Summer Camps at The Raptor Center

Summer camps started at The Raptor Center this week.  Enraptured with Raptors campers will explore what characteristics all raptors have in common and the differences between owls, falcons, hawks, and other raptors.

Campers touched wings and feathers to understand the different species adaptations, and met several of our winged ambassadors, including Artemis the peregrine falcon. 

Interpretive Naturalist Dan Hnilicka and Artemis the
peregrine falcon.

What Were Those Eagles Doing?

You can see the two eagles tangled in the
tree in this photo.

We wanted to address a recent incident in the St Paul, Minnesota area.  Two adult bald eagles in this very urban neighborhood appeared to be tangled together with their feet, while still in a tree.  Fortunately, a Minnesota DNR conservation officer and The Raptor Center staff were able to mobilize fire and rescue crew in an attempt to assist the birds.  Once the crew arrived and attempted a rescue, however, the birds untangled themselves and both flew away.

What was happening?  As our bald eagle populations have become more robust, the increased pressure to find suitable nesting territory has also increased.  Habitat is everything to these birds; it provides the hunting areas to feed a family of hungry chicks, and safety of trees to watch for predators.  Birds will vigorously defend territory already procured, and new birds looking for a territory of their own will not give up easily.   Humans occupy much of the space/area that would be most desirable, leaving fewer choices.  There are also more humans in these urban areas who observe the disputes between birds for territory. 

  The Raptor Center can be reached at 612-624-4745 in the Minnesota area for consultation, and to assist with finding appropriate agencies to help, depending on your location. 

This is the tree/yard in which the eagles
were found.

If you do see raptors in distress, please do not intervene unless you can safely do so.

MNDNR CO Brad Johnson.

Come Out to See The Raptor Center Near You!

Have you checked our Public Events Calendar lately?  We are appearing at many different events this summer.  This weekend alone we are at a local Minneapolis birding festival, a book signing to support the Esther the Eaglet book, and Dairy Days in Salem, Wisconsin.

We are also open on weekends at our location on the St Paul campus of the University of Minnesota, and continue to offer our popular Raptors of Minnesota public program at 1:00pm. 

The Raptor Center and ACES - Educating the Next Generation

We wanted to highlight artwork done by some very creative and perceptive 4^th graders.










Our long-time partnership with ACES (Athletes Committed to Educating Students) has allowed us to reach 4^th graders in the Minneapolis metro area.  The Raptor Center visits at after-school programs, and we explore the students’ ongoing interest with owls.  The Raptor Center’s winged ambassador owls obviously did a great job of helping teach concepts such as food webs, and how raptors are an important part of the environment we share.

  We were also impressed as always with the level of appreciation and creativity these students shared with us in the form of bookmarks they created.  These bookmarks will be given out at other programs, to highlight how young people perceive raptors. 

Update on The Raptor Center's Construction Progress; We Are Getting There!

Things are starting to happen quickly at TRC!  After a winter of Graham Construction working hard  building our education and rehabilitation bird holding areas, they are now very close to having them ready for the birds to return. 

Volunteer David S. as he begins to work on perches
for the eagle patients in the flight rehabilitation pen.

The first eagle perch is up!

Volunteer Tom T. makes sure all sharp corners
are gone before the eagles are introduced
into the new pen.

Perches, bath pan and lunch awaits a
Cooper's hawk patient in one of the rehab pens.

Our carpentry volunteer, David S., and clinic volunteers Tom T. and Kevin C., worked together to install and fine-tune the perches for eagles in the large rehabilitation pen.  The timing could not be better for the space to be available to complement the high caseload of eagles recently, and increase our ability to move the birds along into the reconditioning stage of their rehabilitation.

Three bald eagle patients in the new pen! 

Very soon our Education staff will begin acclimating our winged ambassador team into their new homes.  TRC staff is working with Graham to conduct final details.  We are planning to share stories and photos of the training that goes into ensuring the birds will be comfortable in their new surroundings.  We will continue to be open to the public throughout, so please plan to visit this summer. 


We again want to thank the many donors and supporters who have made this new housing possible.  We also look forward to enhancing and expanding the educational opportunities in our new space, the Douglas Dayton Education Wing. This will allow us to create a true destination for the public to learn about raptors and the world we share.  

Part of the Graham crew - TRC thanks you!

We also want to thank the Graham crew - Matt, John, Jim and Dave especially – for all their work to make sure the enclosures are to the highest standards.   We will be proud to showcase our teaching and training with the new facilities.