(Radio Iowa) – A nonprofit that started in a central Iowa woman’s basement now rehabilitates thousands of wild birds every year, and its founder says it’s time to expand to help more birds from across the state. Jenni Boonjakuakul runs Iowa Bird Rehabilitation in Des Moines, helping nurse everything from doves to geese and from kestrels to pelicans. She says bird rehab is a round-the-clock commitment, walking into a room where soft crates fill shelves to the ceiling.

“During the summer, this is where all of our baby birds come in to be fed. Baby birds get fed every 30-to-45 minutes, sometimes every 30-to-60 minutes. It just depends on the species of bird and the age of the bird,” Boonjakuakul says. “Our baby hummingbirds actually get fed every 15-to-20 minutes.” April through September is the facility’s busiest time of year, and with limited space and only one other employee, she says it was a challenge keeping up with the number of birds and phone calls last summer.

“But if we say no, there’s nowhere else for that bird to go, and that bird has a zero percent chance of being helped,” Boonjakuakul says. “If we say yes, and we’re a little overwhelmed, we still are giving that bird a chance, and so, right now, I feel like that’s better than nothing.” Last year, Iowa Bird Rehabilitation took in over 3,000 injured and orphaned birds from across Iowa. The goal is to care for them until they’re ready to release back into the wild. Boonjakuakul says education and outreach continue to play a bigger role. She points to research estimating the number of birds in North America has dropped by nearly three-billion since 1970, which is about one in four birds. “My big goal in conservation is helping people understand why do we love birds, why do we need them, and why do we need to help them now before it’s too late.”

Boonjakuakul became licensed to rehabilitate wild birds more than a decade ago, and is now looking for a larger property to build Iowa’s first wild bird hospital and education center. She envisions having a full-time veterinarian, flight cages and a pool for waterfowl. Space for trainings and community events is another priority.