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Marvelous Work of The Raptor Foundation

Editor — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:11:35 +0000

In Cambridgeshire, near St. Ives, is a safe haven for birds of prey. The Raptor Foundation welcomes any bird that has been injured or has been placed in circumstances that requires rehabilitation. Birds that are not able to be released back into the wild are also kept at the foundation, as well as endangered species. Through dedication and commitment, the staff at The Raptor Foundation have created a permanent home for these birds, and strive to educate the public on the importance of protecting raptors by inviting them to spend a day, or two, with them and their wonderful birds.

The main goal and function of The Raptor Foundation, is to provide twenty-four hour care to injured raptors, which includes medical care and rehabilitation. The sanctuary provides permanent residence for birds of prey that cannot be released and works tirelessly on various projects and research, looking into environmental problems, release programs and breeding. Staff will always work towards being able to release raptors back into the wild, but if it is not possible, the birds will remain with the sanctuary for the remainder of their lives.

Visitors to the facility will be astonished at the wide range of raptors at The Raptor Foundation, totaling approximately two hundred individual birds from forty different birds of prey species. Amongst the falcons, hawks, owls and buzzards, visitors will be able to view breathtaking birds such as the Bateleur Eagle, Ferruginous Buzzard, Bald Eagle, Prairie Peregrine, Pearl Spotted Pygmy Owl and the Crested Serpent Eagle.

Flying demonstrations are held three times a day and when the weather is having a bad day, the indoor arena allows demonstrations to continue. These activities give visitors the rare opportunity to appreciate the power, strength and flying skills of the various raptors. Some members of this elite flying team were even used in the making of Harry Potter, allowing guests to come face to face with a few celebrities.

Other facilities at The Raptor Foundation include a bed and breakfast and camping site accommodation for those who would like to spend more time at the foundation, or participating in the falconry courses offered. The gift shop has many unique and stunning souvenirs to take home, whilst the children’s playground will keep the younger guests entertained, and the Silent Wings Restaurant serves delicious meals and refreshments. The facility is also wheelchair friendly, allowing everyone to enjoy the beauty and magnificence of these birds.

Avian Haven Saves Lives

Editor — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:07:15 +0000

Avian Haven, situated in Freedom, Maine, is a wild bird rehabilitation center has cared for more than twenty thousand birds during the twenty years since it was founded by Diane Winn and Marc Payne. These compassionate bird-lovers care for injured or orphaned birds of all species, which are generally brought to them by members of the public, veterinarians, Maine wildlife biologists, game wardens and animal control officers, as well as other rehabilitation centers.

This non-profit organization, which is funded by private donations and is supported by dedicated volunteers, provides medical treatment with the goal of releasing rehabilitated birds into the wild. The indoor infirmary includes a kitchen fully equipped to prepare food required by all species of birds, as well as incubators, hospital and recovery cages, veterinary equipment, two flight cages and a full range of naturopathic, allopathic and homeopathic medicines.

With humans increasingly encroaching on their habitats, it is quite common for wild birds to get injured. Birds collide with windows, get hit by cars, get trapped in buildings, get tangled up in fencing or are caught by cats. An injured bird needs fast and expert attention. The top priority is to keep the bird warm and it is best placed in a box with air-holes, together with a piece of cloth or an old towel, in a quiet place until it can be seen to by a veterinarian or taken to a rehabilitation center, such Avian Haven. The same can be said for fledglings that have fallen from their nests, once it has been established that there are no parents nearby.

Once a patient at Avian Haven is well on the road to recovery, the final pre-release step in the rehabilitation process is flight-conditioning. Twelve outdoor flight cages are designed to accommodate patients of all sizes, from Hummingbirds through to Bald Eagles, taking into account their specific needs. For example the Large Raptor Compound features a group of large cages, each with access to a roomy flyway to facilitate unlimited linear flight. The Small Raptor Compound has been designed with three territories that are connected by a flight corridor and an elevated tunnel. Other enclosures include the Casa Corvus and the Eagle Recovery Habitat.

It is a distressing reality that humans often impact negatively on bird-life, and it is certainly a comforting thought for all bird-lovers and birding enthusiasts that rehabilitation centers, such as Avian Haven, are actively involved in caring for the needs of birds in distress.

The National Birds of Prey Center in Gloucestershire

Editor — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:11:35 +0000

The National Birds of Prey Center, located near Newent in Gloucestershire, is one of Britain’s premiere attractions and one of the top birds of prey centers in the United Kingdom. It is home to roughly 170 different birds of prey, including 22 species of eagles, falcons and hawks – a real treat for any bird lover or falconer.

This large center was created primarily to assist with the conservation of birds of prey through captive breeding, rehabilitation, rescue and research. To this end the center has a very good captive breeding program, which contributes to the conservation, rescue and rehabilitation of many of the different species that are brought here every year to receive highly specialized care. The captive breeding program mainly involves home bred birds or birds that have been donated from other zoos. The birds are encouraged to breed during each breeding season by the provision of adequate nesting materials. Some birds even have their nests made for them! The captive environment gives researchers plenty of time to study the bird’s natural behavior during the mating process and this research can be of great assistance to both help birds in captivity at other centers and in the wild. But this is just one small function performed by the National Birds of Prey Center.

The center also acts as an invaluable education tool for visitors who learn a lot about the birds from conveniently posted informative material and daily flying demonstrations. The education room and guide book also serve to further the knowledge of the various visitors who come to the center. The center runs a number of courses designed to help serious minded potential bird owners improve there knowledge and skills where possible and to gain some on-hand experience with different birds of prey. A number of schools regularly visit the center for field trips and students from schools and colleges throughout the world are regularly invited to gain invaluable work experience at the center. The center’s collection is used for DNA studies and biology in ways that are as unobtrusive to the birds as possible and the research aspect of the center will likely continue to expand in years to come.

However, perhaps the most heart-warming aspect of the center’s work is its efforts with regard to injured, sick, rescued and confiscated birds that are brought here each year. Where possible, these birds are made well again and released back into the wild. Unfortunately this is not always possible and sometimes the bird will become a permanent, well-cared for resident of the center. The National Birds of Prey Center is open all year around, with the exception of Boxing Day and Christmas Day. So make sure you visit this excellent bird facility.