to the National Aviary for some expert insight.

[00:02:24]>> But when when birds like blue jays fledge, uh robins, blue jays, all songbirds, when they fledge, they're not yet flighted. They don't develop flight until their wing feathers grow out and that takes so oh, a week or two after they actually left the nest. And so in in that period of time, they're simply hopping around um uh trying to move from where the nest was to a little safe spot where they can uh wait for the parent to come and feed them.

[00:02:51]>> So he says it's also possible that birds, especially ducks, which we often see get stuck in dorm storm drains around the region, are simply becoming more comfortable being around humans.

[00:03:03]>> Hm.