“There was absolutely no way we could say no to these babies”
🚚🪺 700 Miles, 3 Baby Robins, 1 Incredible Journey
In April, a Long Island delivery ended with more than a successful drop-off — it became the start of a rescue story no one expected.
An employee inspecting the back of a box truck heard chirping. Curious, they peered underneath — and discovered a nest, wedged behind the underride guard, with three tiny baby robins inside. They had survived a 700-mile journey on the underside of a truck.
Luckily, help was close by. Nubia Villatoro, a wildlife-loving employee at the facility, was called in. Knowing the clock was ticking — the babies hadn’t eaten in at least 15 hours — she rushed them to Sweetbriar Nature Center, a licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility.
“There was absolutely no way we could say no to these babies,” said Janine Bendicksen, Sweetbriar’s director of wildlife rehab.
Miraculously, the robins were in “surprisingly good” shape. From there, they were fed every 30 minutes, gently raised in warm nests, and eventually graduated to live worms and bugs — until the day came when they proudly rejected help. It was time for the wild.
Just four weeks after their ordeal, on a bright May afternoon, they were released — fully fledged, strong, and ready for freedom.
“They get to live their lives,” Villatoro said, tearing up after watching their release video.
And while staff at Sweetbriar leave food out in case the birds return, they haven’t been seen since. That’s the best news of all — they’ve made the wild their home.
From the back of a truck to the freedom of the skies — proof that resilience comes with feathers. 🐦💛