A laid-back summer afternoon near Amarillo, Texas, took an unexpected turn last weekend when a family discovered the smallest guest imaginable in their backyard.
While kids splashed in the pool and adults stood by the grill, someone noticed a tiny white baby bird lying on the ground. She was so young she couldn’t even cry for help — and her parents were nowhere in sight.
The family immediately knew the fragile nestling needed warmth, fast. But with no towels or blankets nearby, they scanned their surroundings for anything that might help.
That’s when inspiration struck — right next to the grill.
“Concerned about the baby feeling cold, the mother asked for a tortilla to be warmed up on the grill to provide heat for it,” Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (WWWRC) shared on Facebook.
Someone tossed a tortilla onto the grill while another family member called WWWRC for help. When rehabber Christy answered the phone and heard what the family had done, she paused.
“They said, ‘We wrapped him in a warm tortilla,’” WWWRC wrote. “There was a significant silence on Christy’s side.”
Moments later, Christy dispatched a transporter, rehabber Amee, to the home. When Amee arrived, she was greeted by a friendly family — and a baby Mississippi kite, still snug and cozy inside her warm tortilla wrap.
“Undoubtedly, it was an inventive method to keep the baby warm,” WWWRC wrote. “And surprisingly, it worked.”
You can read more about this innovative rescue here:
Amee rushed the baby to WWWRC headquarters, where the rehabilitation team took over. They weren’t sure how long the chick had been without her parents, but thanks to the family’s quick thinking, she was warm, responsive, and alive.
The team named the resilient little bird Taquito, and she’s been thriving ever since. Still under care at WWWRC, Taquito is growing stronger each day and is expected to be ready for release in a couple of months.
You can see an updated video of Taquito here:
As she prepares for life back in the wild, Taquito spends her days surrounded by other Mississippi kites — but to her rescuers, her story will always stand out.
“Wildlife rescue is always filled with lively and unexpected moments,” WWWRC wrote.
To help animals like Taquito get the care they need, consider donating to Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.
