TRC Clinic Patient Census August 10, 2015

This young Broad-winged patient is in an outdoor flight pen,
as part of the rehabilitation process.  Note the green tape on a
temporary leg band, which allows The Raptor Center
staff and volunteers to identify the individual,
as it is housed with others of its species.

We have received 489 wild raptor patients so far this year.  We currently have 69.  Some of our patients are in individual patient cages while their injuries heal. Others are in large flight rooms or in managed areas for exercise before their release.  You can view the patient census weekly on our webpage here.  

Othello the Bald Eagle

Many of you over the years know Othello the bald eagle as one of the first "faces" of TRC.  His exhibit area, in our lobby, got a bit of a "face-lift" recently.  The pool and surrounding formations were sealed and repaired by local artist and exhibit designer Carlyn I.

As you can see, Othello enjoyed a bath!

The start of the project!

Raptors Everywhere

Can you see the red-tailed hawk perched?

While it's fun to share our winged ambassador raptors with the public, it's also great to talk about the wild raptors that we share our world with.  You only need to look outside the window to find them!

Several species of raptors have fledged very near TRC's location, on the St Paul campus of the University of Minnesota.  Cooper's hawks zoom through the trees; an American kestrel has been visiting some of the agriculture fields.  And a red-tailed hawk family has been very visible.

One of the adults frequents a structure that is very near the parking lot many of our TRC staff use.  She has most likely been very successful finding rodents there.

One of the youngsters from the year was recently very vocal about not getting food from a parent; see the photos at the end of this post.  The bird chased one of the adults until the latter turned in mid-air to discourage the chase.  The youngster did find something to eat on its own later in the day, so its hunting skills are indeed being developed.

The Raptor Center in Legacy Magazine

The latest issue of Legacy magazine, the University of Minnesota Foundation’s publication that celebrates the power of giving, will soon be in mailboxes.  The Raptor Center, and our new facilities that were made possible by the generous gifts of our supporters, will be featured! 


Here are a few photos from the “shoot”.  Dr. Julia Ponder, TRC’s executive director; Dr Patrick Redig, TRC's co-founder and director emeritus; Gail Buhl, education program manager; Dr. Irene Galan Lecona, clinical intern; Sue M., TRC volunteer; UM Foundation staff, and some young friends of TRC all participated in this fun day. 

The electronic version of this magazine will include some multi-media pieces, like this one.  Dr. Ponder talks about some of the transformative work that has been done in the Galapagos. 

Prairie Falcon TRC Clinic Patient

Prairie falcon patient.  Note the head shape.

In a Minnesota city and its suburbs, it would not be surprising to see a falcon maneuvering around the urban landscape.  Peregrine falcons, merlins, and American kestrels have all adapted to make these areas their homes.  However, the falcon that was found in an intersection in Duluth, Minnesota last week was not any of these species; it was a young female prairie falcon, presumably pushed east by a group of storms that had recently rocked the state.  Instead of her natural habitat of arid and semi-arid plains in western and southern states, she found herself in an intersection in a relatively large city in northeastern Minnesota. She was unable to fly due to a dislocated collarbone and was taken to Wildwoods Rehabilitation Center in Duluth for supportive care before being transported to TRC.

Note the absence of barring on the central tail feathers.

Young peregrine falcon head.  Note the
rounded appearance.

In addition to her collarbone injury, she was a little thin and dehydrated, but her spirit didn’t falter. Her enthusiasm for food became quite apparent and she has settled in nicely to her convalescent enclosure.  Over the course of the next few weeks, she will receive physical therapy twice weekly to prevent her wing joints from stiffening as she heals, and will be given a varied diet of mammal and bird species.  Unlike peregrine falcons, prairie falcons eat rodents as well as birds; in the wild, Richardson’s ground squirrels are commonly preyed upon by prairie falcons.

Tail feathers of a wild adult peregrine.
Note the uniform barring across all 12.

  There are a few characteristics that distinguish peregrine and prairie falcons in the hand.  Prairie falcons have flat, blocky heads, as opposed to more rounded heads of peregrines, and their plumage, even as a hatch year bird, is paler brown than the rich dark brown color of most young peregrines in the Midwest.  The feature that is the most definitive though, is the central two tail feathers.  In peregrines all the tail feathers are marked with bars, but prairie falcons have two central tail feathers that are solid in color while all the others are barred.  This is true for both a prairie falcon’s juvenile and adult plumage.

Both prairie and peregrine falcons have size difference between the sexes.  Females are a third larger than males for both species.  This prairie falcon patient is unquestionably a female due to her size and weight.

This bird came to our care because humans wanted to help raptors.  We are grateful for the help and support for all of our clinic patients, which we could not assist without you.

The Many Faces of Gladdie the Bald Eagle

We’d like to share with you a series of photos of the Many Faces of Gladdie the Bald Eagle.  This photo album highlights some more of the benefits of our new education bird housing.

The partially open roof design allows the birds to experience and be more engaged with the sights and sounds in their surroundings.  As you can see, Gladdie noticed some newly fledged American crows flying overhead! 

The design of the walkways for the public to visit the birds puts both on the same level, which helps the birds be at ease and lets them know what to expect.  TRC staff and volunteers love it as much as the birds do!