Wildlife Medical Clinic at Illinois

12/03/2025

⌛️ THAT’S TIME! ⌛️Did you guess that little nose belonged to a raccoon? These mammals are ubiquitous across the US; from secluded mountainous terrain to urban areas, you can find a raccoon just about everywhere. This is, in part, due to raccoons being intelligent scavengers. They’re opportunistic omnivores, meaning that they will eat just about anything edible if it is convenient. That’s why they are so notorious for rummaging through trash cans! 🦝🦝

12/03/2025

It’s , and we want to see those guesses in the comments below! Who might this creature be? Check back on our page at 5pm for the answer! 🤔

12/02/2025

It's !

Please consider the Wildlife Medical Clinic among the charities you support this year! We rely on the generosity of our community to help our sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife.

The College of Veterinary Medicine generously supports our clinic space, utilities, and the doctors that treat our patients, but we rely on grants, donations, and fundraising for everything from patient enclosures and incubators, to medications, food, and diagnostics!

Watch our segment from last month to find out about some unique ways to support the WMC!

Dr. Stephany Lewis talks to ciLiving host, Jaclyn Friedlander about information on how to support U of I Wildlife Medical Clinic The Wildlife Medical Clinic ...

12/01/2025

Join us at the Funk Library on December 4 from 11am-noon and meet our ambassadors! Pesto, the Virginia opossum, is a bit more grown up now, but just as handsome!

Come join us Thursday, December 4th from 11:00am-12:00pm on the 2nd floor, New Book Area to meet Veterinary Medicine's Ambassador Animals and learn about the Wildlife Medical Clinic!
Wildlife Medical Clinic at Illinois University Library at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine

11/22/2025

alert! Learn about why keeping domestic cats inside helps your local wildlife!

The Wildlife Medical Clinic sees an estimated 2,300 patients per year and recently had a mourning dove patient that was attacked by a domestic cat. Learn why keeping your cat indoors is one of the easiest ways you can help native wildlife, especially birds.

11/21/2025

It’s ! What a perfect day to learn something new! Pictured here is a non-native rock dove or rock pigeon. They belong to the family Columbidae, which contains 350+ species of doves and pigeons. Pigeons come in seemingly endless colorations and patterns- the classic grey/steal blue coloration commonly seen meandering about city blocks, a “rusty red” variation, single-colored, or more unique varieties like the one here. Although they have a reputation as being less-than-bright birds due to their propensity for building flimsy nests, you may be surprised to learn that pigeons have incredible navigation skills. If released in an unknown location, they can navigate their way back to their nest utilizing sound, sight, smell, and the earth’s magnetic field. Bird brain who? Certainly not pigeons!

11/20/2025

to start your Thursday off right! Patient 25-2191 is an adult American Coot that presented to the Wildlife Medical Clinic on 11/4 after being caught by a dog and recovered by a good Samaritan. On initial examination, our triage team noted mild right limb lameness when attempting to ambulate but did not observe any obvious signs of trauma or fracture. Otherwise, 25-2191 was apparently healthy, and was administered pain medication and anti-inflammatories with plans to perform radiographs of the leg pending a negative Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) test. Coots are considered water birds and spend most of their lives on or near water, and are sometimes referred to as “mud huns”. They have lobed toes rather than webbed feet like a duck, allowing them to both swim efficiently and walk on land and mud.
25-2191 underwent sedated radiographs on 11/6, and we were happy to find nothing abnormal. Our veterinary team also performed a full physical and orthopedic examination while the patient was sedated, and 25-2191 was found to be a healthy bird.
The following day, ambulating appropriately, eating, and behaving normally, our veterinary team approved 25-2191 for release! On 11/7, 25-2191 was placed back in a pond in Pesotum, IL, near where they were found! 🤩

11/19/2025

⌛️TIME’S UP!⌛️ That is the impressive bill of the American White Pelican! These birds are truly amazing creatures, soaring with a wingspan up to 9ft. Unlike the other species of pelican in the US, the Brown Pelican, the American White Pelican does not plunge dive to catch food but rather sits on the surface of the water and dip their heads under water to scoop up their food, which is usually small fish and sometimes crustaceans and amphibians. American White Pelicans also display a cooperative feeding technique, where a group of them will herd fish into shallow water, allowing them to be caught more easily.

You may be wondering how a pelican ended up in IL. Well, these birds are migratory, spending their breeding season on small inland islands before wintering back on the coastal shores, or around warm inland lakes. While rather uncommon, they do pass through IL and much of the midwest on their way to and from those breeding grounds. This juvenile, non-breeding bird was found alone with a chronic eye injury and evidence of a prior fishing line injury around its wing.

11/19/2025

Drop those guesses in the comments for this edition of ! Check back on our page at 5pm to see the big reveal! 🤯🧐❓

11/15/2025

Take a read of the words of wisdom passed along by Dr. John Coyne, whose generous donations has given the Wildlife Medical Clinic its home in the Dr. John A Coyne South Clinic, and learn about the exciting expansion occurring in our space that will allow for more community education events, thanks to the generosity of Dr. Julia Saville!

The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine dedicated the Dr. John A. Coyne South Clinic on October 10.

11/14/2025

It’s so let’s talk about a fascinating little bird, the Blue Jay! Ready to have your mind blown? 🤯 These birds are not actually blue at all! What you’re seeing is actually somewhat of an optical illusion- their feathers are brown, but appear blue because of light refraction. When light hits their feathers, blue light is reflected back, while the other visible colors are absorbed by their pigment, making them appear blue to our eye. Without direct light, they would appear brown! Fun fact AND physics on a Friday? You’re welcome! 🐦🤩

11/12/2025

⌛️TIME’S UP!⌛️ That little chelonian is a painted turtle! These reptiles are quite common throughout the US, and they are the state reptile in IL. Painted turtles spend a lot of their time in the water. In fact, they must be in water to eat. Their tongues are not freely moving, so they must be underwater to swallow their food. You’re most likely to encounter them in the shallow waters of ponds, lakes, and slow-moving streams. Definitely admire their beautiful coloring!🐢