🦉In case you haven't heard, we are in the midst of baby season!
Baby raptors eat up to TWICE the food of their adult counterparts. This is because they are very fast growers. The young Barred Owl in this video will have gone from a hatchling the size of a chicken egg, to a fledgling the size of an adult Barred Owl in just a couple months!
The costs to feed these babies adds up quickly, and we would be SO appreciative if you could help! Any amount, no matter how small or large, will help immensely to ensure these babies in need (and the adult raptors in our care) get the nutrition they need to thrive in the wild once released!
The RARE Groups is run completely by volunteers, so 100% of your donation will go directly to support the birds in our care.
Donations can be made directly through this post, or via paypal by visiting https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CH942ZXP9JDFQ
🦅 Yesterday was a great day for a release!
Finders Brody and Sarah found this young male Bald Eagle, soaking wet and almost unresponsive, lying down in a field near their property in northeast Iowa.
After bringing him to our clinic we couldn’t appreciate any injuries, but he was very lethargic, and was unable to stand on his own.
That changed quickly! After just a couple days of supportive care, he was displaying the ferocity that a young Bald Eagle should (and more), so we moved him to our flight cage. It wasn’t long before he proved that he was an aerial ace, and was ready to be released.
We brought him back to the farm where he was found, and finder Brody opened the box to give this bird its well deserved freedom.
Thank you to all involved in the rescue, treatment, and release of this stunning young Bald Eagle!
🦉We are so happy to see this Barred Owl fly free!
One of our licensed rehabbers found this owl standing in the middle of a country road during one of the recent extreme cold snaps, with cars zooming by at 55mph. It had a crack in its beak, and an open wound on its chest.
Thankfully its wound was able to be treated and heal, and its beak was able to be saved by trimming and shaping the affected area. Once its wound was fully healed, it was ready for conditioning in our flight cage.
After passing all flight tests, it was ready to be released! Fortunately, another one of our volunteers has a large property only 1/2 mile from where the owl was found, so it was able to be released in a safe, familiar area.
The finding rehabber nicknamed this bird “Lucky”, since he discovered it likely only moments after being struck by a car in sub-zero temperatures.
We hope you enjoy this release video as much as we enjoyed releasing this beautiful Barred Owl back to the wild!
We are so happy to see this Red-tailed Hawk fly free!
This bird was found next to a road in Cedar Rapids with a broken femur. After x-rays and insight from our Veterinarian, we were able to properly splint and wrap the affected leg, allowing it to heal.
We’re positive this bird won’t have trouble finding food, as it immediately jumped on any food added to its enclosure while in rehab!
Thank you to the finder, Melissa, for getting this bird the help it so desperately needed. We’re glad you could come out and be a part of the release!
RARE - Northern Harrier Release - 12/4/23
We are THRILLED to share an update on our recent Northern Harrier case!
This juvenile Northern Harrier (a state-endangered species in Iowa) came to our clinic mid-October, and was suffering from a broken right wing. It went through x-rays at our Veterinarian's office, and had to have it's wing wrapped for several weeks to allow the injury to properly heal. Thankfully the wing healed great, and it was ready for flight testing after finishing up its clinic stay with physical therapy.
It was only a few days before this bird proved it was ready to be released! One of our rehabbers was able to take it back to near where it was found so it could fly free once again.
Thank you to the finder and Clinton County Conservation for rescuing this bird and making sure it got into the right hands to receive the care it needed!
🦉 Yet ANOTHER release to start out your weekend!
This young Great Horned Owl came to us from Deep River after being found with an eye injury, and a broken wing.
After spending some time in our clinic healing and going through physical therapy, it was transferred to our flight cage.
It quickly passed all tests with flying colors, and was able to be released by the finder yesterday!
THANK YOU to all involved in this case. It takes a lot of time and patience to bring these birds back to a releasable state, and we’re lucky to have our great team at our side every step of the way!
It’s a great day for a release!
This young Red-tailed Hawk came to us during extreme heat and drought, and was dehydrated and very skinny. It didn’t even try to avoid being captured!
It spent a few weeks in our clinic putting on weight and rehydrating before a short stint in our flight cage.
Today, it was able to be returned to the wild! The finder was able to be there, and was kind enough to get this great video for us.
A big “THANK YOU” to all involved in the care of this bird… from the finder who alerted us to it, to the licensed rehabbers and volunteers that gave it the care it needed to recuperate.
Another great day for a release!!
This Red-tailed Hawk came to us after being found next to the highway, unable to fly. We did not notice any serious physical injuries, but suspected possible head trauma from a vehicle strike.
After a couple weeks regaining it’s strength and raptor attitude at our clinic, and a short stay in our flight cage, this bird was ready to fly free once again!
🦉Another nestling successfully reunited with its parents!
This nestling Great Horned Owl (photo in comments) was found on the ground in Davenport just a couple days ago. It is a little too young to be out of the nest just yet, and with the nest located VERY high up in the tree, we decided to place it in a makeshift nest near to where the original nest is located.
The parents will continue to care for it in the makeshift nest until it is old enough to be on its own.
Thank you to the finders for alerting us to this baby, and to the staff at Nahant Marsh Education Center for their SECOND assist this year with re-nesting displaced owlets!
🦅 It’s a gorgeous day for a release!
This Bald Eagle came to us almost 1 month ago after it was witnessed being hit by a truck in Coralville. Luckily, aside from some scrapes and bruises, she did not have any life threatening injuries.
After spending some time resting and recovering in our clinic, followed by a short stay in our flight cage to make sure she was ready to fly, she was able to be released nearby to where she was found!
She flew off beautifully, and we’re so happy we could give her another chance in the wild!
🦉It’s a beautiful day for a release!
This Barred Owl was found on the side of the road in the Amana Colonies on 3/25 after what we believe to be a car strike.
It was suffering from head trauma, but was otherwise uninjured. Thankfully this bird responded well to treatment for its head trauma, and was able to be released today (after flight conditioning in our flight cage)!
Enjoy a video of this stunning bird returning to the wild for a second chance at life!
This past Saturday, we were able to release this gorgeous Great Horned Owl that was found in the median of Highway 1 almost a month ago!
Upon arrival, we appreciated a head injury, eye issues, and open wounds on her feet. She was likely hit by a car.
Once we got out of the water with those issues, it was time for flight conditioning! She spent a couple weeks being observed in one of our flight cages to make sure she was ready to survive in the wild, and she passed every test!
Justin (the individual who found this bird when it was injured) was able to meet us, and make the final toss to set this owl free.
We hope you enjoy this video of her release as much as we enjoyed releasing her!
You’ll notice she had a glove in her talons. Sometimes the only way to get a powerful raptor talon to release something is initiating flight!
Bald Eagle Release - June 2022
Happy 4th of July!
Enjoy this release story of a lead poisoned Bald Eagle that was brought to us by the folks at Wapsi River Environmental Education Center!
Peregrine Falcon Release - Oct 2021
Although there have been many releases, it's been a while since we've posted a release video!
Enjoy this journey through the rehabilitation of a juvenile Peregrine Falcon we recently cared for.
