One of the many baby pigeons to benefit from the event.

Last Tuesday night, over 250 bird lovers crowded into the Vanderbilt Mansion on East 93rd Street to give their attention and dollars to New York City’s first wildlife rehabilitation center, The Wild Bird Fund.

Men and women dressed in suits and sequined sweaters munched on vegetarian hors d’oeuvres and mingled with turtles, a snake, a few fledgling pigeons, baby squirrels and an owl in the grand chandeliered rooms, enjoying the company of fellow avian enthusiasts and an evening of bird-themed entertainment.

Attendees bid on silent auction items, took in a beautiful performance by two lithe and feather-appointed dancers and wandered the halls of the historic mansion, bedecked with photos of rehabilitating wildlife. The use of the mansion was donated, as were many of the auction items and services, by New Yorkers who feel a duty to protect the flightiest creatures among us, even that scraggly pigeon with the broken wing.

The headliner of the night was award-winning novelist Jonathan Franzen, who has chronicled his affection for winged creatures in several pieces for The New Yorker. Franzen stood before a packed room to explain why he regards birds so highly and why he feels it’s imperative for people to care for the injured and sick of the flocks that pass over our city.

“They don’t really interact with you except to try to bite you. They really have very little to do with us directly, and that’s partly why I like them,” he said.

He called birds “the great other of the world,” the direct descendents of dinosaurs who had the earth to themselves for a good long while before we came along. Now, Franzen said, there are roughly 100 billion birds in the world, but the 7 billion-strong human population is making it harder and harder for those birds to survive.

“We’re basically taking over the world rapidly and building cities like New York City, and birds have no choice but to interact with us, to accommodate us,” Franzen said.

New York lies directly in the East Coast flyway, the path that migratory birds travel on their way south for winter and north for spring. Thousands of birds are killed every year when they fly into tall buildings that we’ve placed in their way.

“Like it or not, we’re the stewards of birds now,” Franzen said. “We claimed the planet.”

Rita McMahon, who was dressed in a kimono bedecked with pigeons that was one of the items up for bid in the silent auction, and Karen Heidgerd, co-founders of the nonprofit Wild Bird Fund, explained to the crowd why their Upper West Side location was so important and why they were asking for much-needed donations.

“It’s a great location, but it comes with a price,” Heidgerd said as a video of the rehab center, days away from officially opening, played behind her. The expensive storefront on Columbus Avenue is right across the street from Animal General, where they can bring the birds for veterinary treatment, and the Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine.

“We have all the doctors right there for us, we have X-rays—we have everything we need.”

Both McMahon and Heidgerd are certified by the state to rehabilitate wild animals and certified by the federal government to work with migratory birds. At one point, they had been housing many of their patients in McMahon’s Upper West Side apartment a few blocks away, but now the birds are nested safely in the center. The party raised over $55,000, which will help pay for equipment and medicine and put a dent in the $300,000 annual operating budget.

Franzen likened rehabilitating birds to a spiritual and moral mandate, the duty of an enlightened society.

“The fortunate birds get better and go back to being others, as they should be,” he said

The headliner of the night was award-winning novelist Jonathan Franzen, who has chronicled his affection for the winged creatures in several pieces for The New Yorker. Franzen stood before a packed room to explain why he regards birds so highly, and why he feels it’s imperative for people to care for the injured and sick of the flocks that pass over our city.

“They don’t really interact with you except to try to bite you. They really have very little to do with us directly, and that’s partly why I like them,” he said.

He called birds “the great other of the world,” the direct descendents of dinosaurs who had the earth to themselves for a good long while before we came along. Now, Franzen said, there are roughly 100 billion birds in the world, but the 7 billion-strong human population is making it harder and harder for those birds to survive.

“We’re basically taking over the world rapidly, and building cities like New York City, and birds have no choice but to interact with us, to accommodate for us,” Franzen said. New York lies directly in the East Coast flyway, the path that migratory birds travel on their way south for winter and north for spring. Thousands of birds are killed every year when they fly into tall buildings that we’ve placed in their way.

“Like it or not, we’re the stewards of birds now,” Franzen said. “We claimed the planet.”

Rita McMahon (who was dressed in a kimono bedecked with pigeons that was one of the items up for bid in the silent auction) and Karen Heidgerd, co-founders of the non-profit Wild Bird Fund, explained to the crowd why their Upper West Side location was so important, and why they were asking for much-needed donations.

“It’s a great location, but it comes with a price,” Heidgerd said as a video of the rehab center, days away from officially opening, played behind her. The expensive storefront on Columbus Avenue is right across the street from Animal General, where they can bring the birds for veterinary treatment.

The rehab center accepts injured birds and treats them until they can be released back into nature. Franzen likened rehabilitating birds to a spiritual and moral mandate, the duty of an enlightened society.

“The fortunate birds get better and go back to being others, as they should be,” he said.

SHAKESPEARE’S LADIES
Just about all of Shakespeare’s characters are iconic symbols of the human condition,
and the same can be said of the heroines within his tales. The experimental Shakespeare ensemble Dark Lady Players will be performing Shakespeare’s Annunciation parodies Sunday, March 25, at 5 p.m. at West-Park Presbyterian Church, 165 W. 86th St. The event is free to attend and will feature actors portraying Juliet, Desdemona, Olivia and Ophelia in part-comic religious allegories for the Virgin Mary.
WILD BIRDS NEED CASH
The Wild Bird Fund’s wildlife rehabilitation and education facility, located on the Upper West Side, will be NYC’s first wildlife rehabilitation and education center. To raise money  for equipment and medical supplies, the fund will host “Wild Bird Fund Takes Flight,” Tuesday April 3, 6:30–9 p.m., at “Birdie” Vanderbilt’s mansion at 60 E. 93rd St. The group is hosting a multitude of events that evening, including a speech from acclaimed author Jonathan Franzen.

Other events will include a self-guided tour of the historic Vanderbilt residence and the Carlton Hobbs antiques gallery, a video tour of the new center, a performance by Dzul Dance, jazz renditions by Jennifer Dudley of the song “It’s for the Birds,” a showing of baby birds, squirrels, owls and hawks, a silent auction and hors d’oeuvres and wine. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased by contacting Beverly Mastropolo at 917-848-0044 or online at http://bit.ly/GCXNPr.

FAMED DEBATERS ON GOD, GAYS AND GUNS
On Thursday, March 29, Dr. Cornel West and the Rev. Osagyefo Sekou will host a discussion about Sekou’s new book, Gods, Gays, and Guns: Essays on
Religion and the Future of Democracy, at West-Park Presbyterian Church, 165 W. 86th St. West is one of the nation’s most prolific authors and a known critical activist who participated at Occupy Wall Street last year. Sekou is considered one of the most influential religious leaders of the current generation. His work as an on-the-ground activist has landed him in post-Katrina New Orleans and the World Culture Center in Berlin. There is no advance ticketing and doors open at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call the Rev. Bob Brashear at 646-541-3329.

LOCAL COUNCIL CANDIDATE HIRES BIG GUN
Ken Biberaj, the latest candidate to declare for the soon-tobe-vacant Upper West Side City
Council seat, has hired veteran political consultant firm Sheinkopf Ltd. to work on his campaign. The hire signals a serious move from a largely unknown candidate; Hank Sheinkopf has worked on many high-profile political campaigns, like President Bill Clinton’s re-election and Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s last election.

“As an Upper West Sider myself, I’m thrilled to work with a candidate who has such a compelling vision for the neighborhood’s future,” said Sheinkopf in a statement.

“We’re working hard, speaking with voters and small business owners to convey my campaign’s message,” Biberaj said.

Biberaj previously told the West Side Spirit in an interview that one of his top priorities is to get out in the community and introduce himself. Biberaj, who serves as vice-president of the Russian Tea Room and works in commercial real estate, is up against three other candidates who have each served on Community Board 7 and
are arguably more familiar faces on the Upper West Side.

JAPANESE RHYTHM: Taiko drummers from Soh Daiko perform during Japan Fest at the American Museum of Natural History. Visit www. nypress.com for more photos of the group in action. Photo Credit: Andrew Schwartz

FREE TAX HELP ON THE UWS

Sitting down to go over the taxes is an event most would equate with torture. However, residents of the Upper West Side can rest easy with several free sessions that condense the processes behind filling out tax forms. The AARP will host a number of sessions at several libraries and community centers during tax season to educate the public about filing their taxes:

• The Bloomingdale Library, 150 W. 100th St., will host classes every Friday through April 13 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Call 212-222-8030 for more information.

• The Morningside Heights Library, 2900 Broadway, will host a session every Monday and Saturday through April 16 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Call 212-666- 5099 for more information.

• The Riverside Library, 127 Amsterdam Ave., will hold classes every Thursday through April 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 212-870-1810 for more information.

• The Project FIND Hamilton Senior Center, 141 W. 73rd St., will hold classes every Tuesday through April 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 212-787-7710 for more
information.

• The West Side Campaign Against Hunger, 263 W. 86th St., lower level will hold classes every Tuesday through April 17 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Call 212-362-3662 for more information.

• Community Tax Aid at Goddard Riverside Community Center at 647 Columbus Ave. near 92 Street will cater to single adults with income of up to $25,000 or families with income of up to $45,000. Bring last year’s tax forms and other relevant documents. Class will be held every Tuesday through April 10 from 6–8 p.m.