Rehoming a Rescue 
Earlier this year  Soarin' Hawk  rescued a Bald Eagle . Her recovery took about six weeks. Unfortunately, even with the best medical care, her injuries prevented her from being returned to the wild.

Since we are already the proud caretakers of another non-releasable Bald Eagle, J efferson, we felt it was best that she be relocated to another facility. In captivity, eagles do best when they have large aviaries where they can stretch their wings that can span up to 7 feet. A larger enclosure also allows room for added features such as pools and ponds where they can fish for their preferred food like they would in the wild. 
 
It's taken months of time and paperwork, but we are very pleased to announce that she will be traveling to  the famous  American Eagle Foundation located in Dollywood! For those who might not be familiar, this comes as very exciting news because this is the world's largest eagle rehab and breeding facility (30,000 sq ft!).   
 
The American Eagle Foundation is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee on the property of the Dollywood entertainment park.  Since 1985 the Foundation has been working to further its mission of protecting eagles and their habitat and to assist federal, state and private programs to do the same.  The on-park education facility provides educational programs daily.  This unique location within the entertainment park has allowed the foundation to educate millions of people.  The off-park Eagle Center works to rehabilitate injured  and orphaned birds and provides sanctuary to over 80 birds of prey that are non-releasable. 
It's an ideal placement for any eagle and we are thankful that she will find her new home in this unique facility.
 
To see one of these magnificent birds in person check out the upcoming presentation schedule below! 
 
Nancy - Our Resident Peregrine Falcon
An Indiana peregrine, who is the offspring of our educational bird Nancy, became a celebrity when it was spotted in Heredia, Costa Rica in 2013, over 3,500 miles  from Monroe, Michigan where it started its journey.   The falcon was named Immaculada.  It was observed happily hunting rock doves and perching atop Immaculate Conception Church.  A banded Peregrine is such a rare occurrence in the town that she became a news story after residents noticed her.  Peregrine falcons are among a minority of raptors that are migratory.   It is likely the falcon will continue to winter in Heredia and entertain its fans for years to come.
 
As of 1965 there were no known nesting pairs of Peregrine Falcons east of the Mississippi River.  Reintroduction projects began in 1974 in the eastern United States and in Indiana in 1991.  In 1989 the first nesting pair of Peregrines was documented- the first in over 50 years.   Between the years 1989-2012, it has been documented that peregrines in Indiana have fledged 477 young.
 
Nancy is the only one of our education birds whose history is known in great detail.  She was hatched in May 2002 in Waukegan, Illinois.  Her mother is Fran and her father is unknown.  She had 3 brothers in her clutch.  Her name was supposed to be Macy, but it was recorded incorrectly as Nancy when she was banded.
 
Her first breeding was recorded at the BP-Amoco refinery in Whiting, Indiana in 2005.  She was nicknamed "screech" in Whiting due to the sounds she made as she attacked the DNR workers who took her chicks to band them. John Castrale, DNR bird biologist in charge of the peregrine project, mentioned she was the "single most aggressive Peregrine Falcon he has ever encountered." The last couple of years that she nested in Whiting, she did not hold back and would attack by flying directly at him.  It actually made the banding process easier as John would grab her and hand her to someone to contain while he and his assistant banded the chicks. Nancy successfully fledged 15 chicks.
 
In December 2012 she was found on a golf course in Valparasio, Indiana.  A local rehabber, Carol Riewe, cared for her along with veterinarian Rachel Jones of Southlane.  When Nancy's wing did not heal well enough for her to be released, Carol contacted Soarin' Hawk.  Nancy was added to Soarin' Hawk's education permit in 2014. 
 
Peregrine Facts
  • The Peregrine falcon can dive up to 200 miles per hour, making them the fastest birds in the world.
  • Peregrine comes from peregrin, meaning "traveler" in Latin. Quite a fitting name for a bird with one of the longest migrations in North America with some trips up to 15,550 miles roundtrip.
  • Peregrine falcons are found all over the world with the exception on Antarctica.
  • The larger female is known as the "falcon" while the male is called the "tiercel."
  • Pairs mate for life and will usually return to the same nesting site.
For more about Immaculada, her fans and Heredia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIU9o0Ac7NY
(video of Immaculada in Spanish)
Stories from the Medical Clinic 
   
Thanks to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, birds such as hawks, eagles, and owls are protected by international law. As a result, Soarin' Hawk is required to report any raptor that has been shot, although it is very difficult to track down the perpetrator.

The radiograph above is of a red tail that has been shot.
This bird was lucky.  Since just the ulna was broken and the radius was intact,  the radius acted like a splint to keep the ulna relatively stable until the ulna healed. The wing was also wrapped to the bird's body to keep the fracture even more stable as it healed. 

Daily physical therapy consisted of unwrapping the wing and gently extending and flexing it several times. This was to keep the ligaments and tendons from contracting as well as to prevent the ulna from healing to the radius.

Birds' bones heal amazingly well.  After 3 weeks of keeping the wing wrapped, the bird was placed in a small mew which, is an outdoor pen that allows the bird to stretch its wings completely but limits its flying.  After a week or two in the small mew, the bird is moved to a larger flight pen where it can fly more.  

Finally to get it back into shape, extensive creance flying is done. This ensures the bird is flying well and has the necessary endurance to fend for itself in the wild.  

This bird did great and was released back into the wild!
Upcoming Public Presentations
with our Education Raptors

DATE
TIME 
EVENT 

ORGANIZATION LOCATION TOWN
09/02/15
6:00 pm
 Farm Market
 New Haven Parks Dept
 Schnekler Park
 New Haven
09/12/15
 11:00 am
 Chain Saw Festival
 Moose Lk Christian Vlg
 11330 E 500 S
 Laotto
09/19/15
 12:30 pm
 Trail of Courage

Rochester
09/19/15
 1:00 pm
 Trail of Courage

Rochester
09/26/15
 11:00 am
 Children's Pioneer Day
 Moose Lk Christian Vlg
 11330 E 500 S
 Laotto
10/03/15
  3:00 pm
 Jay County Hist Day
 Jay County Hist Society
 1010 N Morton St
 Portland
10/10/15
 11:00 am
 Fall Festival
 Moose Lk Christian Vlg
 11330 E 500 S
 Laotto
10/11/15
  2:00 pm
 Fall Festival
 Moose Lk Christian Vlg
 11330 E 500 S
 Laotto
10/16/15
  5:30 pm
 Owl-O-Ween
 Indiana State Museum
 1205 Pleasant Point
 Rome City
10/17/15
  5:30 pm
 Owl-O-Ween
 Indiana State Museum
 1205 Pleasant Point
 Rome City
10/24/15
 TBD
 Park Opening
 Huntertown Park
 Wood Rd
 Huntertown
10/31/15
  2:00 pm
 Lindenwood Nature Preserve
 Hessen Cassel Public Lib
 600 Lindenwood Ave
 Ft Wayne
11/09/15
  6:30 pm
 Family Funday
 LRWP
 1205 Pleasant Point
 Ft Wayne
Check our website for the latest schedule.
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
One of the most easily overlooked functions of being a volunteer is Avian Care.   

This job is dirty and difficult at times, and to top things off it rarely sees recognition from the public that never sees behind the scenes! 

This month we want to give a big shout out to all the dedicated volunteers that show up day in and day out to what needs to be done. 
Birds aren't the neatest guests, and as a result their pens require daily maintenance.  

Come rain, shine, or freezing temperatures, our volunteers spend hours every day cleaning and feeding the bird of prey residents.  
This job is also important because our volunteers can spot if one of the birds is sick or injured.  

We use a feeding chart that is critical in the care of the birds of prey.  
The food is weighed when fed and when picked up.  
One way we can tell if a bird is not feeling well is that they will stop eating s o keeping track of the food intake and pick up is very important. 
This isn't glamorous work, but it is essential in the care of the birds of prey residents.  
Coming soon... 2016 Soarin' Hawk Calendars!
Did you know...
You can help raise money for Soarin Hawk simply by signing up?
Just log in to your existing account and select us as your charity of choice!
Every time you shop a portion of the proceeds will automatically be donated to us!  
Know someone who would like to get involved?
Not yet signed up to receive our Bi-monthly Newsletter? Join Now