HUNTERTOWN, Ind. (WANE) — From offering owls mealworms to cleaning cages, Friday started off as usual for the volunteers at Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation Center.
Although Friday, Jan. 5 is National Bird Day, Bob Walton, a volunteer at Soarin’ Hawk, said Friday was just another day at the office.
“It’s always National Bird Day [here]. We’re always out there working with our birds,” Walton said.
From starting out in a backyard in 1996 to having its own facility just north of Huntertown, Walton said Soarin’ Hawk has grown considerably over the years, which has allowed the organization to continue its goal to “conserve our raptor population through education and rehabilitation.”
Barn Owl Facts
Soarin’ Hawk offers many services and programs where people can learn more about eagles, falcons, hawks and owls and their importance to the environment.
“We introduce them to these concepts, and finally, they start thinking about how things work together and how they fit together because a lot of people … they don’t recognize some of these things because they never see it,” Walton said.
In addition to hosting educational programs and tours, Soarin’ Hawk also works to rescue and rehabilitate birds of prey that have been injured or displaced.
-
Monet, a barn owl at Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation Center -
Monet, a barn owl at Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation Center -
Monet, a barn owl at Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation Center
The organization’s many volunteers work to keep its birds on calculated diets so each animal receives proper nutrition.
Soarin’ Hawk’s facility also features an x-ray and other veterinary equipment that allows volunteers to properly care for the birds.
During the rehabilitation process, Soarin’ Hawk tries to nurse raptors back to health so they can be released back into the wild; otherwise, the organization will train the birds to be a part of its educational programs if the animal is unable to survive in the wild.
“The big thing is to get them healed up and get them rehabilitated — make sure that they can fly well, get their own food, that kind of thing,” Walton said.
-
Orion, a red-tailed hawk at Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation Center -
Jefferson, a bald eagle at Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation Center -
Napoleon, a burrowing owl at Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation Center -
Georgie, an American kestrel at Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation Center
Walton attributed Soarin’ Hawk’s efforts, along with other state programs associated with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), to the increasing populations of some raptors such as bald eagles and red-tailed hawks.
In the past 16 years, Indiana has seen bald eagles move from being state-endangered to a “species of special concern” in 2008, and the state removed bald eagles from that designation in 2020, according to the DNR.
As of 2020, the DNR reported over 350 bald eagle nesting territories in Indiana, including at least five in Allen County.
Red-Tailed Hawk Facts
Soarin’ Hawk also partners with Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) on the Fort Wayne Peregrine Falcon Project, which established a nesting box atop the I&M tower in downtown Fort Wayne to allow peregrine falcons to nest and increase the bird’s population.
“Now, you cannot go down Coldwater Road without seeing at least two pairs of red-tailed hawks,” Walton said.
Walton said the organization plans to continue to expand and grow in the future, including adding more mews — cages designed to house hawks and other similar birds — and expanding the mew for Jefferson, Soarin’ Hawk’s bald eagle.
Those interesting in volunteering or donating to Soarin’ Hawk can learn more on the organization’s website.
"bird" - Google News
January 06, 2024 at 04:51AM
https://ift.tt/iVZ5Nmd
On National Bird Day, Soarin’ Hawk discusses year-round mission - WANE
"bird" - Google News
https://ift.tt/0veU3Wr
https://ift.tt/87RYcdI
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "On National Bird Day, Soarin’ Hawk discusses year-round mission - WANE"
Post a Comment