Resource for Young Birders

The Raptor Center is always happy to help and encourage young learners, especially if they are interested in birds.  We will soon feature the work that our Youth Raptor Corps 2012/2013 members are working on.  We'd like to share information on the Minnesota Young Birder Club.  It connects youth to other young birders in the state via monthly field days, workshops, and social media. They are now
recruiting youth ages 13-18 to join.  They provide a challenging environment where youth can learn about birds, conservation and science while socializing with friends. The club is a project of the Science Museum of Minnesota and Warner Nature Center.

*Skills*: Through hands-on workshops you can learn about how to identify, attract and help birds. You'll develop skills with the latest gear and learn how and where to find birds in the field.
*Conservation*: By taking part in conservation projects you can help improve habitat for birds in Minnesota.
 *Science*: Get trained on citizen science programs such as e-bird, project feeder watch, project nest watch and more. You'll not only learn how scientists collect data but you can actually take part in and contribute to real scientific research.
*Community*: Interact with peers in friendly competitions, challenges and learning experiences. Share your photos, observations and stories online. Members interact via our private invitation-only Facebook group. Youth members can post photos or questions while keeping up on what's happening in the group.

The club is open to youth ages 13-18 from Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. Any youth may attend one sample event without being a member but you must become a member if you wish to continue to attend events.

Youth Member Application
http://www.smm.org/static/warner/mnybc-youth.pdf

Adult Sponsor Form
http://www.smm.org/static/warner/mnybc-youth.pdf

TRC Exhibit in Oakdale, MN Discovery Center

The Raptor Center is proud to be a part of the community in which we are located within the metro area.  We do many programs in the area, and love introducing ourselves to new friends.  We invite you to see an exhibit at the Oakdale, MN Discovery Center.  We brought some biofacts (raptor feathers, etc) and information to show you some of the things that we do at our Center.  The exhibit is there through May, 2013.  You can get more information here. 

Thank you for corporate matching gifts!

We all like to stretch our money as far as possible.  We at The Raptor Center are especially grateful to those 172 donors who stretched their gifts last year by submitting corporate matching gift forms to their employers (or former employers) such as 3M, General Mills, Thrivent, Ameriprise, Ecolab, Wells Fargo and others.  TRC saw an additional $15,000 in donations due to these corporate matches.   

We wanted to say a big thanks to you TRC donors who participated in these matching gift programs and also to those corporations who offer them!  (If you did not participate, please check with your employer to see if they offer a match.)

Great Video of Barred Owl Calling

We'd like to share this link to a YouTube video of a barred owl calling. 

Re-post on northern saw-whet owl patient

You might remember this article from November 2012.  It talks about some of The Raptor Center's patients, specifically northern saw-whet owls.  The article is here, and has a background on why we use a wrap like the one featured.

Answer for the What Am I Picture

The answer is: a great horned owl's ear opening.  The opening to an owl’s external ear is bordered by a fleshy flap of skin called the operculum.  This flap is lined with sensitive bristle feathers that help protect the ear during flight and to funnel sounds into the ear.

What Am I?

Can you identify this?  We hope you will go to our Facebook page and start a discussion with your other Facebook friends. 

Clinic Patient Census January 22

One of 14 bald eagle patients currently in TRC's clinic.

The Raptor Center has received 21 patients so far this year in 2013.  We currently have 55 patients. (Obviously some of these patients were admitted in 2012). You can view our weekly patient census here.

Eagles
Bald Eagle	14
Hawks - Buteos
Red-tailed Hawk	18
Broad-winged Hawk	1
Red-shouldered Hawk	0
Hawks - Accipiters
Sharp-shinned Hawk	1
Northern Goshawk	0
Cooper's Hawk	0
Falcons
American Kestrel	3
Peregrine Falcon	2
Merlin	1
Gyrfalcon	0
Owls
Great Horned Owl	6
Short-eared Owl	1
Northern Saw-whet Owl	2
Barred Owl	5
Eastern screech-owl	2

 
Your support is always greatly appreciated to help us continue to be there for these sick and injured patients.