The First Bird

One of my interests in retirement has been engaging with the University of Minnesota Raptor Center (http://www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu) as a volunteer. After going through an initiation session, Tuesday mornings have been dedicated to standing by on call as a Transport volunteer for moving raptors to or from the Center. In the meantime, the guy who inspired this interest, Jim Johnston, is serving as my mentor and trainer for raptor rescue. Rescue is different than transport in that it involves going out into the field to recover an injured or diseased raptor. Training includes the capture and handling of these birds that have talons and hooked beaks to help prevent injury or harm to the handler or to the bird.

In my first shadowing call, we were transferring an eagle from one car to another to transport it to the center for treatment. Residents in eastern Wisconsin had reported an eagle that was displaying uncharacteristic behaviors by staying on the ground in the same spot in a hay field for more than a couple of days. The lady that met us in Baldwin, Wisconsin was a local expert that had been called upon to capture the eagle. That eagle did not seem injured, and was plenty feisty during the transfer. Jim reached into the common large dog carrier and grabbed the birds legs with one hand. As it emerged, it spread it's giant wings and virtually enveloped Jim, creating a wind as it flapped. He calmly wrapped his other arm around the bird and tucked those wings back in, at which time it became submissive. That was until he started to guide it head first into the carrier in his car. He skillfully kept it's head away from him and tucked those wings into that small space.

After delivering him to the Center, we learned the behavior was the result of lead poisoning. Usually you have only a short period of time to get them to help before the lead damages the nervous system, liver and other organs, making it impossible for them to survive in the wild. I just couldn't imagine that outcome for this otherwise healthy looking national bird.

My first experience actually capturing a raptor occurred this week under Jim's guidance. His guidance basically consisted of, "there's the bird, go get 'em." Well, not entirely. He also cautioned me to do so without hesitation and as quickly as possible. For two reasons. First and foremost, to protect the bird from hurting himself any further and, second, to beat the train.

We were called by the metro transit folks saying they found an injured bird by their tracks next to the Mall of America. When we arrived and pulled up behind the track supervisors truck, we could see from some distance that the Red Tail Hawk had damaged his wing quite severely. It was up against a fence on the far side of the tracks. Between trains, we had our opportunity to grab the bird. Jim thought it was a good time for my initiation, perhaps because I then had no time to think or hesitate.

I reached in for its legs with both hands. The primary means of control of a raptor is by the legs, which is their first line of defense - and these birds are always on defense. My first lesson was to use one hand. It reduces the chance of them grabbing one of your fingers on the other hand in their talons, which is exactly what happened. It wasn't a problem, except I needed Jim's help to pry the talon to release my glove.

Second lesson was to tuck in their wings as soon as possible. In this case just to relieve the bird, since his wing was shattered, with compound fractures close to the wing joint. Keeping him from resisting and trying to get away helps prevent further pain and damage. Indeed, when I had full body control and slipped him into the carrier, he went quiet and submitted, not moving until we reached Jim's house.

We went to his house because the Center was closed, with no one to receive the hawk. Unfortunately, bone breaks in birds dry very quickly, making repair far more difficult with time. We needed to lubricate that bone if the hawk had any chance, enough to last through the night until Jim could return him the next morning for treatment. I held the bird (in the picture) while Jim smeared Vaseline all over the substantial wound. He then taped the damaged wing to the side of its body as a sort of sling to prevent further movement.

Unfortunately, I subsequently learned that the hawk was untreatable. In addition to the bone break, which when close to the wing joint is most often untreatable for returning to the wild, we hadn't noticed that the tip of his wing was entirely amputated. He must have hit whatever he hit very hard.

That disappointment was offset by the news that the eagle we had first transported was treated in time, and will fully recover to be released back into the wild. My guess is that the thought of rescuing and sending back into the wild a magnificent raptor that would otherwise die alone in the woods will offset the heartbreaking disappointment when it doesn't work out that way.