The birds used in our education program are wild birds that have been injured and we were unable to rehabilitate them to the point they could survive in the wild. The birds may change over the years and not all birds are used in every program. Birds, like people, need time off from their work! Here is information on some of our active education birds.
Azjnii is a young great horned owl that came to us as a fledgling in spring of 2005. It was discovered by the end of that summer that Azjnii had cataracts and was unable to see well enough to hunt.
Morgan is a sparred owl: a rare hybrid between a spotted owl and a barred owl. It came to us in December 2005 with a broken right wrist (carpals) and a collapsed lens of the right eye.
Popeye is a crow who lost an eye as an infant, and is therefore unable to be released.
SPED, a male kestrel, was admitted in the spring of 2009 as a fledgling with a broken wing. He is able to fly short distances but not well enough to hunt for food.
TsKili, a male great horned owl, was admitted in spring 1999 as a fuzzy fledgling who had fallen out of his nest. His left shoulder area is permanently injured. He can fly level from perch to perch but cannot fly from the ground up. TsKili is a foster father to young great horned owlets that come into the center. TsKili is an American Indian name for "mysterious one." Tskili retired in 2005 from education programs and is now as serving as a foster dad for young Great horn owlets.
Rhett, a male barn owl, was admitted 1998 as a young owl. We believe Rhett was hit by a car. The left wrist area of his wing is permanently injured. Rhett can fly for a short distance but not well enough or far enough to survive on his own. Rhett is an excellent hunter and will often hunt down the wild mice that come into his enclosure.
Junior, a male turkey vulture, was admitted in the fall of 1997 as a young bird. Junior's right wing does not extend to it's full length. The wing has no apparent injury so our assumption is a birth defect. Junior's parents raised him until it was time for them to migrate south in the fall. Since Junior could not fly well enough to migrate with them he was left behind. A valley farmer found Junior in his field starving to death.
Update , Chintimini Wildlife Rehabilitation Center