Children get close to birds of prey

JOHNSONVILLE — The library reading group took flight as members were introduced to four different birds of prey on Tuesday, July 15, by staffers from Charleston’s Avian Conservation Center for Birds of Prey.

Kristin Gordon is the Center’s curator. She has been working at the Center for the last two and a half years. “I love being given the privilege of being able to care for these magnificent birds,” Kristin said. “We’re always learning new things about them.”

Susan Bogart helped with the demonstration on Tuesday. She started as a volunteer at the center in 1998 and became a part of the staff in 2005.

“I love raising the baby owls,” said Susan, “…and watching the kids eyes light up when they get to see these birds close-up.”

The Center for Birds of Prey is a division of Avian Conservation Center, which is a nonprofit organization, whose mission is to use avian medical care to address vital environmental issues that plague our land and our wildlife. It provides environmental education programs and conservation and research initiatives.

As a nonprofit organization, the center depends extensively on membership support and its volunteer staff. The Avian Medical Clinic and Oiled Bird Treatment Facility provides the highest quality medical care available to orphaned and injured birds on a daily basis. It started with just five acres and 17 birds in 1991.

During the years, the clinic has treated around 4400 injured and orphaned birds and have grown to 152 acres. The center is home to 99 non-releasable birds. These are birds that can no longer be introduced back into the wild and safely take care of themselves. Fourteen birds are in their training season and are used for educational programs.

These are on-site and off-site programs that include standards-based instructions for school students.

The group at the JES cafeteria for the summer reading program was shown a young Mississippi Kite. This was the smallest of the birds that was brought for the program. He is in training and demonstrated the snatch and grab technique used by many birds of prey.

Each bird is equipped with a small plastic attachment glued carefully to the top of its tail or under the wings. When training outside, a small transmitter is attached to the piece in order to keep track of the birds. Kristin and Susan answered many questions about the birds. Susan showed the group a two and a half month old Eagle Owl of Africa that was hatched at the center.

She also introduced them to a 3-year-old Barred Owl that had fallen from the nest and was taken in and fed by the people that found him. Because he became dependent on humans for his food, he was unable to be returned to the wild.

One of the questions asked by a young boy was, “Where are the owls ears?,” he asked when referring to the Barred Owl.

The Barred Owl is also in training. Susan used the owl to demonstrate its ability to fly on command.

The largest bird shown was a 3-year-old red-tailed hawk. He was brought to the center when injured by a car; once healed up, he was unable to be released into the wild because of a foot injury that made him unable to grab his food.

The compelling beauty of these birds can be seen at the Center for Birds of Prey. While at the center, visitors will see interpretive displays, daily flying demonstrations, and the on-site educational programs.

There is a genuine concern for the diminishing habitat that the birds of prey and we depend on.