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A Flock of Raptor Researchers

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Raptor researchers flocked to Duluth last week for the annual Raptor Research Foundation conference. I joined the kettle* for a day to discover new intel on some of my favorite birds. I was also curious to find out what kind of people would gather for a whole week to talk about raptors.  The hotel conference room was packed for the first session of the day. The crowd of 200 people had a mix of ages from all over the country. They definitely all had "bird nerd" vibes. During Dr. Jonathan Slaght's presentation about his work with Russia's fish owls, I was amused to hear delight from the audience at even mundane bird activity. A chuckle murmured across the room as a video showed an owl walking by a trail camera. It wasn't terribly interesting, but I was happy to be surrounded by people that could show such immediate fondness for the bird. Dr. Slaght went on to describe the fish owl's unique lifestyle of hunting fish in shallow rivers where hot springs keep the wa...
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Aviculturist Styles

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I was getting ready to clean our raptor mews when I received a text from my mom. She sent a link to a CBS Sunday Morning story about the Tower of London's Ravenmaster . The Tower's legend warns that the Tower and British monarchy will fall if the resident ravens ever leave the monument. The Ravenmaster is tasked with keeping these important birds happy and healthy.  My mom's text read, "he's the best dressed trainer for cleaning up raven poo that I've seen." I looked down at my cleaning gear and had to agree. While practical, my outfit would not win any style awards compared to London's Ravenmaster uniform!
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Aldo's New Perch

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  Aldo the kestrel's favorite perch in front of the window was recently upgraded. While the main rope-wrapped dowel is the same, this model features enhanced side panels with turf (one of his favorite spots to pick apart a mouse). It also has a more efficient way of attaching the dowel, which will make it easier for me to repair.  It looks like Aldo approves! Thanks to volunteer Tom for designing and cutting Aldo's new window perch!
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Going Gray?

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For a split second, I thought Aldo the kestrel was going gray. Then I realized the white specks on top of his head were not feathers turned gray. They were new feathers still inside their protective white sheath. The flakey keratin layer will fall off when the feathers are done growing. (As a side note, I found this fascinating article that describes how female kestrels get the best overwintering sites. Researchers traced the answer back to migration timing, molting, and chick-rearing roles! Read more here:  Being a Good American Kestrel Dad Comes at a Cost  )
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Pothos

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When I planted a live pothos plant in the tree frog's habitat, I also added a moss pole. The column of damp moss would be the perfect place for new roots to settle in and the plant could grow vertically.  Months later, the plant had not anchored in the moss despite my gentle encouragement. The stem still flopped down unless it was tied to the pole. Then I noticed another stem standing tall against the back of the habitat. I poked at it. It didn't budge, like it was cemented in. The plant didn't like my custom moss pole, but it's roots found firm footing in the painted foam backdrop!
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Carson's New Perch

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With Carson's permanent wing injury, I noticed that the Red-tailed Hawk sometimes had a hard time landing on perches. The biggest problem was the leap she had to make to the top of her hutch where I often leave her food. After seeing her miss the edge of the hutch a few times, I decided to add another shelf perch that would act like a set of steps up to the highest perch. Once it was installed, I wondered if Carson would actually use the new perch like I imagined. She did! Thanks to volunteer Tom for cutting Carson's new shelf perch!
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Tail Variations

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My trusty Kaufman bird guide describes identifiable American Kestrel traits including a plain, two-toned tail: "Male has a red-brown tail with black tip."  Kaufman's American Kestrel images That's why I always scratch my head when I see Aldo's molted tail feathers. They never seem to match Kaufman's image of a solid brown tail. Even when I search the internet for kestrel tail photos, most depict this definition. Aldo's tail is much more interesting: Aldo the American Kestrel's molted tail feathers from this summer. There are some solid brown areas with black along the tip, but there is also spots of blue and checkered black and white. I'm not sure how unusual this tail is. One naturalist saw an atypically-tailed kestrel and noted, "this marks only the third time that I’ve observed wild kestrels with unusually marked tails." Others have documented frequent variation while banding kestrels . There is even variation in Aldo's tail from ...
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