Hawkeye Habitat: Birds of Prey Rehabilitation

We not only work with Birds of Prey...

... but are also deeply committed to protecting and rehabilitating injured or orphaned birds. Every year we pick up birds needing care and/or local SPCAs and other animal control agencies send injured or orphaned Birds of Prey to us for medical treatment and rehabilitation. If emergency medical care is required we will transfer the bird to a suitable veterinarian clinic or the University of Guelph Small Animal Clinic in Southern Ontario.

Although the main rehabilitation center is the Canadian Peregrine Foundation, birds are often brought back to us before being released.

What to do when you find a bird or other wildlife?

Before picking up a wild animal or calling a rescue center, please Wait! Watch the bird or animal from a distance…are you sure it is injured or orphaned? With some species, it is quite normal for parents to leave their offspring alone for long periods of time.

Before rescuing any injured or orphaned wild animal it is critical to be sure the animal needs help. Watch the animal. Animals might seem hurt if they are not moving, or abandoned when they are alone. Yet usually they are behaving naturally and their ability to hide or stay still is a survival tactic. Many infant mammals are left on their own for extended periods of time while their parents are foraging for food. In many bird species the offspring outgrow their nest and their parents continue to raise them on the ground. It is perfectly normal for you to see an infant animal left alone. The best guardian for any young animal is its own parents. 

Our goal is to heal and rehabilitate the birds in our care and release them back into their natural habitat. We are thrilled to report many successful Bird of Prey rehabilitations and would like to share some of their stories with you here:

RedTail Hawk Rescue (Body, Soul & Spirit Blog)

Paul is the plumber at our hospital. I knew him as the person who had a Smart car in the parking lot, but recently found that he also has a keen interest in the natural world around him.

On his way to work last week he noticed a young Red-tailed Hawk lying at the side of the expressway which runs through our twin cities. He thought it was dead but stopped, picked it up and continued on his way to work.

Deb* works at the reception desk but is more at home with her camera taking pictures of birds and wildlife. She is one of those people who brings her camera everywhere she goes just in case she has a great photo opportunity. The hawk was very docile and allowed Paul to handle it while Deb took these pictures. Sadly, I had already left work for the day.