Largest raptor bird6/22/2023 ![]() ![]() “These birds are trained to live on display and perform natural behaviors in front of guests. Not every bird, Campbell adds, is suited for that role. “It takes a very special bird and dedicated trainers to make the transition from wildlife to human care,” says Sidney Campbell, raptor program manager for the American Bald Eagle Foundation (ABEF) in Haines, Alaska. “By the end of 2020, we will intake up to 900 birds for the year, and I think that huge increase in birds is primarily due to the COVID pandemic and the fact that many people were at home working more or doing more outdoor activities, finding injured and orphaned wildlife.”īirds that are successfully nursed back to health are released, but if a bird is too injured to survive on its own or has imprinted on humans, it may be kept for educational purposes - acting as an ambassador for its species. “I believe that we have been receiving more patients each year because wildlife rehabilitation has become more widely known with the help of social media,” she says. ![]() In 2017, the center cared for 466 birds, but by 2019, that number had grown to 705 and continues to increase. Public awareness has led to a significant increase in the number of birds brought to the Vermont Institute of Natural Science Nature Center in Quechee, Vermont, according to Grae O’Toole, lead wildlife keeper at the facility’s Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation. “We treat a wide variety of native birds,” says Education Director Shari Stern, “including many types of warblers, woodpeckers, thrush, ducks, heron, crows, gulls, wrens, sparrows, finches, and many, many more.” “Other raptor species we commonly see are Northern Goshawks and Western Screech-Owls. Non-raptor species we admit are ravens, crows, songbirds, swans, and woodpeckers.”Īt the other end of the range, the Raptor Trust in Millington, New Jersey, reports treating around 6,000 birds each year, raptors and non-raptors alike. “The most common species we see in our clinic is the Bald Eagle, which makes sense since southeast Alaska is home to around half the population in North America,” says Executive Director Jennifer Cross. For example, the Alaska Raptor Center in Sitka, Alaska, reports treating more than 200 birds annually. Linda Harms/Shutterstock More attention for rehabbersĭepending on their location and the scope of their operation, raptor centers may treat anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand birds each year. A Bald Eagle is shown behind mesh fencing at the Alaska Raptor Center. ![]() Lead-affected eagles were more likely to die during rehabilitation or be euthanized, while those with no lead or lower levels were more likely to be released. In fact, a study of more than 270 eagles treated at four Iowa rehab centers over 11 years found that half the birds had clinical or subclinical levels of lead in their blood. And Bald Eagles and other scavenging species are susceptible to lead poisoning. Hawks that eat rodents that have consumed rodenticide can quickly become ill. ![]() Poisoning is another major reason for birds of prey to be treated. Diurnal birds were more frequently shot (either intentionally or by accident) than nocturnal raptors. A 2018 study of raptors treated at an Alabama rehab center found that nocturnal species were more often involved in vehicle collisions than diurnal raptors and were admitted most commonly for head trauma. Raptors’ injuries often are the result of flying into power lines or some other obstacle. ![]()
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