Casper the Red-tailed Hawk

If you have visited The Raptor Center since 1992 (and we are glad many of you have!), you might have met Casper.  He is one of our education winged ambassador red-tailed hawks. 

His story is here. 

We thought he looked especially handsome today, and wanted to post a few photos.

Snowy Owl Article in Audubon Magazine

We wanted to share this article in Audubon magazine about snowy owls.  We are just now starting to realize what we don't know about this species, including its range, movements and diet. 

Sandhill Crane Migration and Crane Cam

Sandhill crane.

The Raptor Center loves stories on all birds.  We wanted to share this great article from Smithsonian magazine on sandhill cranes.

Every year 400,000 to 600,000 sandhill cranes—80 percent of all the cranes on the planet—congregate along an 80-mile stretch of the central Platte River in Nebraska, to fatten up on waste grain in the empty cornfields in preparation for the journey to their Arctic and subarctic nesting grounds. This staging is one of the world’s great wildlife spectacles, on a par with the epic migrations of the wildebeest and the caribou. It takes place in three waves of four to five weeks each, beginning in mid-February and ending in mid-April, during which birds that arrive emaciated from wintering grounds in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Chihuahua, Mexico, gain 20 percent of their body weight.

Rowe Sanctuary in Gibbon, Nebraska hosts a crane cam.   The cranes are viewed here in early morning, before they take off to feed for the day, and at dusk, when they return to the stretch of the Platte River for their evening roost. 

Digital Photography: Owls Workshop March 8

There is still room in our digital photography workshop this coming Saturday, March 8.  It is at TRC, from 2:00pm - 5:00pm.  There will be a short presentation on owls, then hands-on exploration of digital cameras, and opportunity to photograph TRC’s winged ambassadors.

Cost: $60 (To be paid with registration: $25 cancellation fee).
Contact: 612-624-4745 or raptor@umn.edu

Download a flyer here. 

Register Now for Raptor Tails Pre-School Programs

Our popular Raptor Tails pre-school spring programs are available for registration.

April 8: It’s Spring - Raptor Nests, Eggs, & Chicks
April 15: What’s Special About Raptor Talons and Beaks

Raptor Tails is an activity-oriented learning experience for ages 3-5 about raptors and their environment.  Children will hear stories, take part in activities, and get to meet a live raptor each session.

Please join us for one or all the sessions. 

Classes are from 10:15 am to 11:00 am on Tuesdays at The Raptor Center, 1920 Fitch Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, and are limited to 6 children.  

A parent or guardian must accompany each child.  

Parking is available in the Gortner Ramp across the street from The Raptor Center.

Call 612-625-0201 to pre-register.  Pre-registration price for each class is $5 per child, or $7.50 for two children in the same family.  Payment can be made the day of the class.

Bald Eagle Elbow Surgery

We wanted to share a recent example of how TRC's professional relationships and expertise recently came together to help another bald eagle patient.  

Since arriving last December, one of our bald eagle patients has been treated for an infection in the elbow. Despite controlling the infection, the joint remained enlarged and did not have full range of motion. With a very small endoscope on loan from Storz Veterinary Endoscopy America, (courtesy of Chris Kortes), Dr. Greg Anderson, a board-certified veterinary surgeon from the University of Minnesota's Veterinary Medical Center, explored the eagle’s elbow joint.  Dr. Anderson removed some cellular debris that accumulated from the infection and cleaned the joint out. The eagle’s wing was bandaged after the surgery, and the patient is undergoing physical therapy multiple times a week. You can watch some footage of the surgery here.

We are deeply grateful for the commitment and willingness to help shown by our colleagues at the University of Minnesota’s Veterinary Medical Center (VMC) and Chris Kortes from Storz Veterinary Endoscopy America.

Update on 40th Raptor Clinic Patient

Thank you to all who posted their best wishes for our 40th clinic patient of the year, an adult female bald eagle from Dakota County.  As you may know, she suffered from lead toxicity, a problem shared by an average of over 30% of the bald eagles admitted annually to our clinic.  Unfortunately, two small lead pellets had been in her stomach long enough to cause permanent damage to her heart, vision, and the function of other body systems.  She did not survive.

We continue to message the importance of lead alternatives in choice of ammunition.  This eagle very likely ingested the lead pellets from a carcass and the lead was then absorbed and circulated throughout her body.

We are deeply grateful for a community committed to helping raptors. A special thanks to those who contact us when an injured raptor is found and, even better, bring it directly to us. Your support of our work truly makes a difference to all of the sick and injured raptors who get a second chance at life.