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This is what I do in my spare time. I help in all areas of Cascades Raptor Center, including running the place. You can see me at 2:46-2:48 with Puck, an American Kestrel, where I'm doing a handler talk.
You animal lovers will love this. You animal haters can keep it to yourselves. 😉
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I rescued a Great Blue Heron during the US Thanksgiving week. It had wire from a fence wrapped around a wing and I originally thought that the wire had pierced the skin but that turned out to not be the case; the wire was only wrapped around the wing. I released it 3 days later.
With a Great Blue Heron, even though it's carnivorous it's not a raptor; raptors kill or subdue their prey with their talons and not their beak. A GBH has a long spear-like beak for hunting and even though we don't specialize in non-raptor species, we'll take on birds we're familiar with like herons or corvids (raven, crow, magpie). I even rescued a Canada goose, and no bird that I've encountered so far is as strong in the wings as a Canada goose. They are amazing - I was totally drained after restraining one of those during a rescue.
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Originally posted by zozozozoYou would be surprised at how many excellent volunteers are afraid of the birds they caretake (at least initially). There is nothing like being in a cage with an angry bald eagle to cure you of your fears. 🙂
2:15 Spring Anderson:
"All my life ive had a fear of birds...and, so, ehm...and also kindof a passion for them."
Wouldnt it be smarter to find another passion of something ur not afraid of?:p
eagle-ish birds are pretty cool tho, its awesome how they grouphunt^^
Originally posted by Badwateri guess they dont see a human as prey, kinda big for them.
You would be surprised at how many excellent volunteers are afraid of the birds they caretake (at least initially). There is nothing like being in a cage with an angry bald eagle to cure you of your fears. 🙂
but when u catch a wild bird, it might still attack since its under stress?
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Originally posted by zozozozoYes. A bird like a bald eagle is dangerous to deal with. If they get their talons into you they can break your arm. It might take pliers to get their talons out of you, too. I am one of 6 out of 60 volunteers that deals with eagles.
i guess they dont see a human as prey, kinda big for them.
but when u catch a wild bird, it might still attack since its under stress?
Other types of raptors are easy to deal with. I've never had to use a net with a red-tailed hawk. They are one of the biggest hawks around but have a smooth disposition, so if I go slowly up to them I can just pick them up. Every time, without fail, I've done that; I don't take a net for a red-tailed hawk rescue.
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Originally posted by zozozozo"Eagle" is a name given to a really large raptor. Owls are like other owls, hawks like hawks, and falcons like falcons, but 'eagle' is a name given to anything big. There's a lot of dissimilarity between eagles. A Golden Eagle, for example, not only looks like a big red-tailed hawk, they have a red-tailed hawk's temperment. A bald eagle, on the other hand, more resembled the Asian Sea Eagle in look and temperment; they have an ill disposition.
for an eagle, u have any kind of trick or something? to show it you are dominant?
or do u just stay away and trow a net? lol
The talons are the business end of any raptor. What that means is that I have to be fast and deliberate in catching an eagle, for there is no room for error. That is what I teach, and I have not yet failed.
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Originally posted by CrowleyIf you are in Eugene, Oregon, the you can catch me or any other handler during the weekends. In the winter months we do talks on Sat and Sun at 1:00. After April, and into the summer and early fall, we do handler talks at 12:00 and 2:00 on Sat and Sun.
Ah. Sorry, I missed you 😞
I thought you meant people could actually physically catch you at CRC at those times to see you give a talk 😕
In the video you're seeing me during a handler talk, where we bring birds out on the glove and talk about raptors in general, and the birds we have out specifically.
I know the goose have strong wings...they come through near our house all the time on their way south. I've tried to catch one that was hurt...i ended up just leaving it alone, and in several weeks it was able to leave our pond without my help.
but i don't know that i'd like to get near the wings of a swan either, i had one nearly attack me (it came at me, but when i jumped backwards it seemed to think it needn't continue its assault) and its spread is big, and the wings were so powerful the wind nearly shut my eyes (like when you stick your head out a car window doing 70!)
-GIN
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Originally posted by NowakowskiAgreed. 🙂
I know the goose have strong wings...they come through near our house all the time on their way south. I've tried to catch one that was hurt...i ended up just leaving it alone, and in several weeks it was able to leave our pond without my help.
but i don't know that i'd like to get near the wings of a swan either, i had one nearly attack me (it came a ...[text shortened]... wind nearly shut my eyes (like when you stick your head out a car window doing 70!)
-GIN