Education Raptors

These are our real educators about birds of prey. All of our education birds were injured in the wild and taken to a rehabilitation center for care. In each case the bird's injury was too severe to be released back into the wild and they are now ambassadors for wild birds of the world to the children and adults of the area.

BLM staff may bring one or more of our education raptors along during a presentation to a school or other group. These birds will captivate any group with their beauty and strength.

After a member of the NCA staff takes a bird to a classroom or a group meeting, the students may not remember the presenters name or much of what was talked about, but they do remember the bird and its name. This is why the birds are our best educators. It is our goal that after seeing and learning about these birds, children and adults will have a better understanding and deeper appreciation for birds of prey.

Copper

• Species: Short-eared owl
• Age: Unknown
• Sex: Male
• Injury: Imprinted on humans
• Date acquired: Spring 1998

History:Copper's nest was disturbed as a chick and was abanduned by the adults. Copper and his two brothers were left on their own. A local rehabilitator got the owlets and raised them to fledglings. Copper's two brothers left with no problems. Copper kept returning. After many failed attempts to return him to the wild, Copper was allowed to live with the rehabilitator. Later the rehaber had too many birds and needed to find a home for Copper.

Merlin

• Species: Great horned owl
• Age: Unknown
• Sex: Male
• Injury:  fracture in his right wing
• Date acquired: October 2007
• History:  Merlin came to us from a raptor rehabilitator in the Treasure Valley who had confirmed with a local vet that he should not be released back to the wild.   Merlin has on old fracture in his right wing that had healed improperly leaving him unable to fly and incapable of surviving in the wild.

Little Hawk

• Species: Swainson's hawk
• Age: Hatched
• Sex: Female
• Injury: Imprinted on human
• Date Acquired: March 2003
• History: Little hawk's nest was destroyed during a storm. Little hawk was taken to a rehabilitator with hopes of returning to the wild. Unfortunately Little Hawk ended up imprinting on the rehabilitator and could not be released. The rehabilitator kept Little Hawk for 9 years before looking for another placement for her.

Marley

• Species: Red-tailed hawk
• Age: Born spring 2007; molting from immature plumage to adult plumage in 2008.
• Sex: Male
• Injury:  Amputated left wing above elbow
• Date acquired: July 2008
• History:  Marley came to us after a local raptor rehabilitator took him to a local vet to be treated for a damaged wing.   The wing had to be amputated above the elbow due to an old compound fracture that had not healed properly.  This left Marley unable to fly and therefore unreleasable.