News From The Mews

One word that a raptor trainer never wants to hear is "bumblefoot." It is a catch-all term for any issue on a bird's feet, including calluses, sores, swelling, and infections. It can become very serious because raptors spend almost all of their time on their feet. Once bumblefoot gets established, it is difficult to fix. It can actually start to affect the bird's other foot if the initial irritation causes them to hold their weight unevenly. Prevention is the best medicine. I use the tip of a mechanical pencil to lift Aldo's toe while inspecting the reddish sore that appeared on his foot. That's why when I noticed a small red spot on the bottom of Aldo's foot, I leaped into action. The sore was in the center of his foot where he may have accidentally poked a talon with a clenched foot. That means my first treatment was clipping the tips of his talons to shorten his needle-like nails. The next most common cause of foot sores is perching in the mew. Perches ...

Interesting wildlife visitors continue to visit the raptor mews. A few weeks ago, a tree frog relaxed by Aldo's window. And today, the birds got a front row seat to an avian performance. I was filling a water pan in Carson's mew when I heard high-pitched chittering accompanied by a zipping sound. I ran to the door and saw a blur as a tiny bird dove back and forth in front of the mew building. Even though I couldn't see him well enough to identify the bird, the high-speed u-shaped flight was characteristic of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird's courtship dance. While he hoped that a female hummer would be impressed by his display, he didn't know that 3 raptors and their trainer were also enjoying his performance.

"Can you take out a bird so we can see them?" I both enjoy and dread this question that I often hear from visitors. I love that people are interested in seeing our raptors and want to appreciate them. And I love showing them off. But the question can catch me off guard and make me feel flustered.  My answer is usually "no" for these impromptu requests. While it seems like a simple question, I realized recently that most people don't know all of the calculations I have to make in my head before I can give an answer. I can't simply pop a bird in and out whenever I feel like it. Here are a few things I need to consider before moving one of our raptors: Carson's crop is full and foot is tucked. She's not interested in stepping up after her meal. Have they already gotten their food for the day?  While not completely necessary, I prefer to have treats ready to reward them for stepping on glove and meeting an audience. Another problem is their motivation. I...